nioersiti)  of  a 


SECRET    SERVICE. 


BRIG.' JEN1-  AND  CHIEF,  NATIONAL  POLICE 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE, 


BY 

GENERAL    L.    C.    BAKER, 

it 

CHIEF   NATIONAL  DETECTIVE   POLICB. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBLISHED  BY  L.   C.   BAKER, 

1867. 


Entered  according:  to  Act  of  ConjrresR.  in  the  year  1867, 

BY  L.  C.  BAKER, 

in  the  Clerk's  OUice  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


SPRECKELS 


PREFACE. 


IN  giving  to  the  public  this  volume,  it  has  been  the 
design  to  present  the  operations  of  the  Bureau  of  the  Nation 
al  Detective  Police  during  the  war,  so  far  as  it  is  proper  to 
make  them  known  to  the  people.  It  is  not  a  book  of  roman 
tic  adventures,  but  a  narrative  of  facts  in  the  secret  history 
of  the  conflict,  and  mainly  an  exposure  of  the  manifold  and 
gigantic  frauds  and  crimes  of  both  the  openly  disloyal  and 
the  professed  friends  of  the  Republic.  Many  reports  are 
introduced,  some  of  which  are  lengthy,  and  portions  of  them 
are  dry,  because  they  are  the  official  records  of  the  work 
done,  and  the  verification  of  the  statements  made,  and  the 
highest  vindication  of  the  character  and  importance  of  the 
secret  service.  Passages  occur  in  them,  the  propriety  of 
which  many  readers  may  question,  but  their  omission  would 
have  weakened  the  strength  of  the  rep'  rts,  and  softened 
down  the  enormity  of  the  offenses  charged  upon  certain 
individuals.  The  whole  volume  might  have  been  made  up 
of  chapters  very  similar  to  those  of  the  first  hundred  pages 
or  more,  but  we  preferred  to  sacrifice  the  peculiar  interest, 
to  some  extent,  of  a  merely  sensational  work — sketches  of 
exciting  scenes  and  hair-breadth  escapes — for  the  greater 
object  of  an  authentic  official  record  of  the  vast  amount  of 
indispensable  service  rendered  to  the  Government,  during 
nearly  four  years  of  bloody  strife,  with  the  months  of  trial 


Q  PREFACE. 

and  agitation  which  followed.  The  plan  of  the  "book  was, 
therefore,  chosen  by  the  responsible  head  of  the  bureau, 
while  the  introductory  chapters  were  written  by  another, 
whose  editorial  aid  was  secured  in  the  general  preparation 
of  the  annals  for  the  press.  No  desire  *or  effort  has  been, 
cherished  to  wantonly  expose  or  wound  in  feeling  any  man, 
and  therefore  initials,  for  the  most  part,  alone  appear  ;  but  a 
faithful  history  of  transactions  under  the  authority  delegated 
to  the  Bureau,  will  unavoidably  reach  the  sensibilities  of 
persons  of  distinction,  no  less  than  those  in  humbler  life. 

The  volume  of  war  records,  the  most  of  which  have 
never  before  met  the  public  eye,  is  offered  to  the  people  as  a 
part  of  the  veritable  history  of  the  most  extraordinary  and 
perilous  times  the  Republic  has  known,  or  is  likely  to  pass 
through  again. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

GENERAL  BAKER  AND   THE   BUREAU  OF  SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  Ancestry  and  Birth-place  of  General  Baker — His  Early  Life — Residence  in 
California — Is  a  Member  of  the  Vigilance  Committee — Returns  to  New 
York  in  1861 — Visits  Washington — Interview  with  General  Scott — Enters 
the  Secret  Service — The  Great  Facts  established  and  illustrated  by  these 
Annals 17 

CHAPTER  I. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  BUREAU  OF  DETECTIVE   SERVICE. 

The  first  Visit  to  "Washington — Interview  with  General  Hiram  Walbridge,  and 
Hon.  W.  D.  Kelley— Introduction  to  General  Winfield  Scott— Return  to 
New  York — Appointed  by  General  Scott  to  renew  the  Attempt  to  visit  Rich 
mond — The  first  Failure — Crossing  the  Lines — The  Arrest — Examinations 
— Sent  to  General  Beauregard — On  to  Richmond 45 

CHAPTER  II. 

RESIDENCE  IN  RICHMOND. 

Summoned  to  an  interview  with  Jeff.  Davis — Subsequent  Examinations  by  him — 
Critical  Emergencies — Mr.  Brock — "  Samuel  Munson  " — Confidence  secured — 
Mr.  "Munson"  is  appointed  Confederate  Agent — Original  Letters  from  Davis, 
Toombs,  and  Walker — Starts  for  the  North — Unpleasant  Delays — A  Narrow 
Escape — Reaches  the  Potomac — Deceives  the  Dutch  Fishermen  and  runs  the 
Rebel  Gauntlet  safely 56 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

NORTHERN   EXPERIENCES  AS   CONFEDERATE   AGENT. 

Hospitalities  by  the  way  —  The  Report  to  General  Scott  —  Operations  in  Balti 
more  —  The  Janus-faced  Unionist  —  A  rich  Development  in*  Philadelphia  —  The 
Arrests  —  Amusing  Prison  Scene  ...................  ,  ..................  71 

CHAPTER  IV. 

TREASON  AND  TRAITORS  AT  THE  NORTH. 

Baltimore  —  The  Detective  Service  and  the  Arrest  of  the  Maryland  Legislature  — 
The  Refugee  and  the  Spy  —  The  Pursuit  and  the  Capture  —  Traitors  at  Niagara 
Falls  —  Acquaintance  with  them  —  The  Arrest  —  In  Fort  Lafayette  ..........  85 

CHAPTER  V. 

A   KNIGHT   OF  THE   GOLDEN   SQUARE. 

P.  IT.  F.,  alia,*  Carlisle  Murray,  a  Knight  of  the  Golden  Square  —  The  Arrest- 
Release  —  Papers  of  F.  examined  —  Secretary  Scward's  Order  for  a  Second 
Arrest  —  On  the  Track  —  The  Rural  Retreat  —  Mr.  Carlisle  Murray  a  Reformer 
and  Lover  —  The  Official  Writ  —  The  Astonished  Landlord  and  Landlady  —  A 
Scene  —  Report  .....................................................  93 

CHAPTER  VI. 

DISLOYALTY   AMONG  THE   POSTMASTERS. 

A  Mystery  —  The  Result  of  Cabinet  Meetings  in  "Washington  known  in  Rich 
mond  —  The  Detectives  learn  the  Reason  —  A  Visit  to  Lower  Maryland  — 
Amusing  Scenes  —  The  Mysterious  Box  —  The  Reports  —  A  Rebel  Letter  .....  102 

CHAPTER  VII. 

FRAUDS—  DISLOYALTY  IN   MARYLAND. 

The  Freighted  Traveler  —  Treason  and  Frauds  overlooked  in  the  Rising  Storm 
of  Rebellion  —  The  Bankers  —  The  Pretty  Smuggler  —  Reliable  Character  of 
the  Detective  Bureau  —  Disloyalty,  and  its  Punishments  in  Lower  Mary 
land  —  The  Friends  of  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair  and  the  Quinine  Traffic  — 
"  Ch-.mook  "  Telegrams  ...........................................  112 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

OFFICIAL  SERVICES  AND  EMBARRASSMENTS— NEW  ORDER  OF  THINGS. 

The  Bureau  transferred  to  the  War  Department — Dr.  H.,  and  the  Perilous  Ad 
venture  of  which  he  was  the  occasion — Report  of  the  Case — Arrest  of  the 
Leaders  of  a  great  secret  Southern  Organization — Documents  and  Letters — 
Rebel  Poetry 127 

CHAPTER  IX. 

AN   OFFICIAL  VISIT  TO   MANASSAS— THE   WASTE   OF  WAR. 

The  Evacuation  of  Manassas  by  the  Rebel  Army — The  Order  to  Visit  the  De 
serted  Battle-field— The  Survey  of  it— Report  to  the  Secretary  of  War- 
Waste  of  Government  Property. . 1 4.1 

CHAPTER  X. 

FRAUDS  BY  GOVERNMENT  EMPLOYEES  AND   OTHERS. 

False  Returns — Restitution — Attempts  to  escape  Arrest — Threats  to  intimidate 
in  the  Performance  of  Official  Duty — Prison  Life  a  Recommendation  to 
Special  Favor — Removal  of  a  Subordinate 147 

CHAPTER  XL 

STEALING— SMUGGLING  LIQUORS  INTO   THE   ARMY. 

Horse-Stealing — Why  many  Officers  disliked  the  Detective  Bureau — The  Spirit 

of  War  in  Time  of  Peace — The  Soldiers'  Thirst  for  Strong  Drink 152 

CHAPTER   XIL 

CARDS— TREASURES— FEMALE  SPY. 
Miss  A.  F.— Cavalry  Stuart's  Commission — The  Arrest  and  Imprisonment 168 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIH. 

THE  BUREAU  IN  CANADA— IN  THE  ARMY. 

Tricks  of  False  Correspondence — Mr.  Delisle  and  the  "Secret  Secession  Lega 
tion" — Disreputable  "Women  in  the  Army — Collision  with  Major-General 
on  their  Account 17-4 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

WEALTHY  TRAITORS— FRUITLESS  SCHEMES, 

John  H.  "Waring — His  Operations — An  Efficient  Tool — "Walter  Bowie — A  "Wild 
Career — Rebel  Mail — Contrabands — Extracts  from  the  Private  Journals  of 
Rebel  Spies 181 

CHAPTER  XV. 

SLAVERY— PLAYING  REBEL  GENERAL— FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY. 

The  Hostages — Mr.  Lincoln — Deceiving  the  Rebels — A  Successful  Game — Or 
ganization  of  the  First  District  Cavalry — Its  Services 193 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

FIRST  DISTRICT   CAVALRY. 

Leaving  Camp  again — ""Wilson's  Raid" — Battles — The  Escape  of  Kautz — The 

End  of  Regimental  Service 21.6 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  ANIMUS  OF  SECESSION. 

A  Disloyal  Pastor  and  his  Friends  compelled  to  "  do  justly  " — The  "  Peculiar  In 
stitution"  Dies  Hard — Man-Stealers  Foiled  in  their  Schemes  of  Robbery. . . .  230 


CONTENTS.  11 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

ENGLISH    SYMPATHY    WITH    THE    SOUTH— NEGRO-HATE    IN 
WASHINGTON. 

An  English  Emissary  of  the  South — He  Deceives  the  Secretary  of  State — My 
Acquaintance  with  Him — The  Fruitless  Effort  to  Betray  Me — The  Journey 
to  the  Old  Capitol  Prison — Negro-hate  in  the  National  Capital 235 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

GIGANTIC  VICES  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL. 

Gambling  and  the  Gamblers — The  Purpose  to  Break  up  the  Dens  Discouraged— 
The  Midnight  Raid — Results — Drinking  and  Liquor  Saloons — The  Descent 
upon  them — Broken  up — Licentiousness  and  its  Patrons — The  Raid  on  their 
Haunts  at  Dead  of  Night— The  Arrests 241 


CHAPTER  XX. 

COMPLAINTS  AGAINST  THE  BUREAU. 

The  Detective  System  Vindicated — Reports — Cases  of  Infidelity  in  Subordinates 
— Prompt  and  Decided  Action — Vandalism  in  the  Army — Family  Relics  re 
stored — A  Perilous  Adventure. .  .  253 


CHAPTER  XXL 

INVESTIGATIONS   IN   THE    TREASURY    DEPARTMENT. 
Suspicions  of  Corruption  abroad — The  Case  of  Stuart  Gwynn 261 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

INVESTIGATIONS  IN  THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Bureau  suspected  of  Complicity  with  Bank  Note  Companies — Mr.  Gwynn 
in  the  Old  Capitol  Prison — The  Congressional  Committee  call  for  Docu 
ments — They  are  produced — Mr.  Clark's  Stahis — Report 287 


12  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

STARTLING    DISCLOSURES   IN   THE   TREASURY    DEPARTMENT. 

Miss  Ella  Jackson's  Affidavit — Miss  Jennie  Germon — Mr.  Spurgeon  and  others — 
Correspondence  with  Mr.  Garfield,  Chairman  of  Congressional  Committee 
— Minority  Report — Concluding  Statements 293 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

UNFOUNDED  CHARGES— MY  OWN  AND   THE  MINORITY  REPORT. 

Alleged  Conspiracy  against  Government   Officers — My  Reply — Mr.  Garfield — 

Minority  Report— A.  C.  Wilson— My  Trial  and  Acquittal 308 

CHAPTER  XXY. 

A   PERILOUS  ADVENTURE. 

Pope's  Defeat — Banks's  Advance — The  Importance  of  communicating  with  him — 

The  Successful  Attempt — Rebel  Pursuers — The  Escape 329 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

COTTON  SPECULATIONS. 

Mania  for  Speculation — Law  of  Congress  in  regard  to  Owners  of  Cotton — Illicit 
Traffic  at  Norfolk,  Virginia — Frauds  committed  by  a  Paymaster  and  his  As 
sociate — Reports  of  their  Cases 335 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

SPECULATION  AND  FRAUD. 

Devices  of  Contractors — Detection  of  Forage  Contractor — Appeal  to  the  Presi 
dent — Further  Frauds  as  "Silent  Partner" — Report  on  Forage  and  Char 
tered  Vessels — Calumnious  Charges  Refuted — General  Report  of  Transac 
tions  .  369 


CONTENTS.  13 

CHAPTER  XXVIH. 

COUNTERFEITERS  AND  COUNTERFEITING 

Bank-note  Paper  and  Printing — Spider-leg  Paper — Gwynn  and  Clark's  Experi 
ments — Corrupt  Literature  in  the  Army 378 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

A  FEMALE  ADVENTURER. 

Woman  in  the  Rebellion — Her  Aid  indispensable  in  the  worst  as  well  as  the 

best  Causes — A  Spicy  Letter — Miss  A.  J. — Vidocq's  Experience 384 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE  BOUNTY  JUMPERS. 

Fraudulent  Practices  of  Bounty  Brokers  and  Jumpers — Contrast  between  Eng 
lish  and  American  Deserters — Plans  to  check  Desertion,  and  bring  Crimi 
nals  to  Justice 395 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  BOUNTY  JUMPERS  AND  BROKERS. 

Quotas  filled  with  Falsified  Enlistment-Papers — Arrest  of  Brokers — Amusing 
and  Exciting  Scene — The  Hoboken  Raid — Slanderous  Charges — Large  Num 
ber  of  Arrests — Incarceration  in  Fort  Lafayette — Other  Arrests — Trial  be 
fore  a  Military  Commission 431 

CHAPTER  XXXH. 

BOUNTY  JUMPING  INCIDENTS. 

Personal  Experience  in  Bounty  Jumping — A  Perfect  Trump — Detectives  Enlist 
ed — Passes  obtained  for  Bounty  Jumpers — Arrest  and  Surprise — Court- 
Martial  and  Conviction .  433 


14  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

BOUNTY  JUMPERS   IN   ORGANIZED   BANDS. 

Gipsy-like  Bounty  Jumpers — Wholesale  Bounty  Jumping  cafried  on  adroitly  by 
a  Gang  of  Operators — Opposition  from  a  Canadian  Gang — Thirty-two  Thou 
sand  Dollars  in  as  many  Days — Frauds  in  Drafting — An  Old  Man  put  in 
as  a  Substitute — A  Boy  decoyed — His  Adventures — A  Mother  of  Thirteen 
Children — Unavailing  Efforts  of  a  Mother  in  Search  of  her  Idiotic  Sou 444 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE   GREAT   CONSPIRACY. 

Assassinations — Eglon,  King  of  Moab — Caesar,  Emperor  of  Rome — James  I.  of 
England — Marat,  the  French  Revolutionary  Leader — Alexander  of  Russia — 
Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States 452 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE   ASSASSINS   CAPTURED. 

Excitement  around  my  Headquarters  at  Washington — The  Chief  Conspirator — 
A  Graphic  Narrative  of  his  Arrest — His  Burial — Desire  for  Relics  from  his 
Body — Hanging  of  the  Conspirators 476 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE   DETECTIVE   POLICE— AND   THE  ARREST  OF  THE   ASSASSINS. 

Personal  Relations  to  President  Lincoln — His  Kindness  and  Confidence — My 
Order  to  Pursue  the  Conspirators — Results — Statements  of  Subordinates 
and  Others 524 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

LETTERS  ON  THE  ASSASSINATION. 

Jacob  Thompson — Volunteer  Suggestions  respecting  the  Assassin's  Hiding- 
Places  before  his  Death,  and  the  Disposal  of  his  Remains  afterward — 
Threats  of  more  Assassinations — A  Mysterious  Letter — J.  H.  Surratt 513 


CONTENTS  15 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

FINAL   REPORT  OP  RESULTS— THE   CASE   OF   WIRZ. 

The  Auxiliary  Aid  of  this  Bureau  in  Government  Investigations — Its  Econo 
my — Statement  of  Goods  Seized — The  Attempted  Suicide  of  Andersonville 
"Wirz , 567 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

ATTEMPTED   SUICIDE   OF  WIRZ. 

My  Connection  with  the  Imprisonment  of  "Wirz  and  Jeff.  Davis — Vigilance  in 
Guarding  the  Prisoner — Mrs.  "Wirz  visits  her  Husband — He  desires  a  Call — * 
The  Interview — Attempted  Suicide 578 

CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  NEW  PRESIDENT— ORDERED   SOUTH— RESULTS. 

The  President — Mrs.  Cobb,  and  my  Official  Relations  to  both — Efforts  to  preju 
dice  the  new  President  against  my  Bureau — The  Success  contrasted  with 
that  under  the  former  Administration — Ordered  to  the  South  to  get  impor 
tant  Papers — Mrs.  C.  C.  Clay — The  Documents  found — A  new  Order  for 
Investigation — Results — Mrs.  Cobb  appears  on  the  Stage  of  passing  Events 
at  the  Capital 582 

CHAPTER  XLI. 

MAJOR  AND   MRS.  COBB— PARDONS— INDICTMENTS. 

The  Career  of  Mrs.  Cobb  and  the  Course  of  her  Friend  the  President — An  Appli 
cation  to  Mrs.  Cobb  for  a  Pardon — The  Contract — The  Pardon  obtained — 
The  Arrest — Report  to  the  President — How  he  received  it — Subsequent 
Interviews — He  defends  Mrs.  Cobb — Gets  Angry — Denounces  the  Detec 
tives — The  Farewell  to  the  "White  House 589 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

RESIGNATION   OF   COMMISSION. 

The  Request  to  be  Relieved  from  Special  Service — The  Case  of  Mrs.  "Washing 
ton — Popular  Prejudices,  and  the  Periodical  Press — The  Trial  of  Mrs. 
Cobb— Her  Testimony 605 


16  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

THE    PROGRESS    OF    THE    TRIAL. 

Testimony  of  Alfred  A.  Spear,  an  Officer  in  the  Bureau  of  the  National  Detective 
Police — Interesting  Details  of  his  Interviews  with  Mrs.  Cobb,  and  Matters 
connected  with  her 627 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

PROGRESS    OF    THE    TRIAL. 

Mr.  Jacob  Smith  Testifies — A  Clerk  in  the  Detective  Bureau — His  Account  of 
the  Interview  at  Headquarters  with  the  Cobbs 641 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

PROGRESS  OF  THE  TRIAL. 

Afr.  Stanton  examines  Lieutenant  Henry  H.  Hines — By  order  of  the  Secretary  of 
War.  is  connected  with  the  Secret  Service — His  Story  of  what  he  saw  of 
Mrs.  Cobb 646 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

CLOSING  SCENES  IN  COURT. 

Eloquent  Plea  of  Mr.  Riddle — His  able  Resume  of  the  whole  affair — Scenes  in 
the  Court-House — Verdict  of  the  Jury,  and  Decisions  of  the  Court — Spicy 
Bitterness  of  certain  Papers — List  of  Pardons — Abuse  of  Executive  Clem 
ency  and  Power 6'.« 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  BUREAU  OF  SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  Ancestry  and  Birth-place  of  General  Baker — His  Early  Life — Residence  in  Cali 
fornia — Is  a  Member  of  the  Vigilance  Committee — Returns  to  New  York  in 
1861— Visits  "Washington — Interview  with  General  Scott — Enters  the  Secret 
Service — The  Great  Facts  established  and  illustrated  by  these  Annals. 

BRIGADIER-GEXERAL  LA  FAYETTE  C.  BAKER  belongs  to  a  family 
of  "New  England  origin.  In  an  early  history  of  Vermont,  entitled 
the  "  Green  Mountain  Boys,"  the  name  for  two  generations,  is  con 
spicuous  among  those  of  the  heroic  men  of  the  French  and  Indian 
wars.  About  the  year  1770,  the  military  organization  bearing  that 
name  was  formed,  to  resist  the  arbitrary  claims  of  the  colonial  gov 
ernment  of  New  York  over  the  settlers  and  soil  of  the  "New  Hamp 
shire  Grants."  Ethan  Allen,  Seth  Warner,  and  Remember  Baker 
were  acknowledged  leaders  of  the  heroic,  self-sacrificing  band  of 
patriots.  We  find  it  recorded,  that  "previous  to  1770,  many  acts  of 
violence  had  been  committed  by  both  of  the  belligerent  parties.  It 
was  at  this  date  that  the  governor  of  New  York  attempted  to  enforce 
his  authority  over  the  territory  in  dispute  by  a  resort  to  military 
force.  The  Green  Mountain  Boys  having  learned  that  a  military 
force  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men  were  marching  to  subjugate 
them,  immediately  organized  themselves,  and  appointed  Ethan  Allen, 
colonel,  and  Seth  Warner,  Remember  Baker,  and  others,  captains  of 
the  several  companies  under  him.  The  Ne\v  York  force  having  ad 
vanced  at  night  upon  the  dwelling  of  a  settler,  were  suddenly  sur 
prised  by  the  mountaineers  in  ambush,  and  the  whole  posse  ID  glori 
ously  fled,  without  a  gun  being  fired  on  either  side.  The  Greeu, 


18  INTRODUCTORY   CHAPTER. 

Mountain  Boys  were  occasionally  called  out  for  military  exercise  and 
discipline.  In  1771,  the  governor  of  New  York  issued  a  proclamation 
offering  a  reward  for  the  arrest  of  Colonel  Allen,  and  Captains  War 
ner  and  Baker.  Several  attempts  were  made  to  abduct  them,  but 

none  were  successful." 

• 

Subsequently,  in  the  Indian  conflicts,  Mr.  Baker's  toes  were  cut 
off,  and  other  barbarities  inflicted  upon  members  of  his  family. 
General  Baker's  father,  who  inherited  the  paternal  name,  removed  to 
Stafford,  New  York,  in  1815.  La  Fayette  was  born  there,  October 
13,  1826.  When  three  years  of  age,  his  father  removed  to  Elba,  an 
adjoining  town,  Avhere  he  lived  till  thirteen  years  of  age,  when  the 
fimily  started  for  the  wilderness  of  the  Great  West.  Mr.  Remember 
Baker  chose  his  home  within  the  limits  of  Michigan,  where  Lansing, 
the  capital,  now  stands,  then  a  primeval  forest,  haunted  by  the  abo 
rigines.  Soon  the  log-house  and  the  clearing  around  it  rewarded  the 
toil  of  the  father  and.  the  son. 

In  the  year  1848  he  returned  to  New  York,  where  he  remained 
nearly 'two  years,  when  he  went  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  was 
engnged  in  mechanical  and  mercantile  pursuits.  Mr.  Baker  was 
married  December  24,  1852,  to  Miss  Jennie  C.  Curry,  daughter  of 
John  Curry,  Esq.,  of  South wark.  The  next  year  he  went  to  Califor 
nia.  An  incident  occurred  on  the  Isthmus,  illustrative  of  his  bold, 
fearless,  and  adventurous  character.  A  native  attempted  to  take 
advantage  of  an  Irish  emigrant,  and  charge  him  for  the  passage  of 
two  children  the  second  time.  Mr.  Baker  remonstrated.  The  party 
of  half  a  dozen  wore  in  a  small  boat,  near  Gorgona.  The  enraged 
boatman  seized  one  of  the  children,  and  threatened  to  throw  him  in 
the  water  unless  the  unjust  demand  were  complied  with  by  the 
father.  Mr.  Baker  told  him  to  stop,  but  he  refused ;  when  a  well- 
directed  blow  from  an  oar  staggered  the  man.  Recovering  himself 
in  a  few  moments,  he  drew  his  knife,  and  rushed  toward  Baker, 
who,  raising  his  revolver,  khot  him  dead,  the  lifeless  body  tumbling 
over  the  boat's  side  into  the  water.  lie  suddenly  became  conscious 
of  his  danger,  aware  that  the  native  population  would,  if  possible, 
kill  him.  Leaping  from  the  small  craft,  he  waded  to  the  opposite 
shore,  the  frantic  pursuers  at  his  back.  Turning,  he  shot  the  loader, 
and  crept  into  the  tangle  1,  matted  thicket.  Here  he  eluded  search, 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND   THE  SECRET   SERVICE.  19 

and  at  length  reached  the  American  consul's  house,  where  he  was 
concealed  in  a  subterranean  passage  for  two  weeks,  and  then  smug 
gled  on  board  of  a  vessel  bound  for  California,  and  safely  landed. 
The  next  meeting  with  one  of  his  traveling  companions,  where  the 
tragic  scene  narrated  occurred,  was  in  Richmond.  He  was  accosted 
by  him  there,  but,  as  it  will  be  seen,  having  become  "  Mr.  Munson," 
did  not  choose  to  know  his  friend  of  California  memory. 

Mr.  Baker  engaged  in  mechanical  pursuits  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
when  the  lawless  period  of  1856  called  into  existence  the  Vigilance 
Committee.  Mr.  Baker  was  immediately  enrolled  in  the  army  of 
2,200  men,  every  one  of  whom  was  known  by  a  number,  his  own 
being  208.  In  the  summary  work  of  ridding  the  country  of  reckless 
gamblers  and  "  ballot-box  stuffers,"  for  exposing  whose  crimes  James 
Casey  had  murdered  James  King  of  William,  editor  of  the  San  Fran 
cisco  Bulletin,  Mr.  Baker  was  an  active  and  efficient  member,  giving 
unmistakable  evidences  of  that  peculiar  adaptation  to  the  detective 
service,  which  has  made  him  pre-eminent  in  it,  on  this  continent, 
since  the  long  struggle  for  victory  over  a  foe  that  gloried  in  treason 
under  a  smiling  face,  and  robbery  in  the  name  of  inalienable  rights, 
called  for  and  received  the  best  men  and  treasure  of  the  country. 
With  the  disbandment  of  the  extraordinary  and  formidable  organiza 
tion,  Mr.  Baker  returned  to  his  peaceful  occupation,  in  which  he  con 
tinued  till  1861,  when  he  came  to  New  York  City,  intending  to 
remain  only  a  brief  period.  The  appreciation  of  his  services  while  a 
member  of  the  Vigilance  Committee  and  engaged  in  a  mercantile 
agency,  was  very  emphatically  and  tastefully  expressed  on  New 
Year's  day,  the  date  of  his  departure,  by  the  merchants  of  San  Fran 
cisco.  They  met  at  the  Bank  Exchange,  and  sent  for  Mr.  Baker. 
When  he  entered  the  room,  to  his  entire  surprise,  a  gentleman  pre 
sented  him  with  a  cane  of  rnansinita  wood,  found  only  in  California, 
The  head  is  polished  gold  quartz  from  the  Ish  Mine,  Oregon,  and 
around  it  are  nine  oval  stones  of  similar  material  from  as  many  dif 
ferent  mines.  The  whole  is  richly  mounted  with  solid  gold,  and 
cost  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

At  the  very  moment  lie  was  ready  to  return  to  the  Pacific  coast, 
the  tocsin  of  civil  war  startled  the  land.  In  common  with  the  Joyal 
millions  of  the  North,  his  patriotic  indignation  at  the  treasonable 


20  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

revolt,  and  the  desire  to  aid  in  its  suppression,  made  all  other  pur 
poses  and  plans  of  small  importance.  He  immediately  decided  to 
abandon  his  business  schemes  and  serve  the  imperiled  country.  How 
well  he  succeeded,  and  his  public  career  from  this  point  in  his  history, 
will  appear  in  his  story  of  the  National  Secret  Service. 

In  General  Baker's  personal  appearance  there  is  nothing,  to  a 
casual  observer,  remarkable.  And  yet,  physically,  he  is  an  extraor 
dinary  man.  Before  the  exhausting  labors  of  his  official  position 
during  the  war  reduced  his  weight,  it  averaged  one  hundred  and 
eighty  pounds.  His  frame  is  of  the  firmest  texture,  and  its  powers 
of  endurance  very  great.  For  days  together  lie  has  prosecuted  his 
duties  without  food  or  sleep,  and  exposed  to  winter  storms.  He 
is  of  medium  height,  lithe,  and  sinewy,  and  his  movements  are  quick, 
and  yet  having  the  air  of  deliberateness  natural  to  a  profession  in 
which  circumspection  and  habitual  self-control  are  among  the  first 
conditions  of  success.  Around  his  forehead  of  intelligent  outline  lies 
a  profusion  of  brown  hair,  and  his  face  is  partially  covered  with  a 
heavy  brown  beard.  His  gray  eye,  in  repose,  wears  a  cold  expres 
sion  ;  in  his  naturally  cheerful  mood,  and  in  the  unguarded  enjoy 
ment  of  social  life,  it  is  changeful  and  playful ;  and,  engaged  in  his 
special  duty  of  detecting  crime,  it  becomes  sharply  piercing,  often 
making  the  victim  of  his  vigilance  to  quail  before  its  steady  gaze. 
Indeed,  he  was  evidently  the  man  for  the  place  he  filled  during  the 
national  struggle.  The  personal  peril  to  which  he  exposed  himself, 
and  the  untiring  service  performed,  at  the  head  of  a  division,  or  even 
a  regiment,  would  have  sounded  his  name  over  the  land  as  a  daring, 
untiling  and  heroic  leader.  He  is  probably  the  best  "shot"  in  the 
country,  and  also  a  fine  horseman.  Some  additional  and  interesting 
facts  in  his  history  will  be  noticed  in  the  eloquent  defense  of  General 
Baker  by  Mr.  Riddle,  in  the  "  Cobb  case." 

For  nearly  twenty  years  he  has  not  tasted  intoxicating  drinks, 
"but  has  been  enrolled  among  the  Sons  of  Temperance ;  and  what 
seems  still  more  remarkable,  when  we  think  of  the  associations 
inseparable  from  his  adventurous  career,  he  has  never  been  addicted 
to  the  shameless  profanity  so  common  in  the  army  and  among  men 
of  adventurous  character.  His  fidelity  and  kindness  of  heart  in  his 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  21 

domestic  relations,  and  toward  kindred  less  fortunate  than  himself 
are  well  known. 

Such  are  the  general  characteristics  of  the  first  national  chief  of  a 
Detective  Bureau  in  the  war  record  of  this  country. 

Blackstone's  definition  of  the  police  is :  "  The  due  regulation  and 
domestic  order  of  the  kingdom,  whereby  the  individuals  of  a  State, 
like  members  of  a  family,  are  compelled  to  conform  their  general 
behavior  to  the  rules  of  propriety  and  good  neighborhood,  and  good 
manners,  and  to  be  decent,  inoffensive  individuals  in  their  several 
stations." 

The  definition  is  comprehensive,  and  certainly  gives  to  this  public 
service  both  great  utility  and  honorable,  dignified  character.  Another 
able  writer  divides  the  services  of  policemen  into  several  distinct 
duties;  among  which  is  "giving  recent  intelligence,"  the  very  work 
of  the  detective  police,  when  a  specialty  in  time  of  public  perils,  and 
one  which  awakens  the  prejudice  and  hostility  of  all  classes. 

The  history  of  the  police  of  the  world,  would  be  a  most  exciting 
and  instructive  library  of  itself.  We  can  only  glance  at  this  service 
in  the  two  leading  nations  of  Europe  ;  one  Protestant  and  the  other 
Catholic.  "The  oifice  of  constable,"  says  a  "magistrate,"  in  his 
annals  of  the  London  police,  "is  as  old  as  the  monarchy  of  England." 
He  writes  again,  with  reference  to  the  unpopular  character  of  the  in 
dispensable  oifice:  "The  best  laws  are  worthless,  if  the  public  impres 
sion  be  cherished  that  it  is  a  matter  of  infamy  to  carry  them  into 
execution."  Doubtless,  the  principal  reason  for  the  general  disfavor 
toward  the  police  department,  arises  from  the  espionage  inseparable 
from  it.  People  do  not  like  to  be  watclied,  and  are  still  less  willing  tc 
have  their  offenses  against  law  and  order  reported  to  the  tri 
bunals  of  justice.  Nevertheless,  the  records  of  the  police,  with  al 
that  is  unworthy  of  it,  are  irresistible  evidence  of  its  importance  ii 
securing  public  and  personal  security  from  the  depravity  which  scorns 
all  restraints  but  the  iron  grasp  of  law.  In  Britain,  the  police  de 
partment  has  never  become  a  national  institution ;  but,  until  compar 
atively  a  recent  date,  has  been  "  a  hand  to  mouth  affair."  About  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Henry  Fielding  devoted  his  ener 
gies  and  influence  to  the  organization  of  the  London  police  into  an 
efficient  and  able  force  under  the  acting  magistrate  of  the  city.  And, 


22  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

like  the  modern  defenders  of  the  "  constitution,"  there  were  not  a 
few  who  wrote  and  talked  about  the  dangerous  infringement  of  the 
rights  of  citizenship,  and  predicted  the  rapid  decay  of  liberty,  until 
the  "British  lion  would  slumber  ingloriously  in  the  net  of  captivity." 
But  the  reform  went  forward,  and  the  charter  .of  English  freedom 
remained  unshaken  by  the  dreaded  power  of  an  omnipresent  police. 
The  ciimes  it  exposed  and  the  criminals  convicted,  for  a  single  year, 
were  tens  of  thousands. 

We  turn  to  France  for  the  most  complete  and  successful  system 
of  police  service  the  world  has  yet  seen.  Until  the  latter  part  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  the  kingdom  had  no  effective  police,  Even  in  the 
streets  of  Paris,  "  wolves  roamed  unmolested,"  and  citizens  forsook 
their  habitations.  Charles  VII.  took  charge  of  the  criminal  business 
of  the  realm,  to  the  sudden  alarm  of  the  lawless  people,  who  lived  on 
the  property  and  peace  of  the  communities.  Francis  L,  in  1520, 
appointed  a  provost-marshal,  with  thirty  constables.  The  next  grand 
advance  in  this  department  of  justice,  was  the  creation,  by  Louis 
XIV.,  of  a  lieutenant-general,  which  office  continued  from  March, 
1607,  to  the  memorable  July  14,  1787.  The  most  distinguished 
officer  during  this  period  was  De  La  Renye. 

The  storm  of  the  French  revolution,  which  swept  away  the  entire 
order  of  things,- reduced  the  police  organization  to  sixty  petty  com 
mittees.  After  the  restoration,  the  prefect  was  appointed.  Through 
all  these  changes,  the  national  police  of  France  stood  alone  in  the 
recognition  of  its  worth,  and  the  mighty  power  it  wielded  in  secu 
ring  the  public  good. 

The  very  vices  of  the  great  metropolis  are  so  far  regulated  and 
controlled  by  it,  that  their  ruinous  results  in  Paris  are  probably  not 
one-half  they  are  in  proportion  to  the  population  in  Protestant  Lon 
don  or  New  York.  We  shall  quote  a  few  passages  from  Vidocq's 
memoirs,  a  man  of  doubtful  character,  but  the  great  modern  Parisian 
detective,  to  illustrate  the  practical  workings  of  the  system  there. 

M.  Henry,  to  whom  Vidocq  refers,  was  "the  prefet"  of  police. 
He  thus  describes  his  entrance  upon  his  official  duties  : — 

"As  the  secret  agent  of  government,  I  had  duties  marked  out,  and 
the  kind  and  respectable  M.  Henry  took  upon  himself  to  instruct  me 
in  their  fulfillment;  for  in  his  hands  were  intrusted  nearly  the  entire 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  23 

safety  of  the  capital :  to  prevent  crimes,  discover  malefactor.*,  and  to 
give  them  up  to  justice,  were  the  principal  functions  confided  to  me. 
By  thieves,  M.  Henry  was  styled  the  Evil  Spirit;  and  well  did  he 
merit  the  surname,  for,  with  him,  cunning  and  suavity  of  manners 
were  so  conjoined  as  seldom  to  fail  in  their  purpose.  Among  the 
coadjutors  of  M.  Henry  was  M.  Bertaux,  a  cross-examiner  of  great 
merit.  The  proofs  of  his  talent  may  be  found  in  the  archives  of  the 
court.  Next  to  him,  I  have  great  pleasure  in  naming  M.  Parisot, 
governor  of  the  prisons.  In  a  word,  M.  Henry,  Bertaux,  and  Parisot 
formed  a  veritable  triumvirate,  which  was  incessantly  conspiring 
against  the  perpetrators  of  all  manner  of  crimes  ;  to  extfrpate  rogues 
from  Paris,  and  to  procure  for  the  inhabitants  of  that  immense  city  a 
perfect  security. 

"  So  soon  as  I  was  installed  in  my  new  office  of  secret  agent,  I  com 
menced  my  rounds,  in  order  to  take  my  measures  well  for  setting 
effectually  to  work.  These  journeys,  which  occupied  me  nearly 
twenty  days,  furnished  me  with  many  useful  and  important  obser 
vations,  but  as  yet  I  was  only  preparing  to  act,  and  studying  my 
ground. 

"  One  morning  I  was  hastily  summoned  to  attend  the  chief  of  the 
division.  The  matter  in  hand  was  to  discover  a  man  named  Watrin, 
accused  of  having  fabricated  and  put  in  circulation  false  money  and 
bank  notes.  The  inspectors  of  the  police  had  already  arrested  Wat 
rin,  but,  according  to  custom,  had  allowed  him  to  escape.  M.  Henry 
gave  me  every  direction  which  he  deemed  likely  to  assist  me  in  the 
search  after  him ;  but,  unfortunately,  he  had  only  gleaned  a  few 
simple  particulars  of  his  usual  habits  and  customary  haunts  :  every 
place  he  was  known  to  frequent  was  freely  pointed  out  to  me ;  but 
it  was  not  very  likely  he  would  be  found  in  those  resorts  which  pru 
dence  would  call  upon  him  carefully  to  avoid;  there  remained,  there 
fore,  only  a  chance  of  reaching  him  by  some  by-path.  When  I  learnt 
that  he  had  left  his  effects  in  a  furnished  house,  where  he  once  lodged, 
on  the  boulevard  of  Mont  Parnasse,  I  took  it  for  granted  that,  sooner 
or  later,  he  would  go  there  in  search  of  his  property,  or  at  least  that 
he  would  send  some  person  to  fetch  it  from  thence  ;  consequently,  I 
directed  all  my  vigilance  to  this  spot,  and  after  having  reconnoitred 
the  house,  I  lay  in  ambush  in  its  vicinity  night  and  day,  in  ord  er  to 


24  IKTRODtCtOEY  CHAPTER. 

keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  all  comers  and  goers.  This  went  on  for 
nearly  a  week,  when,  weary  of  not  observing  any  thing,  I  determined 
upon  engaging  the  master  of  the  house  in  my  interest,  and  to  hire  an 
apartment  of  him,  where  I  accordingly  established  myself  with  An 
nette,  certain  that  my  presence  could  give  rise»to  no  suspicion.  I 
had  occupied  this  post  for  about  fifteen  days,  when  one  evening,  at 
eleven  o'clock,  I  was  informed  that  Watrin  had  just  come,  accom 
panied  by  another  person.  Owing  to  a  slight  indisposition,  I  had 
retired  to  bed  earlier  than  usual ;  however,  at  this  news  I  rose  hast 
ily,  and  descended  the  staircase  by  four  stairs  at  a  time ;  but  what 
ever  diligence  I  might  use,  I  was  only  just  in  time  to  catch  Watrin's 
companion  ;  him  I  had  no  right  to  detain,  but  I  made  myself  sure 
that  I  might,  by  intimidation,  obtain  further  particulars  from  him.  I 
therefore  seized  him,  threatened  him,  and  soon  drew  from  him  a  con 
fession  that  he  was  a  shoemaker,  and  that  Watrin  lived  with  him, 
No.  4,  Rue  des  Mauvais  Garcons.  This  was  all  I  wanted  to  know : 
I  had  only  had  time  to  slip  an  old  greatcoat  over  my  shirt,  and 
without  stopping  to  put  on  more  garments,  I  hurried  on  to  the  place 
thus  pointed  out  to  me.  I  reached  the  house  at  the  very  instant  that 
some  person  was  quitting  it :  persuaded  that  it  was  Watrin,  I  at 
tempted  to  seize  him ;  he  escaped  from  me,  and  I  darted  after  him 
up  a  staircase  ;  but,  at  the  moment  of  grasping  him,  a  violent  blow 
which  struck  my  chest,  drove  me  down  twenty  stairs.  I  sprang  for 
ward  again,  and  that  so  quickly,  that  to  escape  from  my  pursuit  he 
was  compelled  to  return  into  the  house  through  a  sash  window.  I 
then  knocked  loudly  at  the  door,  summoning  him  to  open  it  without 
delay.  This  he  refused  to  do.  I  then  desired  Annette  (who  had  fol 
lowed  me)  to  go  in  search  of  the  guard,  and  while  she  was  preparing 
to  obey  me,  I  counterfeited  the  noise  of  a  man  descending  the  stairs. 
Watrin,  deceived  by  this  feint,  was  anxious  to  satisfy  himself  whether 
I  had  actually  gone,  and  softly  put  his  head  out  of  window  to  observe 
if  all  was  safe.  This  was  exactly  what  I  wanted.  I  made  a  vigorous 
dart  forward,  and  seized  him  by  the  hair  of  his  head  :  he  grasped  me 
in  the  same  manner,  and  a  desperate  struggle  took  place  ;  jammed 
against  the  partition  wall  which  separated  us,  he  opposed  me  with  a 
determined  resistance.  Nevertheless,  I  felt  that  he  was  growing 
weaker  ;  I  collected  all  my  strength  for  a  last  effort ;  I  strained  every 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  25 

nerve,  and  drew  him  nearly  out  of  the  window  through  which  we 
were  struggling  :  one  more  trial  and  the  victory  was  mine ;  but  in 
the  earnestness  of  my  grasp  we  both  rolled  on  the  passage  floor,  on 
to  which  I  had  pulled  him ;  to  rise,  snatch  from  his  hands  the  shoe 
maker's  cutting-knife  with  which  he  had  armed  himself,  to  bind  him, 
and  lead  him  out  of  the  house,  was  the  work  of  an  instant.  Accom 
panied  only  by  Annette,  I  conducted  him  to  the  prefecture,  where  I 
received  the  congratulations,  first  of  M.  Henry,  and  afterward  those 
of  the  prefect  of  police,  who  bestowed  on  me  a  pecuniary  recompense. 
Watrin  was  a  man  of  unusual  address  ;  he  followed  a  coarse,  clumsy 
business,  and  yet  he  had  given  himself  up  to  making  counterfeit 
money,  which  required  extreme  delicacy  of  hand.  Condemned  to 
death,  he  obtained  a  reprieve  the  very  hour  that  was  destined  for  his 
execution ;  the  scaffold  was  prepared,  he  was  taken  down  from  it, 
and  the  lovers  of  such  scenes  experienced  a  disappointment.  All 
Paris  remembers  it.  A  report  was  in  circulation  that  he  was  about 
to  make  some  very  important  discoveries ;  but  as  he  had  nothing  to 
reveal,  a  few  days  afterward  he  underwent  his  sentence. 

<c  Watrin  was  my  first  capture,  and  an  important  one  too ;  this  suc 
cessful  beginning  awoke  the  jealousy  of  the  peace-officers,  as  well  as  of 
those  under  my  orders  ;  all  were  exasperated  against  me,  but  in  vain ; 
they  could  not  forgive  me  for  being  more  successful  than  themselves. 
The  superiors,  on  the  contrary,  were  highly  pleased  with  my  conduct ; 
and  I  redoubled  my  zeal,  to  render  myself  still  more  worthy  their 
confidence. 

"  About  this  period  a  vast  number  of  counterfeit  five-franc  pieces 
had  got  into  general  circulation  ;  several  of  them  were  shown  me ; 
while  examining  them,  I  fancied  I  could  discover  the  workmanship 
of  Bouhin  (who  had  informed  against  me)  and  of  his  friend,  Dr.  Ter 
rier.  I  resolved  to  satisfy  my  mind  as  to  the  truth  of  this;  and  in 
consequence  of  this  determination,  I  set  about  watching  the  steps  of 
these  two  individuals  ;  but  as  I  durst  not  follow  too  closely,  lest  they 
might  recognize  me,  and  mistrust  my  observation,  it  was  difficult  for 
me  to  obtain  the  intelligence  I  wanted.  Nevertheless,  by  dint  of 
unwearied  perseverance,  I  arrived  at  the  certainty  of  my  not  having 
mistaken  the  matter,  and  the  two  coiners  were  arrested  in  the  very 


26  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

act  of  fabricating  their  base  coin  ;  they  were  shortly  after  condemned 
and  executed  for  it." 

14  In  so  populous  a  capital  as  that  of  Paris,  there  are  usually  a  vast 
many  places  of  bad  resort,  at  which  assembled  persons  of  broken 
fortune  and  ruined  fame ;  in  order  to  judge  of  them  under  my  own 
eye,  I  frequented  every  house  and  street  of  ill-fame,  sometimes  under 
one  disguise  and  sometimes  under  another ;  assuming,  indeed,  all 
those  rapid  changes  of  dress  and  manner  which  indicated  a  person 
desirous  of  concealing  himself  from  the  observation  of  the  police,  till 
the  rogues  and  thieves  whom  I  daily  met  there  firmly  believed  me  to 
be  one  of  themselves  ;  persuaded  of  my  being  a  runaway,  they  would 
have  been  cut  to  pieces  before  I  should  have  been  taken  ;  for  not  only 
had  I  acquired  their  fullest  confidence,  but  their  strongest  regard  ; 
and  so  much  did  they  respect  my  situation,  as  a  fugitive  galley-slave, 
that  they  would  not  even  propose  to  me  to  join  in  any  of  their  daring 
schemes,  lest  it  might  compromise  my  safety.  All,  however,  did  not 
exercise  this  delicacy,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter.  Some  months  had 
passed  since  I  commenced  my  secret  investigations,  when  chance 
threw  in  my  way  St.  Germain,  whose  visits  had  so  often  filled  me 
with  consternation.  He  had  with  him  a  person  named  Boudin,  whom 
I  had  formerly  seen  as  a  restaurateur  in  Paris,  in  the  Rue  des  Prou- 
vaires,  and  of  whom  I  knew  no  more  than  that  trifling  acquaintance 
which  arose  from  my  occasionally  exchanging  my  money  for  his  din 
ners.  He,  however,  seemed  easily  to  recollect  me,  and,  addressing  me 
with  bold  familiarity,  which  my  determined  coolness  seemed  unable 
to  subdue,  '  Pray,'  said  he,  '  have  I  been  guilty  of  any  offense  toward 
you,  that  you  seem  so  resolved  upon  cutting  me  ?' — '  By  no  means, 
sir,'  replied  I ;  'but  I  have  been  informed  that  you  have  been  in  the 
service  of  the  police.' — '  Oh,  oh,  is  that  all,'  cried  he ;  '  never  mind 
that,  my  boy;  suppose  I  have,  what  then?  I  had  my  reasons  ;  and 
when  I  tell  you  what  they  were,  I  am  quite  sure  you  will  not  bear  me 
any  ill-will  for  it.' — '  Come,  come,'  said  St.  Germain,  *  I  must  have  you 
good  friends  ;  Boudin  is  an  excellent  fellow,  and  I  will  answer  for  his 
honor,  as  I  would  do  for  my  own.  Many  a  thing  happens  in  life  we 
should  never  have  dreamed  of,  and  if  Boudin  did  accept  the  situation 
you  mention,  it  was  but  to  save  his  brother :  besides,  you  must  feel 
satisfied,  that  were  his  principles  such  as  a  gentleman  ought  not  to 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  27 

possess,  why,  you  would  not  find  him  in  my  company.'  I  was  much 
amused  with  this  excellent  reasoning,  as  well  as  with  the  pledge  given 
for  Boudin's  good  faith ;  however,  I  no  longer  sought  to  avoid  the 
conversation  of  Boudin.  It  was  natural  enough  that  St.  Germain 
should  relate  to  me  all  that  had  happened  to  him  since  his  last  disap 
pearance,  which  had  given  me  such  pleasure. 

"After  complimenting  me  on  my  flight,  he  informed  me  that  after 
my  arrest  he  had  recovered  his  employment,  which  he,  however,  was 
not  fortunate  enough  to  keep  ;  he  lost  it  a  second  time,  and  had  since 
been  compelled  to  trust  to  his  wits  to  procure  a  subsistence.  I  re 
quested  he  would  tell  me  what  had  become  of  Blondy  and  Deluc? 
4  What,'  said  he ;  '  the  two  who  slit  the  wagoner's  throat  ?  Oh,  why, 
the  guillotine  settled  their  business  at  Beauvais.'  When  I  learnt  that 
these  two  villains  had  at  length  reaped  the  just  reward  of  their 
crimes,  I  experienced  but  one  regret,  and  that  was,  that  the  heads  of 
their  worthless  accomplices  had  not  fallen  on  the  same  scaffold. 

"After  we  had  sat  together  long  enough  to  empty  several  bottles 
of  wine,  we  separated.  At  parting,  St.  Germain  having  observed  that 
I  was  but  meanly  clad,  inquired  what  I  was  doing,  and  as  I  carelessly 
answered  that  at  present  I  had  no  occupation,  he  promised  to  do  his 
best  for  me,  and  to  push  my  interest  the  first  opportunity  that  offered. 
I  suggested  that,  as  I  very  rarely  ventured  out,  for  fear  of  being  ar 
rested,  we  might  not  possibly  meet  again  for  some  time.  '  You  can 
see  me  whenever  you  choose,'  said  he ;  c  I  shall  expect  that  you  will 
call  on  me  frequently.'  Upon  my  promise  to  do  so,  he  gave  me  his 
address,  without  once  thinking  of  asking  for  mine. 

"  St.  Germain  was  no  longer  an  object  of  such  excessive  terror  as 
formerly  in  my  eyes;  I  even  thought  it  my  interest  to  keep  him  in 
sight,  for  if  I  applied  myself  to  scrutinizing  the  actions  of  suspicious 
persons,  who  better  than  he  called  fur  the  most  vigilant  attention  ? 
In  a  word,  I  resolved  upon  purging  society  of  such  a  monster.  Mean 
while,  I  waged  a  determined  war  with  all  the  crowd  of  rogues  who 
infested  the  capital.  About  this  time,  robberies  of  every  species  were 
multiplying  to  a  frightful  extent:  nothing  was  talked  of  but  stolen 
palisades,  out-houses  broken  open,  roofs  stripped  of  their  lead ;  moro 
than  twenty  reflecting  lamps  were  successively  stolen  from  the  Rue 
Fontaine  au  Roi,  without  the  plunderers  being  detected.  For  a 


28  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

whole  month  the  inspectors  had  been  lying  in  wait  in  order  to  sur 
prise  them,  and  the  first  night  of  their  discontinuing  their  vigilance 
the  same  depredations  took  place.  In  this  state,  which  appeared  like 
setting  the  police  at  defiance,  I  accepted  the  task  which  none  seemed 
able  to  accomplish,  and  in  a  very  short  time  I  ws  enabled  to  bring 
the  whole  band  of  these  shameless  plunderers  to  public  justice,  which 
immediately  consigned  them  to  the  galleys. 

"  Each  day  increased  the  number  of  my  discoveries.  Of  the  many 
who  were  committed  to  prison,  there  were  none  who  did  not  owe 
their  arrest  to  me,  and  yet  not  one  of  them  for  a  moment  suspected 
my  share  in  the  business.  I  managed  so  well,  that  neither  within  nor 
without  its  walls  had  the  slightest  suspicion  transpired.  The  thieves 
of  my  acquaintance  looked  upon  me  as  their  best  friend  and  true  com 
rade  ;  the  others  esteemed  themselves  happy  to  have  an  opportunity 
of  initiating  me  in  their  secrets,  whether  from  the  pleasure  of  con 
versing  with  me,  or  in  the  hope  of  benefiting  by  my  counsels.  It 
was  principally  beyond  the  barriers  that  I  met  with  these  unfortunate 
beings.  One  day  that  I  was  crossing  the  outer  Boulevards,  I  was 
accosted  by  St.  Germain,  who  was  still  accompanied  by  Boudin. 
They  invited  me  to  dinner ;  I  accepted  the  proposition,  and  over  a 
bottle  of  wine  they  did  me  the  honor  to  propose  that  I  should  make 
a  third  in  an  intended  murder. 

"  The  matter  in  hand  was  to  dispatch  two  old  men  who  lived 
together  in  the  house  which  Boudin  had  formerly  occupied  in  the  Rue 
des  Prouvaires.  Shuddering  at  the  confidence  placed  in  me  by  these 
villains,  I  yet  blessed  the  invisible  hand  which  had  led  them  to  seek 
my  aid.  At  first  I  affected  some  scruples  at  entering  into  the  plot, 
but  at  last  feigned  to  yield  to  their  lively  and  pressing  solicitations, 
and  it  was  agreed  that  we  should  wait  the  favorable  moment  for  put 
ting  into  execution  this  most  execrable  project.  This  resolution  taken, 
I  bade  farewell  to  St.  Germain  and  his  companion,  and  (decided  upon 
preventing  the  meditated  crime)  hastened  to  carry  a  report  of  the 
affair  to  M.  Henry,  who  sent  me,  without  loss  of  time,  to  obtain  more 
ample  details  of  the  discovery  I  had  just  made  to  him.  His  intention 
was  to  satisfy  himself  whether  I  had  been  really  solicited  to  take  part 
in  it,  or  whether,  from  a  mistaken  devotion  to  the  cause  of  justice,  I 
had  endeavored  to  instigate  those  unhappy  men  to  an  act  which  would 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  29 

render  them  amenable  to  it.  I  protested  that  I  had  adopted  no  such 
expedient,  and  as  he  discovered  marks  of  truth  in  my  manner  and 
declaration,  he  expressed  himself  satisfied.  He  did  not,  however, 
omit  to  impress  on  me  the  following  discourse  upon  instigating  agents, 
which  penetrated  my  very  heart.  Ah,  why  was  it  not  also  heard  by 
those  wretches,  who,  since  the  revolution,  have  made  so  many  victims  ! 
The  renewed  era  of  legitimacy  would  not  then,  in  some  circumstances, 
have  recalled  the  bloody  days  of  another  epoch.  'Remember  well,' 
said  M.  Henry  to  me,  in  conclusion,  'remember  that  the  greatest 
scourge  to  society  is  he  who  urges  another  on  to  the  commission  of 
evil.  Where  there  are  no  instigators  to  bad  practices,  they  are  com 
mitted  only  by  the  really  hardened ;  because  they  alone  are  capable 
of  conceiving  and  executing  them.  Weak  beings  may  be  drawn 
away  and  excited  :  to  precipitate  them  into  the  abyss,  it  frequently 
requires  no  more  than  to  call  to  your  aid  their  passions  or  self-love  ; 
but  he  who  avails  himself  of  their  weakness  to  procure  their  destruc 
tion,  is  more  than  a  monster — he  is  the  guilty  ons,  and  it  is  on  his 
head  that  the  sword  of  justice  should  fall.  As  to  those  engaged  in 
the  police,  they  had  better  remain  forever  idle,  than  create  matter  for 
employment.' 

"Although  this  lesson  was  not  required  in  my  case,  yet  I  thanked 
M.  Henry  for  it,  who  enjoined  me  not  to  lose  sight  of  the  two  assas 
sins,  and  to  use  every  means  in  my  power  to  prevent  their  arriving 
at  the  completion  of  their  diabolical  plan.  '  The  police,'  said  he, 
4  is  instituted  as  much  to  correct  and  punish  malefactors,  as  to  pre 
vent  their  committing  crimes ;  but  on  every  occasion  I  would  wish  it 
to  be  understood,  that  we  hold  ourselves  under  greater  obligations  to 
that  person  who  prevents  one  crime,  than  to  him  who  procures  the 
punishment  of  many.'  *  *  * 

"At  the  words  'secret  agent,'  a  feeling  almost  approaching  to 
suffocation  stole  over  me,  but  I  quickly  rallied  upon  perceiving  that, 
however  true  the  report  might  be,  it  had  obtained  but  little  faith  with 
St.  Germain,  who  was  evidently  waiting  for  my  explanation  or  denial 
of  it,  without  once  suspecting  its  reality.  My  ever-ready  genius 
quickly  flew  to  my  aid,  and  without  hesitation  I  replied,  that  I  was 
not  much  surprised  at  the  charge,  and  for  the  simple  reason  that  I 
myself  had  been  the  first  to  set  the  rumor  afloat.  St.  Germain  stared 


30  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

with  wonder.  4  My  good  fellow,'  said  I,  '  you  are  well  aware  that  I 
managed  to  escape  from  the  police  while  they  were  transferring  me 
from  La  Force  to  Bicetre.  Well !  I  went  to  Paris  and  stayed  there 
till  I  could  go  elsewhere.  One  must  live,  you  know,  how  and  where 
one  can.  Unfortunately,  I  am  still  compelled  to  play  at  hide  and 
seek,  and  it  is  only  by  assuming  a  variety  of  disguises  that  I  dare 
venture  abroad,  to  look  about  and  just  see  what  my  old  friends  are 
doing ;  but,  in  spite  of  all  my  precautions,  I  live  in  constant  dread  of 
many  individuals,  whose  keen  eyes  quickly  penetrate  my  assumption 
of  other  names  and  habits  than  my  own  ;  and  who,  having  formerly 
been  upon  terms  of  familiarity  with  me,  pestered  me  with  questions 
I  had  no  other  means  of  shaking  off,  than  by  insinuating  that  I  was 
in  the  pay  of  the  police  ;  and  thus  I  obtained  the  double  advantage 
of  evading,  in  my  character  of  "spy,"  both  their  suspicions  and  ill- 
will,  should  they  feel  disposed  to  exercise  it  in  procuring  my  arrest.' 

"  'Enough — enough, 'interrupted  St.  Germain ;  'I  believe  you;  and 
to  convince  you  of  the  unbroken  confidence  I  place  in  you,  I  will  let 
you  into  the  secret  of  our  plans  for  to-night.' " 

We  add  a  single  adventure  which  is  illustrative  of  the  shrewdness 
and  success  of  the  ever-active,  fearless,  self-reliant,  and  successful 
Vidocq  :— 

"  I  was  employed  to  detect  the  authors  of  a  nocturnal  robbery, 
committed  by  climbing  and  forcible  entry  into  the  apartments  of  the 
Prince  de  Conde,  in  the  Palais  Bourbon.  Glasses  of  a  vast  size  had 
disappeared,  and  their  abstraction  \vas  effected  with  so  much  precau 
tion,  that  the  sleep  of  two  eerberi,  who  supplied  the  place  of  a  watch 
man,  had  not  been  for  a  moment  disturbed.  The  frames  in  which 
these  glasses  had  been  were  not  at  all  injured:  and  I  wTas  at  first 
tempted  to  believe  that  they  had  been  taken  out  by  looking-glass 
makers  or  cabinet-makers  ;  but  in  Paris  these  workmen  are  so  numer 
ous,  that  I  could  not  pitch  on  any  one  of  them  whom  I  knew,  with 
any  certainty  of  suspicion.  Yet  I  was  resolved  to  detect  the  guilty, 
and  to  effect  this  I  commenced  my  inquiries. 

"  The  keeper  of  a  sculpture-gallery,  near  the  Quineaux  of  the  inva 
lids,  gave  me  first  the  information  by  which  I  \vas  guided.  About  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  he  had  seen  near  his  door  several  glasses  in  the 
care  of  a  young  man,  who  pretended  to  have  been  obliged  to  station 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  31 

them  there  while  waiting  for  the  return  of  his  porters,  who  had  broken 
their  hand-barrow.  Two  hours  afterward,  the  young  man,  having 
found  two  messengers,  had  made  them  carry  off  the  glasses,  and  had 
directed  them  to  the  side  of  the  Fountain  of  the  Invalids.  According 
to  the  keeper,  the  person  he  saw  was  about  twenty-three  years  of 
age,  and  about  five  feet  and  an  inch  (French  measure).  He  was 
clothed  in  an  iron-gray  greatcoat,  and  had  a  very  good  countenance. 
This  information  was  not  immediately  useful  to  me  ;  but  it  led  me  to 
find  the  messenger,  who,  the  day  after  the  robbery,  had  carried  some 
glasses  of  large  size  to  the  Rue  Saint-Dominique,  and  left  them  at  the 
little  Hotel  de  Caraman.  These  were,  in  all  probability,  the  glasses 
stolen,  and  if  they  were,  who  could  say  that  they  had  not  changed 
domicile  and  owner  ?  I  had  the  person  who  had  received  them  pointed 
out  to  me,  and  determined  on  introducing  myself  to  her ;  and  that 
my  presence  might  not  inspire  her  with  fear,  it  was  in  the  guise  of  a 
cook  that  I  introduced  myself  to  her  notice.  The  light  jacket  and 
cotton  nightcap  are  the  ensigns  of  the  profession ;  I  clothed  myself 
in  such  attire,  and,  fully  entering  into  the  spirit  of  my  character,  went 
to  the  little  Hotel  de  Caraman,  where  I  ascended  to  the  first  floor. 
The  door  was  closed ;  I  knocked,  and  it  was  opened  to  me  by  a  very 
good-looking  young  fellow,  who  asked  me  what  I  wanted.  I  gave 
him  an  address,  and  told  him  that  having  learnt  that  he  was  in  want 
,of  a  cook,  I  had  taken  the  liberty  of  offering  my  services  to  him. 

"  '  My  dear  fellow,  you  are  under  a  mistake,'  he  replied,  *  the  ad 
dress  you  have  given  me  is  not  mine,  but  as  there  are  two  Hues 
Saint-Dominique,  it  is  most  probably  to  the  other  that  you  should  go.' 

"All  Ganymedes  had  not  been  carried  off  to  Olympus,  and  the 
handsome  youth  who  spoke  to  me  had  manners,  gestures,  and  language, 
which,  united  to  his  appearance,  convinced  me  in  an  instant  with 
whom  my  business  lay.  I  instantly  assumed  the  tone  of  an  initiate  in 
the  mysteries  of  the  ultra  philanthropists,  and  after  some  signs  which 
he  perfectly  understood,  I  told  him  how  very  sorry  I  was  that  he  did 
not  want  me. 

"  'Ah,  sir,'  I  said  to  him,  'I  would  rather  remain  with  you,  even 
if  you  only  gave  me  half  what  I  should  get  elsewhere  ;  if  you  only 
knew  how  miserable  I  am  ;  I  have  been  six  months  out  of  place,  and 


32  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

I  do  not  get  a  dinner  every  day.     "Would  you  believe  that  thirty-six 
hours  have  elapsed  and  I  have  not  taken  any  thing  ?' 

" '  You  pain  me,  my  good  fellow ;  what,  are  you  still  fasting  ? 
Come,  corne,  you  shall  dine  here.' 

"I  had  really  an  appetite  capable  of  giving  the  lie  I  had  just  lit 
tered  all  the  semblance  of  truth  ;  a  two-pound  loaf,  half  a  fowl,  cheese, 
and  a  bottle  of  wine  which  he  had    procured,  did  not    make  Ion 
sojourn  on  the  table.     Once  filled,  I  began  again  to  talk  of  my  unfor 
tunate  condition. 

"  'See,  sir,'  said  I,  'if  it  be  possible  to  be  in  a  more  pitiable  situa 
tion.  I  know  four  trades,  and  out  of  the  whole  four  can  not  get  em 
ploy  in  one — tailor,  hatter,  cook  ;  I  know  a  little  of  all,  and  yet  can  not 
get  on.  My  first  start  was  as  a  looking-glass  setter.' 

"'A  looking-glass  setter!'  said  he,  abruptly;  and  without  giv 
ing  him  time  to  reflect  on  the  imprudence  of  such  an  exclamation,  I 
went  on. 

u  '  Yes,  a  looking-glass  setter,  and  I  know  that  trade  the  best  of  the 
four  ;  but  business  is  so  dead  that  there  is  really  nothing  now  stirring 
in  it.' 

"'  Here,  my  friend,'  said  the  young  man,  presenting  to  me  a  small 
glass ;  '  this  is  brandy,  it  will  do  you  good  ;  you  know  not  how  much 
you  interest  me.  I  can  give  you  work  for  several  days.' 

"  '  Ah !  sir,  you  are  too  good,  you  restore  me  to  life  ;  how,  if  you 
please,  do  you  intend  to  employ  me  ?' 

"  '  As  a  looking-glass  framer.' 

"  'If  you  have  glasses  to  fit,  pier,  Psyche,  light-of-day,  joy-of-N"ar- 
cissus,  or  any  others,  you  have  only  to  intrust  me  with  them,  and  I 
will  give  you  a  cast  of  my  craft.' 

"  '  I  have  glasses  of  great  beauty  ;  they  were  at  my  country-house, 
whence  I  sent  for  them,  lest  the  gentlemen  Cossacks  should  take  a 
fancy  to  break  them.' 

"  '  You  were  quite  right ;  but  may  I  see  them  ?' 

"  '  Yes,  my  friend.' 

"  He  took  me  into  a  room,  and  at  the  first  glance  I  recognized  the 
glasses  of  the  Palais  Bourbon.  I  was  ecstatic  in  their  praise,  their 
size,  &c. ;  and  after  having  examined  them  with  the  minute  attention 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  33 

of  a  mau  who  understands  what  he  is  about,  1  praised  the  skill  of  the 
workman  who  unframed  them,  without  injury  to  the  silvering. 

"'The  workman,  my  friend,'  said  he  ;  'the  workman  was  myself; 
I  would  not  allow  any  other  person  to  touch  them,  not  even  to  load 
them  in  the  carriage.' 

"  *  All !  sir,  I  am  very  sorry  to  give  you  the  lie,  but  what  you  tell 
me  is  impossible ;  a  man  must  have  been  a  workman  to  undertake 
such  work,  and  even  the  best  of  the  craft  might  not  have  succeeded.' 

"  In  spite  of  my  observation,  he  persisted  in  asserting  that  ho  had 
no  help,  and  as  it  would  not  have  ans\vered  my  purpose  to  have  con 
tradicted  him,  I  dropped  the  subject. 

"  A  lie  was  an  accusation  at  which  he  might  have  been  angry,  but 
ne  did  not  speak  with  less  amenity,  and  after  having  given  nie  his 
instructions,  desired  me  to  come  early  next  day,  and  begin  my  work 
as  early  as  possible. 

" '  Do  not  forget  to  bring  your  diamond,  as  I  wish  you  to  remove 
those  arches,  which  are  no  longer  fashionable.' 

"  He  had  no  more  to  say  to  me,  and  I  had  no  more  to  learn.  I  left 
him,  and  went  to  join  my  two  agents,  to  whom  I  gave  the  description 
of  the  person,  and  desired  them  to  follow  him  if  he  should  go  out.  A 
warrant  was  necessary  to  effect  his  apprehension,  which  I  procured  ; 
and  soon  afterward,  having  changed  my  dress,  I  returned,  with  the 
commissary  of  police  and  my  agents,  to  the  house  of  the  amateur  of 
glasses,  who  did  not  expect  me  so  soon.  He  did  not  know  me  at  first, 
and  it  was  only  at  the  termination  of  our  search,  that,  examining  me 
more  closely,  he  said  to  me : — 

"  4 1  think  I  recognize  you ;  are  you  not  a  cook  ?' 

" 4  Yes,  sir,'  I  replied  ;  '  I  am  cook,  tailor,  hatter,  looking-glass 
setter,  and,  moreover,  a  spy,  at  your  service.' 

"'My  coolness  so  much  disconcerted  him,  that  he  could  not  utter 
another  word. 

"This  gentleman  was  named  Alexander  Paruitte.  Besides  the  two 
glasses,  and  two  chimeras  in  gilt  bronze,  which  he  had  stolen  from 
the  Palais  Bourbon,  many  other  articles  were  found  in  his  apartments, 
the  produce  of  various  robberies.  The  inspectors  who  had  accompa 
nied  me  in  this  expedition  undertook  to  conduct  Paruitte  to  the  depot 
but,  on  the  way,  were  careless  enough  to  allow  him  to  escape,  nor 
3 


34  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

was  it  until  ten  days  afterward  that  I  contrived  to  get  sight  of  him, 
at  the  gate  of  the  embassador  of  his  highness,  the  Sultan  Mahmoud, 
and  I  apprehended  him  at  the  moment  he  got  into  the  carriage  of  a 
Turk,  who  apparently  had  sold  his  odalisques. 

"  I  am  still  at  a  loss  to  explain  how,  in  spite  of  obstacles  which 
the  most  expert  robbers  judged  insurmountable,  Paruitte  effected  the 
robbery  which  twice  compelled  me  to  see  him.  He  was  steadfast 
in  his  assertion  of  having  no  companions ;  for  on  his  trial,  when 
sentenced  to  irons  and  imprisonment,  no  indication,  not  even  the 
slightest,  could  be  elicited,  encouraging  the  idea  that  he  had  any 
participators." 

The  annals  of  this  Bureau,  we  think,  will  establish  the  three  fol 
lowing  propositions : 

I.  The  Detective  Bureau,  although  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  our 
republican  institutions  in  time  of  peace,  is  indispensable  in  time  of  war. 

II.  Some  of  the  most  important  army  movements  and  battles  have 
been  made  and  fought  entirely  upon  information  obtained  through 
this  Bureau. 

III.  There  is  nothing  in  the  Secret  Service  that  demands  a  viola 
tion  of  honor,  or  a  sacrifice  of  principle,  beyond  the  ordinary  rules  of 
warfare. 

Reference  will  be  made  to  these  statements  in  connection  with 
the  striking  and  illustrative  facts  which  will  be  recorded  in  the 
progress  of  the  narrative. 

There  is  an  important  distinction  to  be  made  between  the  service 
of  a  scout  and  that  of  a  detective.  The  principal  qualifications  in  the 
scout  are  courage  and  daring.  lie  is  to  ride  boldly  into  the  enemy's 
lines,  generally  during  action,  or  while  the  army  is  in  motion,  to 
ascertain  the  locality  and  movements  of  the  hostile  forces. 

The  detective  must  possess  ability,  shrewdness,  great  self-reliance 
and  self-control,  discretion,  courage,  and  integrity.  lie  will  have 
complicated  and  important  measures  to  carry  forward,  requiring  no 
ordinary  amount  of  mental  power,  and  plans  and  plots  to  unravel 
which  demand  keen  discernment  and  a  profound  knowledge  of  men  ; 
critical  moments,  when  vacillation,  or  even  hesitation,  would  be  fatal; 
secrets,  which  without  a  complete  mastery  over  feeling  and  all  its 
forms  of  expression,  will  be  revealed;  delicate  questions  of  procedure 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  35 

and  duty,  to  decide  which  the  nicest  prudence  will  be  necessary ; 
dangers  to  meet,  requiring  a  fearless  spirit  nothing  can  alarm  or  in 
timidate  ;  and,  to  crown  all,  as  the  servant  of  the  Government  in 
matters  of  the  gravest  responsibility,  he  must  have  reliability  of 
character  to  win  and  hold  the  unclouded  confidence  of  its  officers 
in  his  revelations,  on  which  the  most  momentous  operations  may 
depend. 

A  moment's  reflection  will  convince  any  mind  of  the  correctness 
of  this  estimate  of  qualifications,  among  which  the  last-mentioned 
has  not  been  generally  understood  and  appreciated.  But  the  fidelity 
to  his  trust  of  the  Chief  of  the  Detective  Police  must  be  such  as  to 
command  no  ordinary  faith  in  information  which  may  decide  the 
victory  or  defeat  of  an  army.  Not  only  so,  but  he  must  be  inap 
proachable  by  bribery.  Striking  illustrations  of  this  will  be  given  in 
the  record  of  official  services.  Another  interesting  fact  will  appear; 
General  Baker's  impartial  justice  to  the  colored  race,  in  contrast 
with  the  animus  of  slavery,  whose  most  cruel  wrongs  he  was  com 
pelled  to  meet,  and  endeavored  to  remedy. 

The  detective  police  has  ever  been  nn  indispensable  institution  lii 
the  old  monarchies  of  other  lands.  The  throne  is  apart  from  the 
people,  and  under  its  shadow  watchful  eyes  must  guard  the  sover 
eign's  life  and  law,  by  observing  and  reporting  the  first  symptom  of 
discontent,  or  intimations  of  a  treasonable  plot. 

In  a  republic  the  people  govern,  and  in  the  nature  of  things  an 
official  espionage  in  the  time  of  peace  over  their  conduct,  by  some  of 
their  own  number,  is  contrary  to  the  genius  of  the  institutions  they 
create  and  control.  But  when  war,  especially  its  most  fearful  form, 
a  civil  conflict,  exists,  the  unnatural  condition  of  things  calls  for  the 
detective  service,  to  watch  and  bring  to  justice  the  enemies  of  the 
State,  who  are  plotting  its  ruin. 

There  are  reasons  why  such  needful  and  valuable  service  has  fallen 
into  dishonor,  many  regarding  it  as  small  and  doubtful  business  in  its 
nature,  thoroughly  illustrated  by  the  common  adage,  "  It  takes  a 
rogue  to  catch  a  rogue."  In  despotic  countries,  shrewd  and  unprin 
cipled  men  have  been  largely  employed  to  betray  their  companions  in 
guilt,  and,  guided  by  their  experiences  in  vice,  to  put  the  police  and 
other  officers  of  justice  on  the  track  of  criminals. 


36  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

In  this  country,  the  Detective  Bureau  was  entirely  new;  and 
there  was,  for  a  time,  mismanagement  of  its  work  in  certain  quarters. 
Department  commanders,  district  and  post  provost-marshals,  and 
post  quartermasters,  permitted  by  military  law  and  army  regulations 
to  do  so,  have,  in  the  contingencies  of  the  case,  employed  detectives. 
Most  of  these  persons  had  only  a  limited  knowledge  of  the  detective 
service.  As  an  inevitable  result,  the  most  ignorant,  unscrupulous, 
and  worthless  characters  were  sometimes  employed  by  them. 

The  fact  is,  the  detective  business  for  the  war  was  commenced 
with  no  head,  system,  or  regulations,  excepting  such  as  were  made  by 
those  having  no  knowledge  of  the  peculiar  and  difficult  business. 

Had  Congress  passed  a  law  at  the  outset  of  the  Rebellion,  author 
izing  the  organization  of  a  detective  police,  with  a  head  responsible 
only  to  the  War  or  some  other  Department,  no  complaints  would 
ever  have  been  heard  against  a  detective  police  system. 

From  the  nature  of  the  detective's  professional  work,  lie  must 
pre-eminently  awaken  prejudice  at  every  step,  and  make  bitter  ene 
mies,  not  only  among  those  hostile  to  the  cause  with  which  his  special 
service  is  connected,  but  also  among  its  friends. 

He  must  interfere  with  plans  of  speculation,  and  cut  off  extra 
rations,  which  unlawful  appropriations  might  secure.  Then,  again, 
his  business  forbids  him  to  give  his  authority  for  certain  acts,  or 
assign  any  reason  for  his  procedure.  Hence  the  clamor  was  often 
raised,  of  rash  and  lawless  abuse  of  power,  when  all  the  time  he  was 
acting  under  the  direct  orders  of  Government.  These  statements 
will  have  abundant  confirmation  in  the  pages  of  this  history. 

And  we  doubt  whether  any  other  officer,  not  excepting  the 
Lieutenant-General,  has  more  patiently  borne  misrepresentation  and 
abuse  in  silence,  for  the  sake  of  the  common  cause  of  the  country, 
than  General  Baker. 

With  sublime  moral  courage,  for  nearly  five  years  he  toiled  on, 
with  the  crushing  weight  of  public  opinion,  and  prejudice,  and  peril 
of  death  constantly  before  him,  sustained  by  exalted  patriotism, 
and  a  laudable  desire  to  excel  in  his  peculiar  service  or  line  of  duty. 
While  the  public  press  was  filled  with  eulogies  upon  daring  and  valor 
of  officers  in  the  field,  the  Chief  of  the  Detective  Bureau,  whose 
deeds  are  no  less  heroic,  and  the  importance  of  whose  achievements 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  37 

cannot  be  over-estimated,  if  noticed  at  all  by  the  press,  is  referred  to 
in  a  doubtful  or  contemptuous  manner.  And  even  when  the  chief 
and  his  subordinates  frequented  the  presidential  mansion,  after  the 
execution  of  the  assassins  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  because  telegrams  were 
received  from  leading  army  officers,  giving  information  of  a  design 
by  friends  of  the  murderers  to  avenge  their  death,  the  object  and 
motives  of  the  protection  were  unappreciated  and,  by  a  member  of 
the  cabinet,  denounced.  The  facts  will  appear  in  the  progress  of 
these  annals. 

He  was  not  permitted  to  disclose  his  authority  for  the  summary 
work  he  was  required  to  do.  The  propriety  for  such  a  course  by  the 
War  Department  we  do  not  question,  for  we  know  not  the  reasons 
back  of  it — they  are  not  given.  The  fact,  however,  presents  clearly 
the  offensive  position  in  which  he  was  placed  by  the  difficult  and 
perilous  office  he  held,  even  while  he  desired  to  be  transferred  to  a 
more  pleasant  service.  He  was  thus  the  target  of  unjust  suspicion 
and  bitterest  hate,  when  the  true  object  of  the  popular  and  personal 
displeasure  was  in  reality  the  Government  he  was  faithfully  obeying. 
We  give  here  a  single  forcible  illustration  of  the  truth  of  these 
statements,  and  of  General  Baker's  uncomplaining  endurance  of  un 
deserved  persecution. 

During  1862,  an  order  was  issued  to  arrest  a  certain  prominent 
Pennsylvanian,  on  the  charge  of  selling  a  large  quantity  of  bandages 
and  lint  donated  by  ladies  benevolent  societies  in  Philadelphia  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Union  soldiers. 

General  Baker  knew  nothing  about  the  cnse,  having  no  acquaint 
ance  even  with  the  individual,  nor  the  charges  brought  against 
him. 

It  was  his  official  work  only  to  arrest  and  confine  him  in  the  Old 
Capitol  prison.  This  duty  he  performed.  Within  an  hour,  a  whole 
delegation  of  friends  called  at  General  Baker's  headquarters,  and,  in 
an  excited  and  boisterous  manner,  demanded  the  prisoner's  release. 
He  was  offered  a  large  amount  for  bail.  To  all  this  outcry  and  ap 
peal,  he  calmly  replied,  that  he  knew  nothing  of  the  charges ;  was 
simply  executing  orders.  The  same  evening,  an  indignation  meeting 

was  held,  presided  over  by  Judge  B ,  a  prominent  Union  man  of 

Pennsylvania.  Resolutions  were  passed,  openly  denouncing  General 


38  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

Baker  as  an  arbitrary,  vindictive  man,  and  appointing  a  committee 
to  wait  on  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War,  asking  for  his  dis 
missal  from  service.  In  this  instance,  which  is  one  among  many  of  a 
similar  character,  he  was  not  permitted  to  show  the  order  of  arrest 
to  any  citizen.  A  reporter  was  never  allowed  to  enter  his  head 
quarters,  nor  any  communication  allowed  to  fee  had  by  his  bureau 
with  the  public  press.  Yet  there  are  not  wanting  cheering  tokens 
of  confidence  and  esteem.  The  citizens  of  Philadelphia  presented 
him  with  a  badge  of  solid  gold,  nearly  three  inches  square,  sur 
mounted  by  an  eagle  carved  from  the  coin,  and  bearing  on  a  scroll 
the  words  "Death  to  Traitors;"  and  on  the  back,  "Presented  to 
L.  C.  Baker,  by  his  friends."  Its  value  was  not  less  than  two  hundred 
dollars. 

The  officers  of  the  First  District  Cavalry,  raised  by  General  Baker, 
presented  to  him  an  elegant  saber,  with  sash  of  China  silk,  valued  at 
about  the  same  amount. 

He  was  also  the  recipient,  from  officers,  of  the  most  elaborately 
finished  saddle  and  trappings  probably  in  the  country.  Its  value 
was  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  These  and  other  mementoes  of 
regard  confirm  the  statement,  made  by  prominent  officers,  that  his 
subordinates  in  the  Bureau,  numbering  in  all  about  four  hundred, 
were  ready  to  fight  for  him. 

We  have  received,  among  other  volunteer  testimony  to  his  official 
sagacity  and  achievements,  the  following — the  first  from  a  chaplain 
in  "  Baker's  Cavalry,"  the  other  from  another  army  chaplain  :— 

"General  Baker,  I  think,  acquitted  himself  with  marvelous  tact, 
energy,  and  success.  He  was  the  terror  of  all  rogues,  whether  with 
clean  f-ices  or  dirty,  in  broadcloth  or  rag*,  with  a  general's  star  or  a 
corporal's  stripe.  I  think  that,  during  the  most  critical  period  of  the 
war,  he  was  (next  to  Secretary  Stanton)  the  most  important  officer  of 
the  Government." 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  18,  1866. 

"  In  regard  to  Gen.L.  C.  Baker,  Chief  Detective  of  the  War  Depart 
ment,  during  the  late  rebellion,  I  feel  it  a  duty  to  say  :  Firot.  It  is 
scarcely  possible  to  estimate  the  good  he  has  accomplished  in  strength 
ening  the  armies  afield.  Second.  In  weeding  out  the  mischievous  and 
the  worthless.  Third.  In  making  copperheads,  scoundrels,  and  traitors 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  39 

feel  the  secret  war  power  at  home.  I  believe  him  to  have  done  more 
during  the  late  war  to  save  the  country  than  any  other  single  power. 
His  name  carried  with  it  a  dread  that  made  evil-doers  tremble.  He 
was  always  at  his  post  when  wanted  (a  rare  trait),  and  most  efficient 
'  when  active.  Booth  knew  that  Baker  was  in  New  York,  or  lie  would 
have  delayed  the  tragedy  of  the  14th  of  April,  1865  !  And  when  he 
knew  that  Baker  was  on  his  trail,  his  heart  fainted  in  him,  and  lost 
all  hope ! 

*'  And  now  about  certain  facts  Baker  may  state  with  respect  to  men 
high  in  official  relation  with  the  Government  or  otherwise  :  The  half 
he  will  not  tell.  I  know  of  many  things  he  will  not  state  which  I 
would.  I  have  no  mercy  on  men  who  will  corrupt  and  contaminate  all 
with  whom  they  come  in  official  contact ;  and  men  who,  in  time  of 
peace,  after  treason  has  been  put  down,  again  secretly  plot  the  over 
throw  of  a  Government  at  once  the  best  and  noblest  that  the  sun  of 
the  Eternal  ever  shone  upon. 

"I  hope  to  see  truth  come,  let  it  cut  where  it  may,  as  I  believe  the 
country  to  be  still  in  danger  ;  and  unless  some  master  hand  will  seize 
the  knife  and  lay  open  the  festering  wound,  the  disease  of  the  Repub 
lic  will  never  heal !  "  I  am,  very  respectfully." 

It  may  interest  the  curious  reader  to  give  some  illustrative  inci 
dents  in  regard  to  trivial  circumstances  which  lead  to  detection,  and 
which  would  escape  the  notice  of  men  unaccustomed  to  the  close 
observation  indispensable  to  success  in  the  secret  service. 

The  clue  to  a  deserter's  character  was  found  in  his  bronzed  face, 
while  his  dress  and  positive  declarations  indicated  the  life  of  a  quiet 
citizen.  In  another  case,  the  falsehood  was  exposed  by  the  spur-mark 
in  the  boot.  A  soldier  in  disguise,  and  asserting  his  innocence  of 
battle-service,  was  detected  through  an  examination  of  his  hand,  on  the 
palm  of  which  was  a  callous  spot  where  the  gun-lock  had  pressed  in 
the  march. 

The  red  line  on  Government  stockings  and  the  peculiar  style  of  the 
shirts  have  revealed  the  fact  denied  by  the  lips  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
apparel. 

A  deserter  from  the  Twelfth  New  York  Battery  so  well  concealed 
his  '*  soldiering  "  that  nothing  about  his  person  confirmed  my  suspicions 


40  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

At  last  General  Baker  resorted  to  strategy.  He  watched  for  an 
opportunity  when  he  was  lazily  dozing  in  his  office,  and  suddenly  and 
loudly  shouted  :  "  Fall  in,  men  !"  He  started  up,  looked  around,  and 
began  to  prepare  for  the  march.  It  was  plainly  useless  to  deny  any 
longer  that  he  had  been  in  the  ranks. 

At  another  time,  General  Baker  was  searching  for  a  female  spy, 
and  had  his  attention  drawn  to  rather  a  delicate-looking  young  man, 
whom  he  followed,  with  some  companions,  into  a  saloon.  When  they 
stood  before  the  bar,  drinking  and  talking,  he  noticed  that  this  youth 
thre\v  up  the  fingers  often  to  brush  aside  the  hair.  The  form  was 
shaped  like  a  woman's,  and  in  a  sitting  posture  the  hands  were  crossed 
just  as  women  are  in  the  habit  of  placing  them. 

He  called  the  astonished  stranger  aside,  and  desired  a  private  inter 
view,  in  which  he  said  the  game  of  deception  was  finished — that  he 
knew  both  the  sex  and  business  in  hand.  She  burst  into  tears,  and 
confessed  all. 

Not  unfrequently  the  simplest  disguises  were  entirely  successful. 
The  slouched  hat  drawn  .down  over  the  forehead  ;  the  garb  of 
"  butternut,"  or  of  an  honest  farmer ;  the  dress  and  manner  of  an 
itinerant  Jew  ;  the  face  and  gait  of  an  inebriate, — each  served  the 
purpose  of  an  introduction  to  the  desired  company  and  scenes. 

We  might  multiply  illustrations,  and  make  an  inventory  of  dis 
guises  in  apparel  and  modes  of  dressing  the  hair  and  face  to  which  the 
detective  is  compelled  to  resort.  But,  excepting  the  narratives  which 
will  make  further  revelations  of  the  kind,  these  will  be  sufficient  to 
indicate  the  varied  language  of  moral  and  professional  character  and 
pursuits  to  a  practiced  eye. 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  fact  that  the  detective 
police  of  the  Government  were  brought  into  disrepute,  and  some 
reasons  assigned  for  it.  His  bureau  was  known  as  the  only  regularly 
organized  national  police,  although,  as  stated  before,  there  were 
employed,  at  the  headquarters  of  every  department  commander, 
provost-marshal,  and  quartermaster,  a  large  number  of  persons  repre 
senting  themselves  as  Government  detectives.  These  men  had  been 
selected,  in  many  instances,  from  the  most  worthless  and  disreputable 
characters,  and  whenever  they  were  found  to  be  receiving  bribes,  or 
committing  other  offenses,  they  were  always  denominated  "Baker's 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  41 

detectives."  The  reporters  of  the  press  invariably  did  this.  Hence 
he  was  held  responsible  to  the  public  for  the  acts  of  these  scoundrels, 
when  in  fact  he  knew  nothing  of  their  operations,  except  as  he  might 
have  occasion,  from  time  to  time,  to  arrest  them  himself.  The  provost- 
marshal  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  appointed  under  the  Enrollment 
Act,  for  the  recruiting  service,  had  employed  at  one  time  a  large  num 
ber  of  these  detectives.  Scarcely  a  day  passed  but  complaints  were 
made  at  his  headquarters  respecting  these  men.  There  was  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  Washington  a  large  military  force;  and  a  bounty  had  been  offer 
ed  for  the  apprehension  of  deserters.  The  enrolling  provost-marshal  at 
Washington  had  detailed  a  number  of  his  detectives  and  placed  them 
on  duty  at  the  Baltimore  depot  in  Washington,  for  the  purpose  of 
apprehending  them.  A  deserter,  in  citizen's  clothes,  would  repair 
to  the  depot,  and  attempt  to  enter  the  cars ;  these  officers  would 
arrest  him,  and  for  a  small  bribe  allow  him  to  go  at  large.  This  was 
practiced  for  many  months.  Colonel  Baker  called  the  attention  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  to  the  fact,  but  there  seemed  to  be  no  remedy. 
Finally,  he  determined  to  ascertain  who  these  detectives  were.  Assu 
ming  the  garb  and  dress  of  a  loafer  and  deserter,  he  one  evening 
repaired  to  the  depot.  He  was  so  completely  disguised  that  his  own 
men  did  not  recognize  him.  On  attempting  to  pass  the  gate  and  enter 
the  cars,  he  was  stopped  by  an  individual  who  said,  "Let  me  see  your 
ticket."  He  showed  him  his  railroad  ticket,  when  he  charged  him 
with  being  a  deserter.  He  replied  that  he  was  not ;  that  he  was  a 
citizen,  and  did  not  want  to  be  detained.  One  or  two  other  detectives 
approached,  and  all  insisted  that  he  should  be  arrested.  Accordingly, 
he  was  taken  into  a  small  room,  with  one  or  two  others,  who  had  also 
been  arrested  and  searched.  They  took  from  him  his  passage  ticket, 
a  valuable  gold  watch,  and  some  seventy-five  dollars  in  treasury  notes, 
which  he  had  marked  for  the  occasion.  He  was  then  placed  in  charge 
of  a  detective,  to  be  taken  to  the  provost-marshal's  headquarters. 
Instead  of  taking  Colonel  Baker  directly  there,  the  detective  took 
him  to  a  low  drinking-saloon  on  Seventh  Street,  near  the  avenue, 
called  the  "  McClellan  House,"  which  was  the  general  rendezvous  of 
these  detectives  and  deserters.  He  was  here  asked  to  take  a  drink,  but 
he  declined,  pretending  to  feel  very  badly  about  his  arrest.  He  was 
then  taken  into  a  back  room,  and  in  the  presence  of  detectives  No.  I 


42  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

and  2,  his  watch  and  money  were  divided  between  the  two  detectives. 
He  was  here  told  that  he  could  go  at  large,  provided  he  would  leave 
his  watch  and  money.  He  complained  bitterly  of  this  treatment,  and 
threatened  to  report  the  facts  to  Colonel  Baker,  when  they  laughed, 
and  remarked  that  they  were  not  Colonel  Baker's  detectives,  but  the 
detectives  of  the  provost-marshal.  He  consented  to  give  them  the 
money,  but  declined  to  give  up  his  watch,  as  it  was  a  very  valuable 
one.  This  refusal  induced  detective  No.  2  to  take  him  to  the  provost- 
marshal's  headquarters.  On  the  way  there,  he  had  a  conversation 
with  the  detective,  who  told  him  it  was  very  foolish  for  him  to  go  to 
headquarters ;  if  he  went  there,  he  would  be  locked  up  for  several 
days,  and  finally  sent  back  to  his  regiment,  tried,  and  perhaps  shot  as 
a  deserter.  He  persisted,  however,  in  declining  to  deliver  up  the 
watch.  On  arriving  at  headquarters,  Baker  was  ushered  into  a  room, 
where,  seated  at  a  table,  he  saw  the  provost-marshal,  with  whom  he  was 
well  acquainted,  and  his  clerks,  none  of  whom  recognized  him.  The 
detective  remarked  to  the  provost-marshal,  "Here  is.  a  deserter, 
captain,  that  we  have  taken  at  the  depot.  He  won't  tell  what 
regiment  he  belongs  to,  but  if  we  lock  him  up  a  few  days,  and  put 
him  under  the  shower-bath,  he  will  probably  tell  all  about  it."  The 
provost-marshal  said  to  him,  "What  regiment  do  you  belong  to?" 
He  said,  "  Sir,  I  am  not  a  deserter,  but  a  citizen."  He  remarked, 
"Oh,  that's  played  out.  We  know  you;  we  have  been  looking  for 
you  for  some  time."  Some  other  conversation  occurred,  and  the  pro 
vost-marshal  directed  that  Baker  should  be  locked  up.  He  took  off 
his  old  slouched  hat,  and,  standing  at  the  end  of  the  table,  said  to  the 
provost-marshal,  "I  am  Colonel  Baker.  I  have  assumed  this  disguise 
for  the  purpose  of  detecting  your  detectives,  and  ascertaining  the 
modus  operandi  by  which  deserters  are  allowed  to  escape."  The 
aspect  of  a  proud  superiority  gave  place  to  that  of  consternation.  The 
detective  attempted  to  leave  the  room,  when  Colonel  Baker  imme 
diately  arrested  him,  took  him  to  his  headquarters,  searched  him,  and 
found  a  portion  of  the  money  he  had  marked,  in  his  pocket. 

It  was  a  standing  complaint  against  the  Detective  Police  Bureau, 
that  the  force  was  liable  to  be  corrupted.  In  no  other  branch  of 
public  service  were  the  opportunities  so  great  for  manipulation  and 
bribery  as  in  the  police  department.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that 


GENERAL  BAKER  AND  THE  SECRET  SERVICE.  43 

nearly  every  individual  arrested,  who  represented  or  personated  an 
officer  of  the  Government,  was  alleged  to  be  one  of  Colonel  Baker's 
men.  At  Barnum's  Museum,  in  1865,  a  man  was  arrested  who 
had  a  forged  appointment  from  him.  At  Elmira,  New  York,  an 
other  was  arrested  with  a  similar  paper,  endorsed  by  the  Secre 
tary  of  War.  These,  and  hundreds  of  other  instances  of  a  similar 
character,  were  heralded  through  the  country  as  a  sufficient  reason 
why  the  Detective  Bureau  should  be  abolished.  In  New  York,  two 
individuals  by  the  names  of  McNeil  and  Garvin  had  for  a  long 
tune  represented  themselves  as  attached  to  his  force.  They  visited 
saloons  and  gambling-houses,  threatening  to  close  them  up  unless 
certain  sums  of  money  were  paid.  Their  operations  were  principally 
confined  to  the  arrest  of  deserters,  who  were  endeavoring  to  keep  out 
of  the  way  of  arrest.  In  the  mouth  of  February,  these  individuals 
arrested  one  John  H.  Harris,  who  was  an  omnibus-driver  in  the  city 
of  Ne\v  York,  and  demanded  from  him  the  sum  of  one  hundred 
dollars,  in  consideration  of  which  they  would  allow  him  to  go  at 
large.  The  fact  was  reported  to  Colonel  Baker,  and  he  immediately 
detailed  officers  to  search  for  these  bogus  detectives. 

Harris  not  having  the  money  with  him,  but  having  a  friend  in 
Maiden  Lane,  by  the  name  of  Depew,  he  asked  McNeil  and  Garvin  to 
come  to  his  friend's  store  the  following  morning  and  he  would  give 
them  the  one  hundred  dollars.  In  the  mean  time  Baker  directed  a 
detective  to  conceal  himself  in  the  store.  At  the  appointed  time  the 
detectives  arrived,  received  the  one  hundred  dollars,  and  were  imme 
diately  arrested,  tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary. 

Report  in  cases  of  John  McNeil  and  Charles  Garvin. 

John  H.  Harris,  of  No.  156  West  Thirty-fifth  Street,  between 
Sixth  and  Seventh  Avenues,  stage-driver,  states  : — 

He  has  been  arrested  twice  before  this,  on  charge  of  being  a 
deserter ;  both  times  discharged,  and  no  proof  against  him. 

On  February  17,  1865,  McNeil  and  Garvin  got  into  his  stage, 
rode  with  him  to  the  end  of  his  route,  where  they  arrested  him  on 
charge  of  being  a  deserter;  told  him  they  were  Government  officers, 
and  proposed  to  compromise  the  matter  with  him.  He  took  them  to 


44  INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

his  house,  and  arranged  to  pay  them  one  hundred  dollars  if  they 
would  meet  him  the  next  day  at  the  office  of  a  Mr.  Depew.  They 
declined ;  then  went  together  to  Depew's  hotel,  represented  them 
selves  to  Depew  as  Government  officers,  and  authorized  to  make 
arrests  ;  agreed  to  let  off  Harris  if  Depew  would  become  responsible 
for  the  payment  of  one  hundred  dollars  next  (fay.  Depew  agreed  to 
do  so  ;  parties  arranged  to  meet  at  Depew's  office,  No.  53  Cedar 
Street.  Depew  then  gave  information  to  Colonel  Baker,  who  sent 
one  officer  to  the  place  of  meeting.  The  parties  met ;  McNeil  pro 
fessing  to  have  a  descriptive  list  for  Harris,  which  he  said  he  would 
tear  up  on  receipt  of  the  one  hundred  dollars.  The  one  hundred 
dollars  were  paid  by  Depew  to  McNeil  and  Garvin,  when  the  officer 
appeared  and  took  them  into  custody. 

The  money  and  certain  papers  are  transmitted  to  you  with  this 
statement.  The  money  will  be  needed  in  proof,  after  which  I  think 
it  should  be  returned  to  Depew. 

J.  II.  HARRIS. 

It  may  be  said,  that  the  deception  and  misstatements  resorted  to, 
and  inseparable  from  the  detective  service,  are  demoralizing,  and  prove 
unsoundness  of  character  in  its  officers.  But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that,  in  war,  no  commander  fails  to  deceive  the  enemy  when  possible, 
to  secure  the  least  advantage.  Spies,  scouts,  intercepted  correspon 
dence,  feints  in  army  movements,  misrepresentations  of  military 
strength  and  position,  are  regarded  as  honorable  means  of  securing 
victory  over  the  foe.  The  work  of  the  detective  is  simply  deception 
reduced  to  a  science  or  profession  ;  and  whatever  objection,  on  ethical 
grounds,  may  lie  against  the  secret  service,  lies  with  equal  force  against 
the  strategy  and  tactics  of  Washington,  Scott,  Grant,  and  the  host  of 
their  illustrious  associates  in  the  wars  of  the  world.  War  is  a  last 
and  terrible  resort  in  the  defense  of  even  a  righteous  cause,  and  sets 
at  defiance  all  the  ordinary  laws  and  customs  of  society,  overriding 
the  rights  of  property  and  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath.  And  not 
until  the  nations  learn  war  no  more,  will  the  work  of  deception  and 
waste  of  morals,  men,  and  treasures,  cease. 


CHAPTER    I. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  BUREAU  OF  DETECTIVE  SERYICB. 

The  first  Visit  to  "Washington — Interview  with  General  Hiram  TValbridge,  and  Hon. 
W.  D.  Kclley — Introduction  to  General  Winfield  Scott — Return  to  New  York 
— At  pointed  by  General  Scott  to  renew  the  Attempt  to  visit  Richmond — The  first 
Failure — Crossing  the  Lines — The  Arrest — Examinations — Sent  to  General 
Beauregard — On  to  Richmond. 

IN  April,  1861,  I  went  to  Washington,  to  learn,  if  possi 
ble,  in  what  capacity  I  could  serve  the  loyal  cause.  At 
Willard's  Hotel,  I  met  its  able  and  fearless  champion, 
General  Hiram  Walbridge,  of  New  York,  and  the  Hon. 
William  D.  Kelley,  of  Philadelphia.  We  conversed  freely 
upon  the  condition  of  the  country,  and  the  necessity  of  more 
reliable  information  respecting  the  strength  and  movements 
of  the  enemy. 

General  Walbridge  then  said  to  me,  "Baker,  you.  are 
the  man  of  all  others  to  go  into  this  secret  service  ;  you 
have  the  ability  and  courage."  General  W.,  with  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Kelley,  strongly  urged  an  interview  with  Gen 
eral  Scott,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
United  States ;  accompanied  by  him  and  the  Hon.  George 
W.  Wright,  of  California,  I  went  to  his  rooms.  My  father 
having  fought  under  Gen.  Scott  in  the  last  war  with  England, 
I  was  introduced  as  the  son  of  i '  an  old  friend,  with  dis 
cretion,  ability,  and  courage  to  do  what  was  necessary." 

After  a  little  general  conversation,  the  venerable  com 
mander  requested  those  present  to  leave  the  room,  when  he 
talked  freely  of  my  experiences  as  a  detective,  and  the 
services  required  to  ascertain  the  strength  and  plans  of  the 
enemy,  requesting  an  interview  the  following  day. 

At  the  hour  appointed,  with  a  deliberate  purpose  to  accept 
any  service  for  the  country  he  might  desire,  I  was  again 
closeted  with  the  Lieut. -General.  After  stating  that  he  had 


46  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

thus  far  found  it  impossible  to  obtain  definite  information  re 
specting  the  rebel  forces  at  Manassas,  that  of  the  five  men  who 
had  been  sent  to  Richmond  two  were  known  to  be  killed, 
and  the  other  three  were  probably  taken  prisoners,  with 
patriarchal  and  patriotic  interest,  he  said  to  me:  u Young 
man,  if  you  have  judgment  and  discretion,  you  can  be  of 
great  service  to  the  country." 

I  then  told  him  that  I  could  not  immediately  engage  in  the 
service,  but  must  at  once  return  to  New  York,  to  arrange  un 
settled  affairs ;  and  left  him  with  the  understanding  that  I 
should  report  to  him  as  soon  as  circumstances  would  permit. 
The  latter  part  of  June,  I  was  again  in  Washington,  and 
had  repeated  interviews  with  the  General.  The  result  was, 
a  definite  arrangement  for  a  journey  toward  Richmond,  if 
not  into  the  rebel  capital.  Directions  in  detail  were  given 
me  respecting  the  difficult  service  I  was  expected  to  perform. 

Taking  from  his  vest  pocket  ten  double  eagles  of  coin, 
General  Scott  handed  them  to  me,  expressing  the  warmest 
hopes  of  my  success  in  the  excursion  to  "  Dixie." 

July  11,  1861,  I  started  for  Richmond.  Along  the  route 
of  my  travel  toward  the  Confederate  Capital,  and  while 
there,  I  was  to  learn,  if  possible,  the  locality  and  strength  of 
the  hostile  troops,  especially  of  the  dreaded  Black-horse 
cavalry,  and  also  of  their  fortifications  ;  leaving  no  oppor 
tunity  to  gather  items  of  information  concerning  the  move 
ments  and  plans  of  the  enemy  which  might  be  of  any  service 
to  the  Government. 

To  one  unacquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  service,  it 
may  seem  strange  that  our  troops  should  not  know  my  char 
acter  and  design.  But  such  concealment  is  not  only  always 
practiced  in  the  Secret  service,  but  was  pre-eminently  needful 
for  us  at  that  time,  when  we  knew  not  whom  to  trust,  because 
traitors  were  in  the  Government  and  in  the  army.  To  let  the 
Union  troops  into  the  secret,  would  be  to  send  it  to  Rich 
mond  before  I  had  reached  Manassas.  Guarding  the  frontier 
of  the  Confederacy,  the  rebel  army  lay  before  Washington, 
stretching  from  a  point  three  miles  below  Alexandria,  toward 
the  Potomac,  eight  miles  above  the  capital.  At  Alexandria, 
then  recently  stained  with  the  martyr  blood  of  Ellsworth, 
Gen.  Heintzelman  was  Provost-marshal.  No  passes  were 


INTERVIEW  WITH  HEINTZELMAN.  47 

recognized  by  either  the  Union  or  rebel  army,  and  1  must 
necessarily  run  the  risk  equally,  in  the  attempt  to  pass  their 
lines,  of  being  arrested  as  a  spy.  The  surreptitious  move 
ments  would  begin,  therefore,  with  the  first  step  from  Wash 
ington  toward  the  "  sacred  soil  of  Virginia." 

I  went  to  a  daguerrean  establishment,  and  purchased  for 
four  dollars  an  old  box  which  had  once  contained  photo 
graphic  apparatus,  slung  it  across  my  back,  after  the  fashion 
of  an  itinerant  artist,  and  started  for  Alexandria.  Four  miles 
out  of  the  city  I  came  to  the  Second  Maine  Regiment,  and 
proceeded  at  once  to  the  headquarters  of  the  colonel.  He 
received  me  politely,  and  wished  me  to  take  a  view  of  the 
camp,  including  his  tent  and  the  principal  officers  standing 
in  the  foreground.  War  scenes  were  new  to  the  people,  and 
the  desire  was  natural  enough,  to  gratify  friends  at  home 
with  pictures  of  the  martial  field.  After  a  good  dinner,  I 
took  my  box,  and  told  the  colonel  I  would  go  to  a  neighbor 
ing  hill  and  take  views  of  the  encampment,  then  return  to 
photograph  th^  headquarters.  I  was  soon  in  the  woods  with 
my  hollow  box,  eluding  guards,  and  pushing  forward  through 
the  tangled  undergrowth,  toward  the  heart  of  rebeldom. 
When  across  the  Federal  lines  as  I  supposed,  I  was  startled 
with  the  shout,  "  Who  goes  there  ?"  I  looked  up,  to  see  a 
sentinel,  with  lifted  gun,  standing  upon  a  knoll  just  before  me. 

I  had  no  alternative  but  to  surrender,  and  march  with 
him  to  the  colonel's  quarters.  This  officer  was  sure  he  had 
caught  a  spy,  and,  escorted  by  ten  men,  I  was  sent  back  along 
the  railroad,  the  same  way  I  came,  to  General  Heintzelman's 
headquarters.  The  lieutenant  in  charge  presented  me  to  the 
commanding  officer,  with  the  folloAving  flattering  and  promis 
ing  introduction:  "Here  is  a  spy,  general,  that  we  found 
lurking  about  our  camp,  trying  to  get  through  the  lines." 

"  Oh  !  you  villain  you,  you,"  said  Heintzelman,  with  his 
usual  nasal  twang  and  an  oath,  "  trying  to  get  through  my 
lines,  are  you?  I've  a  good  notion  to  cut  your  head  oft'! 
But  I'll  fix  you,  you  rascal ;  I'll  send  you  to  General  Scott." 
Another  guard,  with  a  message  from  the  brave  general,  who 
was  evidently  gratified  with  the  successful  vigilance  of  his 
men,  was  ordered  for  me,  and  I  was  hurried  away  to  Wash 
ington.  The  escort  was  dismissed  by  General  Scott,  and  my 


48  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

story  told.  With  an  expression  that  indicated  both  amuse 
ment  at  the  ruse,  and  its  failure,  and  confidence  in  me,  the 
old  veteran  said  :  "  Well,  try  again  !" 

The  uprising  North  was  now  sending  her  legions  to  the 
field  of  civil  conflict,  and  in  an  almost  unbroken  line  they 
were  marching  over  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia.  That  night, 
I  took  a  position  at  the  end  of  the  bridge,  and,  when  a  regi 
ment  came  down  broken  into  considerable  disorder,  I  stepped 
into  the  ranks,  hoping  to  be  borne  along  with  the  troops. 
Unfortunately,  a  lieutenant  saw  the  movement,  and,  taking 
me  by  the  collar,  put  me  under  guard,  and  sent  me  back  to 
the  rear.  Another  night  was  spent  in  Washington,  but  not 
wholly  in  sleep.  My  mind  was  busy  with  new  plans  for  a 
successful  visit  to  the  Confederate  capital. 

With  the  dawn  of  the  next  morning  I  renewed  my  jour 
ney  afoot  through  the  lower  counties  of  Maryland,  toward 
Port  Tobacco,  traveling  thirty -five  miles  that  day,  and  reach 
ing  that  town  at  night.  Exhaustion  prepared  me  for  sound 
and  refreshing  sleep.  In  the  morning  I  gave  a  negro  a  twenty- 
dollar  gold  piece  to  row  me  across  the  river,  who.n  I  was 
safely  in  the  Confederacy,  below  Dumfries.  The  country 
was  wooded,  and  an  unfrequented  road,  whose  general  direc 
tion  was  toward  Richmond,  suggested  the  line  of  my  ad 
vance  into  the  Old  Dominion.  I  pursued  my  solitary  journey 
through  the  desolate  country,  slaking  thirst,  excited  by  the 
heat  of  the  Southern  sun,  at  brooks  which  at  intervals  crossed 
my  path.  I  could  necessarily  have  no  settled  plan  of  future 
movements,  but  trusted  to  providential  indications  of  what, 
under  the  circumstances,  it  would  be  prudent  and  politic  to 
do.  With  that  entire  composure  of  feeling  and  self-reliance 
which  attend  a  purpose,  however  daring,  when  once  the 
die  is  cast,  to  reach  its  final  issue,  I  cast  my  eye  over  the 
sparsely -settled  country,  with  its  old  roads  crossed  with 
paths,  and  studded  with  oaks,  particularly  careful  to  observe 
the  least  sign  of  a  human  form  within  its  horizon.  Four  miles 
of  distance  lay  between  me  and  the  banks  of  the  Potomac, 
when  two  Confederate  soldiers  made  their  appearance,  too 
near  me  to  make  an  escape  possible.  I  was  taken  prisoner 
under  an  order  to  arrest  as  a  spy  any  stranger  passing  that 
way,  and  marched  off  toward  camp,  eight  miles  distant  A 


SECOND  ATTEMPT  TO  CROSS  THE  LIKES.  49 

"beer  shop  "by  the  roadside  tempted  the  guard,  and  we  all 
entered  it.  I  was  invited  to  drink.  I  saw  my  opportunity, 
and,  although  I  never  indulge  in  stimulants,  accepted  the 
offer  of  a  glass  of  ale,  and  in  return  treated  my  captors.  The 
generous  indulgence  was  repeated,  until  my  escort  were 
stupidly  under  the  influence  of  the  potations,  and  fell  asleep 
on  the  stoop  of  the  beer-house,  leaving  me  to  go  unmolested 
on  my  way. 

I  went  up  the  road  toward  Manassas  Junction,  congrat 
ulating  myself  on  my  easy  escape,  when  four  rebel  cavalry 
men  suddenly  came  out  of  the  brush  and  ordered  me  to  halt ; 
then  drawing  their  sabers,  commanded  me  to  surrender.  I 
replied  to  them  :  "I  am  a  peaceful  citizen,  unarmed,  and  on 
my  way  to  Richmond."  One  dismounted,  proceeded  to 
search  me,  and  succeeded  in  finding  a  number  of  letters 
introducing  me  to  prominent  rebels  in  Richmond.  Among 
them  were  two  written  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Shuck,  for  many 
years  a  missionary  in  China,  He  returned  to  California, 
where  I  had  formed  his  acquaintance,  and  came  to  the  Atlan 
tic  States  in  the  same  steamer  with  myself.  He  was  at  this 
time  chaplain  of  a  rebel  regiment  near  Richmond.  After 
obtaining  possession  of  all  my  letters,  the  boastful  chivalry 
could  not  read  them.  They  requested  me  to  be  seated,  while 
they  heard  from  me  the  contents  of  the  epistles. 

Taking  advantage  of  their  ignorance,  I  read  such  portions 
as  I  chose.  They  at  once  directed  me  to  proceed  under 
guard  to  Brentsville,  distant  about  ten  miles — they  riding, 
and  keeping  me  on  foot  between  them,  and  constantly  con 
versing  in  a  low  tone  of  voice  respecting  the  importance  of 
the  arrest.  Arriving  at  Brentsville  at  ten  o'clock,  p.  M.,  I 
was  taken  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Bonham,  of  South 
Carolina,  commanding  at  that  point,  ushered  into  the  large 
tent  occupied  by  General  Bonham  and  staff  officers,  and 
ordered  to  take  a  seat.  In  a  few  minutes,  General  Bonham, 
in  splendid  uniform,  took  a  seat  beside  me,  and  commenced 
conversation,  by  asking  the  direct  question,  "  Where  did 
you  come  from,  and  where  are  you  going?"  I  replied:  "I 
came  from  Washington,  and  am  on  my  way  to  Richmond." 
Apparently  unconscious  of  the  deference  due  to  the  com 
manding  officer.  I  sat  with  mv  hat  on.  Observing:  it,  he 


50  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

said,  "Take  off  your  hat,  sir."  With  the  order,  I  at  once 
complied. 

The  letters  were  then  handed  to  General  Bonham  by  one 
of  the  captors. 

After  reading,  he  said,  * '  How  dare  you  come  inside  of 
my  lines?" 

Exhibiting  proper  surprise  and  indignation,  I  replied,  "I 
am  a  loyal  and  peaceful  citizen  of  the  United  States,  engaged 
in  an  honorable  and  legitimate  pursuit.  I  have  business  in 
Richmond,  and  desire  to  go  there." 

He  replied,  "Well,  I  will  see  that  you  do  go  there.  I 
believe  you  are  a  Yankee  spy,  and  I'll  send  you  to  General 
Beauregard  at  once."  He  gave  the  necessary  order  to  detail 
a  guard,  and,  handing  a  sealed  letter  to  a  lieutenant  standing 
by,  said,  "  Put  this  man  in  irons,  and  with  this  letter  take 
him  to  General  Beauregard' s  headquarters."  Accordingly 
I  left  Brentsville  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  protesting,  how 
ever,  against  being  compelled  to  go  on  foot.  He  said,  "  As 
you  have  chosen  that  mode  of  conveyance,  sir,  you  ought 
not  now  to  find  fault.  Take  him  away." 

We  arrived  at  Manassas  Junction  about  daylight,  and 
went  to  General  Beauregard' s  headquarters  —  the  Weire 
House.  Completely  exhausted  by  the  walk,  and  the  excite 
ment  attending  the  arrest,  I  laid  down  in  front  of  the  bouse 
and  went  to  sleep.  At  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  I  was  awakened 
by  the  warm,  bright  rays  of  the  sun,  shining  in  my  face, 
and  found  myself  in  charge  of  the  guard  attached  to  the 
headquarters.  I  called  for  food,  and  was  informed  that 
General  Beauregard  desired  to  see  me.  I  was  taken  into  his 
presence,  with  whom  were  two  or  three  staff  officers.  Point 
ing  to  an  open  letter  (General  Bonham' s,  I  supposed),  he 
said:  "From  this  letter  I  see  you  have  been  found  within 
our  lines.  What  explanation  have  you  to  make  3" 

I  replied,  "I  am  from  Washington,  and  going  to  Rich 
mond,  on  private  business.  I  have  not  intended  to  violate 
any  law,  regulation,  or  military  rule,  of  the  Confederate 
army." 

"  When  did  you  leave  Washington  ?" 

"  Day  before  yesterday,"  I  replied. 

"  Where  did  you  cross  the  river  ?" 


AT  BEAUREGARD'S  HEADQUARTERS.         51 

"  In  the  vicinity  of  Port  Tobacco." 

"How  did  you  get  across  ?" 

44  In  a  boat." 

44  Who  brought  you  across  ?" 

41 A  negro." 

44  So  you  are  going  to  Richmond,  are  you  ?" 

44  Yes,  if  I  can  get  there  ;  but  am  willing  to  return  if  you 
will  permit  me  to  do  so." 

44  No  ;  I  prefer  that  you  should  go  to  Richmond.  Where 
do  you  reside?" 

44 1  have  lived  in  California  the  last  ten  years ;  but  for 
merly  lived  in  the  South." 

44  What  part  of  the  South  1" 

4  4  Knox ville,  Tennessee. ' ' 

44  How  long  since  you  were  in  Knoxville?" 

44  Ten  or  twelve  years." 

44  What  is  your  name  ?" 

44  Samuel  Munson." 

•4Yes,  I  see  from  your  letters  that  that  is  your  name; 
"bat  what  was  your  name  before  you  turned  spy?" 

44 1  am  no  spy." 

44 1  believe  you  are  ;  and,  if  I  was  satisfied  of  it,  I  would 
hang  you  on  that  tree,"  pointing  through  an  open  window 
to  an  oak-tree  in  full  view.  44  Orderly,"  he  added,  44take 
this  man  out  and  put  him  in  the  guard-house." 

44 1  am  very  hungry  ;  can  you  give  me  breakfast  ?" 

44  You  will  find  breakfast  in  the  guard-house." 

I  was  taken  by  the  guard  to  a  stockade  or  pen,  inside  of 
which  was  a  log-house.  Following  the  officer  in  command, 
I  said : 

44  Sir,  I  am  very  hungry — can  you  give  me  something  to 
eat?" — taking  from  my  pocket  a  gold  eagle.  At  sight  of 
the  coin,  he  said — 

44  What  will  you  have  ?" 

44  Send  out  and  get  me  the  worth  of  that,  or  the  best 
breakfast  you  can  get." 

He  soon  returned  with  a  good  warm  breakfast  and  a  bot 
tle  of  sour  wine.  The  wine  I  gave  to  the  guard,  and  ate  the 
breakfast. 

Having  put  myself  on  good  terms  with  the  officer  in 


£2  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

command  of  the  guard-house,  he  asked  me  what  I  was 
there  for. 

I  replied  I  did  not  know — but,  if  not  in  violation  of  his 
orders,  would  like  to  go  outside  in  charge  of  a  guard. 
Whether  it  would  be  so  or  not,  the  sight  of  a  twenty-dollai 
gold  piece  relieved  his  mind  of  any  cfoubt  on  the  subject. 
Handing  it  to  him,  he  called  a  soldier  and  said  : 

"  Take  this  man  out,  and  walk  him  around  awhile." 

I  went  to  the  hotel,  treated  my  escort,  and  then  went  with 
him  to  take  a  general  survey  of  all  the  troops  in  the  immedi 
ate  vicinity  of  Manassas  Junction.  One  of  my  instructions 
from  General  Scott,  and  not  least  in  importance,  was  to  ascer 
tain  the  numbers  of  the  famous,  and  by  the  Union  army 
much  dreaded,  black-horse  cavalry.  In  conversation  with 
my  half- drunken  guard,  I  referred  to  this  cavalry,  and  in 
quired  where  they  were. 

He  replied,  "Down  on  the  railroad." 

I  expressed  a  wish  to  see  them. 

He  said,  "  Certainly — them's  the  boys  to  whip  the 
Yankees  !" 

We  went  down  the  line  of  the  railroad  half  a  mile,  and 
there  found  the  cavalry  in  camp.  I  asked  him  how  many 
men  there  were  in  that  command. 

He  said,  "  Two  hundred." 

I  made  a  thorough  inspection  of  these  troops.  My  accom 
modating  guard  then  took  me  to  all  the  camps,  pointed  out 
the  different  intrenchments  in  course  of  erection,  the  names 
of  the  several  regiments  and  brigades,  who  commanded  them, 
their  strength,  &c.  When  I  had  obtained  this  information,  my 
guard  met  drunken  friends,  and  left  me  to  go  where  I  pleased. 
Fearing  I  should  be  missed,  I  immediately  returned  to  the 
guard -house.  I  was  not  locked  up,  but  allowed  to  remain  in 
the  stockade,  where  I  met  two  fellow-prisoners,  as  I  then  sup 
posed,  who  at  once  began  asking  me  questions.  It  did  not 
take  me  long,  however,  to  decide  that  they  were  decoys, 
placed  there  for  the  purpose  of  eliciting  from  me,  if  possible, 
my  real  character.  They  complained  bitterly  of  their  treat 
ment,  and  one  even  requested  me  to  take  a  letter  to  his  wife 
in  Washington! 

I  consented  to  take  the  letter.    It  was  written  in  a  way  well 


THE   COLPORTEUR.  #3 

calculated  to  mislead  me.  I  went  to  the  guard-house,  called 
the  lieutenant  on  guard,  and  said:  "  You  have  a  spy  in  the 
stockade  " — handing  him  the  letter.  He  said,  "  I  will  send  it 
up  to  headquarters."  A  few  minutes  later  I  saw  the  same 
man  in  private  confidential  conversation  with  the  lieutenant, 
at  the  same  time  pointing  to  me  across  the  yard. 

This  satisfied  me  of  the  truth  of  my  suspicions.  Repeated 
efforts  were  afterward  made,  during  my  stay  in  the  stockade,  to 
ascertain  who  I  was,  and  my  intentions.  To  all  inquiries, 
however,  I  had  but  one  answer,  and  that  was  :  "  That  they 
had  made  a  great  mistake  in  arresting  me.' '  My  next  ques 
tioner  was  a  woman,  assuming  the  calling  of  a  colporteur,  or 
tract  distributer.  I  was  standing  by  the  pump — she  ap 
proached  me  and  said : 

"  Sir,  will  you  read  one  of  my  tracts?" 

"  Certainly,  thank  you,  madam." 

Handing  me  two  or  three  tracts,  she  remarked,  "  This  war 
is  a  terrible  thing.  How  long  have  you  been  here  ?" 

"  Came  here  this  morning." 

She  said — 4 '  Read  those  tracts,  and  then  give  them  to  your 
fellow-prisoners. ' ' 

"  What  are  you  here  for  ?" 

"I  do  not  know,  madam,  but  hope  nothing  very  seri 
ous." 

"  Do  you  live  in  the  South  ?" 

11  No,  I  am  from  the  North — was  arrested  yesterday  down 
on  the  river." 

"Oh,  you  are  from  the  other  side,  are  you — from  Wash 
ington  ?' ' 

"  Yes,  I  left  there  three  days  ago." 

"Are  you  going  back  ?" 

"Well,  that  depends  upon  General  Beauregard." 

4  *  Oh  !  he  is  a  very  kind  man,  and  certainly  would  not 
keep  you  here  a  moment  without  some  good  reason.  Were 
you  born  in  the  North  ?' ' 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  I  am  a  Yankee." 

"  Is  the  North  really  going  to  fight  the  South  ?" 

"I  think  it  will." 

She  then  left  me,  to  continue  her  mission,  distributing 
tracts  to  the  prisoners  and  guards. 


54  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Returning  soon  afterward,  she  said  in  a  low  tone  of  voice, 
"I  am  trying  to  do  all  the  good  I  can.  Are  you  a  Chris 
tian?" 

I  answered,  "  I  thought  I  was  once,  but  now  have  very 
serious  doubts  on  the  subject." 

She  then  added :  "  The  lieutenant  thinks  you  are  a  spy  : 
if  you  are,  be  very  careful  what  you  say.  I  was  born  at  the 
North,  but  have  lived  among  these  people  seven  years.  My 
sympathies  are  all  with  the  Northern  people.  I  am  trying 
now  to  get  a  pass  from  General  Beauregard,  that  I  may  visit 
my  sister  in  New  York,  who  is  a  teacher  in  one  of  the  public 
schools.  I  will  gladly  take  any  message  you  may  want  to 
send  to  your  friends.  I  think  I  shall  get  my  pass  to-mor 
row." 

The  only  reply  I  made  was,  "I  think  I  shall  see  my 
friends  before  you  do." 

With  this  she  shook  my  hand  cordially,  and  left  me. 
Two  years  and  a  half  later,  I  met  my  tract  friend,  who  waa 
the  famous  "  Belle  Boyd,"  under  very  different  circumstances, 
which  will  be  recorded  in  the  order  of  their  occurrence. 

At  eleven  o'clock  that  night,  the  sergeant,  with  four 
men,  came  to  the  guard-house,  and  took  me  to  General  Beau- 
regard's  headquarters,  where  I  again  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
attentive  colporteur.  After  waiting  in  silence  a  brief  time, 
the  sergeant  ordered  me  to  follow  him. 

"Where  am  I  going?"  I  asked. 

"  To  Eichmond.     Fall  in,  men." 

I  was  at  once  marched  to  the  depot,  and  put  into  a  freight 
car  which  had  been  used  for  the  conveyance  of  troops,  hav 
ing  the  sides  knocked  oft'  near  the  top,  and  started  off  at  half- 
past  one  o'clock,  p.  M.  The  train  moved  very  slowly,  and 
Gordonsville  was  not  reached  until  the  next  night.  This 
otherwise  irksome  delay  afforded  me  an  excellent  oppor 
tunity  to  observe  the  number  of  troops  moving  toward  Ma- 
nassas. 

At  Gordonsville,  I  was  turned  over  to  another  guard,  put 
into  a  passenger  car,  and  entered  Richmond  at  eight  o'clock 
the  succeeding  evening. 

The  tidings  of  my  capture  had  gone  before,  and  the  value 
of  it  to  the  Confederacy  discussed  and  of  course  magnified, 


IN  RICHMOND.  55 

as  was  everything  by  distance,  on  both  sides,  at  that  early 
period  of  the  war. 

Instead  of  giving  me  a  cell  in  Libby  prison,  I  was  con 
veyed  to  the  third  story  of  an  engine-hoiise,  an  open,  airy 
loft,  with  a  clean  bed,  and  in  all  respects  more  comfortable 
quarters  than  I  anticipated.  A  guard  of  two  soldiers  were 
my  keepers. 

I  retired  to  rest,  and  reflected  on  the  course  to  be  followed 
from  this  crisis  in  the  enterprise.  I  was  in  the  rebel  capital, 
must  survey  its  military  resources,  and  get  back  to  Wash 
ington,  or  die  as  a  spy. 


CHAPTER    II: 

RESIDENCE  IN  RICHMOND. 

Summoned  to  an  interview  with  Jeff.  Davis — Subsequent  Examinations  by  him — 
Critical  Emergencies — Mr.  Brock — "Samuel  Munsoii" — Confidence  secured — Mr. 
"  Munson"  is  appointed  Confederate  Agent — Original  Letters  from  Davis.  Toombs, 
and  Walker — Starts  for  the  North — Unpleasant  Delays — A  Narrow  Escape — 
Reaches  the  Potomac — Deceives  the  Dutch  Fishermen  and  runs  the  Rebel  Gaunt 
let  safely. 

ON  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  of  my  confinement,  a  commis 
sioned  officer,  attended  by  a  guard,  entered  the  apartment 
and  said  the  President  wished  to  see  me.  I  obeyed  the  sum 
mons,  and  after  reaching  his  room  waited  nearly  two  hours 
before  I  was  presented  to  Mr.  Davis  with  the  simple  expres 
sion,  "This  is  the  man,  sir!"  The  room  occupied  by  him 
in  the  Spottswood  House  was  a  front  parlor  connecting  with 
a  bedroom.  The  weather  was  warm,  and  he  wore  simply  a 
light  linen  coat,  without  vest,  collar,  or  cravat.  He  then  said, 
"  You  have  been  sent  here  from  Manassas  as  a  spy  !  what 
have  you  to  say?"  I  related  the  circumstances  of  my 
capture,  complaining  bitterly  of  my  treatment,  to  which  he 
listened  with  perfect  indifference.  He  then  asked  substan 
tially  the  same  questions  Beauregard  had  proposed,  and 
which  wqre  answered  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  words  used 
during  the  interview  with  him.  I  was  taken  back  to  the 
engine-loft,  and  at  the  expiration  of  three  days  was  once 
more  escorted  to  the  executive  apartment.  The  Confed 
erate  President  was  out,  engaged  in  the  inspection  of  troops 
who  had  just  arrived  from  the  South,  and  I  returned  to  my 
quarters  without  an  interview.  At  the  expiration  of  a  week, 
I  was  ordered  for  the  third  time  into  the  presence  of  Jeffer 
son  Davis.  The  following  inquiries  were  made  by  him  : 

"  How  many  troops  do  you  suppose  there  are  in  Washing 
ton  and  its  vicinity  ?" 


CONVERSATION   WITH  JEFF.  DAVIS.  57 

I  answered,  "  I  have  no  means  of  knowing;  probably 
75,000  or  100,000,  with  more  daily  arriving." 

"  Who  commands  the  Yankee  troops?" 

"I  suppose,  General  Scott." 

"  Where  are  his  headquarters?" 

"In  Washington." 

"  Then  he  is  not  with  the  troops  ?" 

"  No  ;  General  McDowell  is  in  immediate  command." 

I  was  then  marched  back  to  my  prison-chamber. 

At  the  next  interview  the  arch-traitor  determined  to  make 
a  thorough  and  satisfactory  examination  of  his  prisoner. 

He  began  :  "  What  is  your  name,  sir  ?" 

"  Samuel  Munson." 

"  Where  were  you  born  ?" 

"  In  Knoxville,  Tennessee." 

"  What  is  your  business  here  ?" 

"  The  settlement  of  certain  land-claims  in  California  for  a 
man  whose  agent  I  am." 

"  Who  is  the  man  ?" 

4 '  Rev.  Mr.  S ,  of  Barnwell  Court-House ;  now  I 

believe  a  chaplain  in  the  army." 

Having  brought  with  me  from  the  Pacific  Coast  land-claims 
in  behalf  of  a  minister,  who  returned  to  Barnwell  Court- 
House,  his  former  place  of  residence,  and  whose  name  as 
chaplain  was  on  the  Army  Roll,  my  statement  had  certainly 
an  air  of  plausibility. 

"  How  long  have  you  resided  North  ?" 

"  I  have  been  in  California  eight  years." 

"  When  did  you  leave  California  ?" 

"  On  the  first  day  of  January,  1861." 

"  Were  you  in  Washington  ?" 

"  I  was." 

"  Did  you  come  directly  here  from  Washington  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Were  there  many  troops  in  Washington  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  a  great  many." 

"How  many?" 

"  It  is  impossible  to  say,  as  they  were  constantly  arriving 
and  departing." 

"  Where  were  they  concentrating  ?" 


68  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"  In  Virginia,  opposite  Washington." 

"  Throwing  up  fortifications,  are  they  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir;  I  believe  so." 

"  Are  they  fortifying  Arlington  Heights  V9 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  Or  in  the  vicinity  of  Long  Bridge  ?"  *  * 

"  I  do  not  know." 

u  Are  they  fortifying  about  Alexandria?" 

"  I  can  not  say,  I  have  not  been  there." 

"  Can  you  tell  me  the  names  of  any  of  the  regiments  now 
in  Washington?" 

I  mentioned  the  names  of  a  few  of  which  he  could  not  have 
failed  to  know  something  through  the  press  and  rumors 
afloat. 

He  continued,  "Where  is  General  Scott?" 

"  I  do  not  know.     He  is  said  to  be  in  Washington." 

"  Do  you  consider  yourself  a  Southern  man  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  do." 

"Do  you  sympathize  with  the  Southern  people?" 

"I  do." 

"Are  you  willing  to  fight  with  them ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Will  you  enlist?" 

"No,  sir." 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  I  am  here  on  business  which  I  ought  first  to 
accomplish." 

The  guard  was  summoned  to  take  "Mr.  Munson"  to  his 
prison  again.  Before  leaving,  I  stepped  forward  to  a  table 
on  which  stood  a  pitcher  of  ice- water,  and,  turning  to  the 
rebel  chief,  said : 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  take  a  drink  of  ice- water  ?  I  get 
none  where  I  am." 

"Certainly,"  he  replied. 

I  was  soon  in  my  upper  .room  reflecting  upon  the  diffi 
culties  in  my  way,  and  the  probability  that  they  would  yet 
thwart  my  plans,  and  leave  me  undisguised  at  the  mercy  of 
exasperated  enemies. 

Three  additional  days  of  monotonous  life  in  my  loft  were 
passed,  when  I  was  summoned  once  more  into  the  presence 


ANOTHER  EXAMINATION.  59 

of  Davis.  He  sat  "by  his  table  writing,  with  his  back  toward 
the  door,  while  nearly  opposite,  reclining  upon  a  lounge 
half  asleep,  and  looking  much  like  a  man  who  had  imbibe  d 
strong  drink  too  freely,  was  Robert  Toombs.  He  roused  him 
self  as  I  entered,  to  listen  to  my  examination  by  the  Presi 
dent,  who,  laying  down  his  pen,  turned  to  me  and  said : 

"  Have  you  any  other  way  of  proving  that  your  name  is 
Munson,  excepting  the  letters  found  in  your  pocket  ?" 

"I  am  not  acquainted  here,  sir,  and  do  not  know  any 
one." 

Davis  resumed  his  writing  for  a  few  moments,  then  said  : 

"  Do  you  know  how  far  they  are  running  the  cars  on  the 
Alexandria  and  Orange  Railroad  ?" 

"  I  don't  know.     I  have  not  been  on  that  side." 

"  Do  you  know  whether  they  are  running  the  cars  on  the 
Leesburg  road  ?" 

"  I  do  not." 

"  How  many  Yankee  troops  do  you  think  there  are  in  the 
vicinity  of  Washington  ?" 

"I  have  heard  that  there  are  one  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand,  but  have  no  means  of  knowing  whether  it  is 
true." 

"  I  suppose  you  know  who  commands  them  1" 

"  I  believe  General  McDowell  does." 

"  You  say  you  are  originally  from  Knoxville.  Can  you 
give  me  the  name  of  any  persons  whom  you  know  there  ?" 

"It  has  been  a  good  many  years  since  I  lived  in  Knox 
ville,  but  I  remember  some  persons  who  were  there  when  I 
left." 

I  gave  the  names  of  several  men  whom  I  knew  resided 
in  that  city. 

"  Would  they  know  you  ?" 

"I  think  so,  though  a  residence  of  eight  years  in  Califor 
nia  has,  no  doubt,  changed  me  very  much.  If  I  should  see 
them,  I  think  I  could  make  them  remember  me." 

I  had  taken  the  name  of  Munson,  because  I  had  learned 
that  several  families  of  that  name  belonged  in  Knoxville,  and 
the  son  of  a  Judge  Munson  had  been  in  California,  whom  I 
could  represent. 

Davis  rang  a  bell,  a  messenger  appeared,  and,  taking  a 


60  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

name,  left  the  room.  I  suspected  at  once  his  errand.  He 
was  dispatched  for  somebody  from  Knoxville,  to  identify 
me,  if  my  story  were  true.  The  crisis  in  my  affairs  had 
come.  I  concluded  the  game  was  up,  and  my  vocation  gone. 
It  was  a  moment  of  great  anxiety,  and  my  thoughts  were  in 
tensely  active  with  the  possibilities  of  escape  from  the  snare 
in  which  I  seemed  to  be  caught.  Davis  continued  writing, 
and  Toombs  closed  his  eyes.  The  messenger  left  the  door 
ajar,  and,  unobserved,  I  drew  my  chair  nearly  in  front  of  it, 
to  gain  a  view  of  the  outer  hall.  In  it,  on  a  small  table,  were 
blank  cards  on  which  those  who  called  to  see  the  Confed 
erate  President  wrote  their  names,  and  sent  them  by  an  or 
derly,  before  they  were  admitted  to  an  audience  with  him. 

Soon  the  messenger  with  a  stranger  entered  the  hall. 
The  latter  wrote  his  name,  and  handed  it  to  the  orderly,  who 
came  in  where  I  was  sitting.  I  raised  my  hand  to  take  the 
card,  and  he  stopped  to  give  it  to  me,  when  I  glanced  at  the 
name,  and  made  a  motion  to  have  it  laid  on  Davis' s  table. 
The  rebel  Executive  did  not  observe  this,  and  Tombs  was 
apparently  asleep.  The  orderly  put  the  card  before  him, 
was  directed  to  admit  the  visitor,  and  retired.  The  Knox 
ville  man  came  in,  and,  turning  toward  him  with  a  look  of 
sudden  recognition,  I  rose,  grasped  his  hand,  and  exclaimed : 

"  Why,  how  do  you  do,  Brock?" 

Toombs  raised  himself  up  and  nodded  to  Davis,  who  said : 

"  Be  seated,  sir.     Do  you  know  this  man  ?" 

Brock  was  taken  by  surprise,  but,  not  to  appear  ignorant 
before  the  President,  replied  : 

"  Yes,  I  know  him,  but  I  can't  call  his  name  now." 

"My  name  is  Munson,  of  Knoxville.  Don't  you  remem 
ber  Judge  Munson' s  son  who  went  to  California?" 

"What,  Sam  Munson?" 

"  That's  my  name." 

"Oh  yes,"  said  Brock,  turning  to  Davis,  "now  I  remem 
ber  him.  Yes,  I  know  him  very  well." 

"Do  you  know  his  people  there  ?"  asked  Davis. 

"I  know  his  father,  Judge  Munson,  very  well." 

Toombs  stood  up  and  said,  "That  will  do,  sir,  that  will 
do,"  and  Brock  walked  out  of  the  room. 

Toombs  then  drew  a  chair  close  to  Davis,  and  they  con- 


A  SINGULAR  SURPRISE.  (5J 

versed  in  whispers  for  a  few  moments,  when  the  guard 
escorted  me  to  my  quarters.  I  fancied  that  I  had  m-ade  some 
progress  at  this  interview. 

The  next  morning  brought  Mr.  Brock  to  my  loft,  evidently 
sent  to  satisfy  himself  fully  that  I  was  Sam  Munson.  A  deli 
cate  and  difficult  task  was  before  me,  and  the  result  to  my 
own  mind  very  doubtful.  Brock,  however,  was  talkative, 
willing  to  carry  on  the  conversation,  and  evidently  quite  sure 
that  he  was  not  mistaken  in  his  man.  I  knew  something  of 
the  Munsons,  and  localities  in  Knoxville,  and,  by  the  aid  of 
imagination,  could  till  any  pauses  in  Brock's  conversation; 
eight  years  of  absence  excusing  failures  in  memory.  Brock 
asked  leading  questions,  saying,  for  illustration,  "You  know 
so-and-so."  "Oh,  yes,"  I  responded,  though  I  had  not  the 
remotest  knowledge  of  the  person.  Then  Brock  would  refer 
to  something  very  ludicrous,  and  I  would  burst  into  laughter, 
as  though  at  the  recollection,  while  Brock,  greatly  enjoying 
it,  would  unconsciously  tell  the  whole  story,  so  that  I  could 
put  in  a  fitting  remark  here  and  there,  which  seemed  to  come 
naturally  from  recollection.  Brock  went  away  entirely  sat 
isfied,  and  reported  to  Jeif.  Davis.  Two  days  later,  a  com 
missioned  officer  entered  the  room  with  a  parole,  pledging 
myself  not  to  leave  the  city  of  Richmond  without  orders  from 
the  provost-marshal.  I  signed  it,  and  was  released  from  con 
finement.  With  the  freedom  of  the  city,  I  continued  my 
observations. 

Walking  through  a  street  one  Sunday  morning,  by  a 
high  board  fence  covered  with  posters  concerning  regiments 
being  organized  and  other  military  announcements,  from 
which  I  gleaned  additional  information,  a  man  came  up  and 
slapped  me  on  the  shoulder  with, — 

"Hallo,  Baker  !     What  are  you  doing  here ?" 

The  name  sounding  strangely,  under  the  circumstances,  I 
was  startled,  but,  looking  around,  calmly  said  : 

"  I  guess  you  are  mistaken,  sir.     My  name  is  Munson." 

"  Ain't  your  name  Baker  ?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  Didn't  you  go  to  California  in  1850  ?" 

"No,  sir.  I  have  lived  in  California,  but  I  did  not  go 
there  till  '52." 


62  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"Why,  didn't  you  go  across  the  isthmus  with  me  in 
April,  1850,  when  we  had  the  tight  with  the  natives  ?" 

"No,  sir.     I  guess  you  have  mistaken  the  man." 

"Well,  I  would  have  sworn  that  you  were  Baker. 
Didn't  you  have  a  brother  there  !" 

"  I  had  a  brother  there,  but  he  came  home  in  '53." 

"Well,"  said  he,  turning  away,  "it's  all  right,  I  sup 
pose  ;  but  I  never  saw  two  men  look  so  much  alike  in  my 
life  !" 

In  the  mean  time  I  had  obtained  information  of  military 
movements  and  plans,  learned  where  the  enemy  had  stationed 
troops,  or  were  building  fortifications,  and  what  they  were 
doing  at  the  Tredegar  works.  I  had  obtained  the  knowledge 
for  which  I  came,  and  was  anxious  to  return  North. 
Through  the  influence  of  Hayes,  I  got  from  the  provost-mar 
shal,  a  pass  to  visit  Fredericksburg,  making  an  appointment 
to  meet  the  former,  which,  of  course,  I  did  not  keep.  Arri 
ving  in  Fredericksburg,  I  made  three  or  four  ineffectual  at 
tempts  to  get  into  the  country,  and  finally,  by  the  aid  of  a 
negro,  crossed  the  Rappahannock  one  morning  four  miles  be 
low  the  city.  To  reach  the  Potomac  would  tax  all  my  pow 
ers  to  the  utmost,  but  the  case  was  desperate  and  I  must  go 
forward.  As,  when  entering  upon  my  Southern  tour,  it  was 
indispensable  to  success  that  I  should  even  among  friends  be 
incog.,  so  now  I  must  return  with  the  precious  epistles  in  my 
pocket,  through  the  Confederate  lines,  on  my  own  account, 
having  only  the  chances  of  escape  which  any  wanderer  at 
large  might  have. 

My  face  was  toward  Washington,  and  the  only  question 
remaining  was,  whether  the  success  in  the  attempt  to  reach  it 
would  equal  that  of  my  journey  to  Richmond. 

The  Potomac  was  the  goal  of  my  solitary  travel  through 
forest  and  over  open  fields  ;  for  on  its  northern  banks  lay  the 
Union  Army,  and,  once  across  its  waters,  I  was  safe.  My 
appearance  was  that  of  a  common  citizen,  and  I  hoped  to 
pass  unnoticed  any  persons  with  whom  a  meeting  was  un 
avoidable.  Scarcely  two  miles  were  traveled,  when,  by  the 
side  of  woods  which  bordered  the  road,  an  officer  and  soldier 
on  horseback  appeared,  and  too  near  to  give  me  time  to  seek 
concealment  in  the  forest. 


A  SLEEPY  GUARD.  63 

The  officer  reined  up  before  me,  and  inquired :  "  Have 
you  got  a  pass,  sir:" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Let  me  see  it." 

With  the  promptness  of  assurance,  I  drew  forth  and 
handed  him  the  pass  from  Richmond  to  Fredericksburg. 
If  able  to  read,  I  hoped  he  might  be  satisfied  with  a  glance 
at  the  paper,  and  let  me  proceed.  He  studied  it  awhile,  till 
his  eye  caught  the  word  "  Fredericksburg  ;"  he  then  said : — 

"  I  don't  think  this  will  do,  sir  !" 

"'Tis  all  right." 

"  Well,  it  may  be,  but  you'll  have  to  go  back  with  me  to 
Fredericksburg.' ' 

My  locomotion  had  not  been  observed,  and,  with  a  pitiful 
limp,  I  remarked  that  it  was  hard  for  a  lame  man  to  be  com 
pelled  to  walk  that  distance ;  and  that,  if  I  attempted  it,  I 
must  necessarily  defer  my  journey  till  another  day.  I  made 
a  painful  eifort  to  walk,  and  so  far  moved  the  compassion  of 
the  officer,  that  he  offered  to  take  the  pass  to  the  command 
ing  general,  and  leave  me  in  charge  of  the  soldier.  When 
he  was  gone,  after  a  little  pleasant  conversation,  the  day 
being  warm,  I  proposed  to  my  guard  that  we  go  into  the 
shade  of  the  woods.  Tying  his  horse  to  a  small  tree,  he 
threw  himself  down  on  the  grass.  Half  an  hour  was  spent 
in  pleasant  chat,  and  the  officer  did  not  make  his  appear 
ance. 

"Ugh!"  said  the  guard  stretching,  "How  sleepy  I  am, 
I  didn't  sleep  a  wink  last  night." 

This  fact,  with  the  inviting  greensward  and  shade,  dis 
posed  him  to  snatch  a  nap ;  and  soon  he  was  oblivious  to 
everything  around  him.  It  was  no  pleasure  to  me  to  subject 
him  to  punishment  or  even  censure  on  my  account ;  but  the 
law  of  self-protection  necessarily  overruled  my  regard  for 
the  unwatchful  guard,  and,  carefully  appropriating  his 
revolver,  I  unloosed  and  mounted  his  horse.  Riding 
leisurely  along  the  path  a  short  time,  I  turned  suddenly  into 
the  woods  ;  but  the  ground  was  rough,  and  the  bushes  almost 
impenetrable,  making  progress  distressingly  slow.  As  the 
sun  was  sinking  behind  the  trees,  having  traveled  half  a 
dozen  miles,  I  emerged  into  a  clearing,  where  a  white-haired 


64:  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

old  man,  who  evidently  had  reached  his  threescore  years  and 
ten,  was  making  shingles. 

With  a  respectful  salutation,  I  inquired  : 

"  Will  you  tell  me  the  shortest  road  to  the  Potomac  ?" 

This  Southern  patriarch  looked  at  me  with  surprise.  I 
said  again  :  • 

"  The  river — the  Potomac  river — which  way  is  it  ?" 

11 1  never  heard  of  it  in  my  life." 

"  How  long  have  you  lived  here  ?" 

"  Always  ;  was  born  here." 

"  And  don't  know  where  the  Potomac  river  is  V 

"  I  never  heard  about  such  a  river." 

He  was  equally  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  Aquia  Creek, 
or  any  of  the  streams  or  places  along  the  river. 

"  Did  you  know  that  the  South  had  seceded  f  I  inquired. 

"  Well,  well !  I've  heard  suthing  was  going  on,  but 
hain't  token  much  interest  in  politics  no  how  since  Jackson's 
time.  'Spose  they  are  all  the  time  getting  up  suthing  new." 

With  a  cup  of  water  from  the  unsuspecting  Jacksonian 
democrat,  who  was  enjoying  Cowper's  lodge  in  the  wilder 
ness,  undisturbed  by  the  alarms  of  war,  I  rode  away,  to  try 
the  next  turn  in  the  wheel  of  fortune.  At  length  a  house 
was  visible  in  the  distance,  and  toward  it  I  directed  my 
course. 

Dismounting  near  it,  I  hitched  my  horse,  and  commenced 
observations.  Two  negroes  only  were  in  sight,  in  an  out 
house.  I  went  to  them  with  a  plausible  story,  and  for  ten 
cents  obtained  some  bread  and  milk,  which  broke  the  day's 
fast,  with  refreshment  for  the  night's  adventure  before  me. 
Darkness  was  setting  upon  the  forest,  and,  unable  to  discern 
the  mire  and  stones  ahead,  I  became  entangled  among  the 
branches,  and  found  I  must  abandon  my  horse,  and  plunge 
into  the  thicket  alone.  After  wandering  about  bewildered 
for  an  hour,  I  unconsciously  returned  to  the  very  house  I 
had  left.  I  decided  to  risk  a  rest  here  till  morning,  and 
working  my  body  feet  foremost  under  a  haystack,  until  com 
pletely  hidden,  fell  into  a  sound  sleep.  Just  before  the 
dawn  of  the  next  day,  I  was  startled  from  slumber,  and,  lis 
tening,  soon  learned  that  rebel  cavalry  were  in  search  of  me, 
and  had  surrounded  the  house.  A  dozen  horsemen  could  be 


A  BRIGHT   IRISHMAN.  65 

seen  through  the  lattice- work  of  hay,  moving  about  in  the 
darkness.  From  the  dwelling  they  went  to  the  outhouses, 
and  finally  came  to  the  haystack.  I  prepared  for  the  worst. 
With  my  head  thinly  covered,  I  could  watch  my  foes,  unseen 
by  them  ;  while  my  revolver  lay  before  me.  If  discovered, 
I  resolved  to  shoot  the  successful  man,  and  run  for  dear  life 
toward  the  woods.  Several  times  the  cavalry  rode  around 
the  stack ;  then  one  of  the  number,  dismounting,  began  a 
sword  examination  of  my  lodgings.  I  could  hear  the  thrust 
of  the  blade  into  the  hay,  until  it  grazed  my  coat,  and  I 
grasped  my  six-shooter  to  spring  ;  but  he  passed  on,  saying : 

"He  ain't  in  there,  boys." 

Eemounting,  with  his  comiades,  he  rode  off. 

Watching  them  till  out  of  sight,  I  crept  cautiously  into 
the  deepening  light,  and  started  for  the  woods.  The  sun 
rose  gloriously  over  the  near  horizon  ;  but  whether  to  light 
me  toward  safety  or  capture,  was  entirely  uncertain. 

Without  breakfast  or  dinner,  I  hastened  on,  having  not 
even  a  glimpse  of  a  human  being,  and  avoiding  every  indica 
tion  of  his  habitation.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
when  emerging  from  a  clump  of  bushes,  I  came  in  full  view 
of  a  man  hauling  timber.  I  could  not  retreat,  and,  changing 
the  coat  hanging  on  one  arm  to  the  other,  I  put  my  hand  on 
my  pocket,  and  stood  in  thinking  posture.  I  saw  that  I  had 
an  Irishman  to  deal  with,  and  not  a  remarkably  bright  speci- 
man  of  his  race. 

With  the  air  of  one  interested,  I  asked  : 

1  i  What  is  this  timber  for  V ' 

"It's  fur  the  batthery  down  here,  in  course." 

This  answer  settled  the  question  of  the  proximity  of  the 
Potomac,  and  also  apprised  me  that  fortifications  and  plenty 
of  rebels  were  not  far  off.  I  walked  along  a  stick  of  timber, 
measuring  it  by  paces,  and  then  said  : 

"Tell  these  men  they  are  getting  this  timber  four  feet  too 
short,  will  you?" 

"  Yes,  sur,  I  will  sur.     It's  only  haulin,  I  am,  meself." 

"  Well,"  I  replied,  leaving  him,  "tell  them  to  cut  it  four 
feet  longer,  will  you  ?  Tell  them  I  say  so." 

"I  will,  sur." 

Into  the  woods  again,  and,  making  as  good  time  as  pos- 

5 


66  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

sible,  I  walked  on  two  hours  longer.  Hunger  began  to 
gnaw,  and  create  that  desperation  which  disregards  the  cooler 
prudence  of  a  full  stomach.  Striking  a  small  creek  or  bayou, 
running  into  the  Potomac,  I  resolved  to  follow  it  till  it  de 
cided  my  fortunes  for  the  night.  No  sign  of  anything  in 
reach  to  appease  hunger  appeared,  no»  of  a  boat  in  which 
to  get  across  the  river.  The  very  first  sight  of  human 
existence  was  in  a  form  to  excite  fear — a  white  tent,  snugly 
pitched  on  the  sloping  point  of  a  hill,  by  the  water-side,  and 
surrounded  with  bushes.  I  paused  to  watch  for  further  in 
timations  of  what  was  there. 

At  length  a  soldier  came  up  the  bank  with  fish,  and  en 
tered  the  tent.  Soon  after,  with  another  man,  he  reappeared 
outside,  and  they  sat  down,  lighted  their  pipes,  and  chatted, 
after  the  fashion  of  good-natured  Dutchmen.  The  imperious 
demands  of  hunger  urged  me  to  join  them,  and,  advancing, 
I  accosted  them.  It  turned  out  that  they  belonged  to  a  bat 
tery  on  the  hill  above,  and  had  moved  to  the  bank  to  catch 
fish  for  the  officers.  I  told  them  I  lived  up  the  creek,  and 
had  come  down  to  see  how  things  were  getting  on  ;  then  in 
quired  : 

"  Have  you  got  anything  to  eat  in  the  tent  ?" 

"  We  got  not  much  here  to  eat." 

uBoys,  I  am  very  hungry.  I  hain't  had  anything  to  eal 
since  I  came  from  home,  and  I'll  pay  you  for  something." 

"  Yell,  dat  ish  tifferent  matter.  If  you  pays,  dat  ish  tif 
ferent  matter." 

"  Can't  you  cook  some  fish  ?" 

"  Oh,  ersh,  I  spose  we  get  you  some  fish." 

In  a  few  minutes  they  set  before  me  a  supper  simply  oJ 
fish,  cooked  in  their  primitive  style,  and  yet  no  luxury  was 
ever  so  grateful  to  the  taste.  After  it  was  finished,  I  asked 
for  a  pipe,  and  began  to  puff  away,  entirely  at  home ;  but 
all  the  while  revolving  in  my  mind  the  chances  and  expedi 
ents  for  a  final  parting  with  my  Dutch  friends.  Finally,  my 
eye  fell  upon  a  small  boat  lying  in  the  bushes  below ;  and 
the  conviction  followed  the  discovery,  that  it  was  my  only 
hope  of  crossing  the  Potomac.  Learning  that  the  fishermen 
owned  it,  I  said  to  them : 

"  I  want  to  bay  that  boat.     What  will  you  take  for  it  ?" 


A  NIGHT  OF  DIFFICULTIES.  67 

"I  no  sells  dat  poat,"  replied  one. 

4 '  I'll  give  you  twenty  dollars  for  it,  in  gold." 

"It's  worth  more  as  that  to  us.  The  Yankees  ish  break 
ing  up  all  poats  on  the  Potomac." 

There  was  an  end  to  the  prospect  of  a  purchase ;  and  a 
new  plan  must  be  devised.  The  sun  sank  behind  the  trees, 
and  in  the  pleasant  shade  we  smoked  and  talked  away  the 
hours.  I  found,  in  the  course  of  conversation,  that  the  battery 
was  not  over  two  hundred  yards  from  us,  and  the  Potomac  a 
few  rods  below. 

The  evening  advanced,  and  I  begged  the  privilege  of 
sleeping  in  the  tent,  as  I  was  too  tired  to  think  of  returning 
home  before  morning.  Permission  was  reluctantly  granted  ; 
and,  spreading  their  blanket,  they  "  turned  in,"  while  I  con 
tinued  without,  smoking,  till  the  moon  rose.  I  had  practical 
business  on  hand,  which  excluded  contemplation  of  the 
romantic  scene — the  silver  light  tipping  and  then  flooding  the 
hills,  and  creeping  down  to  the  quiet  spot  of  anxious  wake- 
fulness.  For  the  illumination  was  TO  aid  me  in  my  design  to 
escape.  I  could  now  watch  the  movements  of  my  compan 
ions  in  the  tent  sufficiently  to  see  when  they  were  apparently 
asleep,  depending  on  the  ear  for  the  further  evidence  of  the 
desirable  fact.  When  all  was  still,  indicating  profound 
slumber,  suddenly  a  change  of  position,  a  grunt,  and  a  look 
outside,  would  dispel  the  illusion. 

Toward  midnight,  I  heard  a  shout : 

"  Hello,  there  !  you  come  to  ped  to-night  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  am  coming  in." 

Soon  after  entering  the  tent,  I  found  that  room  for  me  had 
been  left  between  the  men,  arid  the  effort  to  get  on  an  outer 
edge  of  the  blanket  was  fruitless. 

A  suspicion  evidently  crossed  the  mind  of  the  one  who 
had  just  spoken  to  me,  respecting  the  stranger,  and  there  was 
a  design  to  guard  against  any  unpleasant  results  from  the 
visit. 

The  day's  fatigue  made  my  own  inclination  to  sleep  al 
most  irresistible ;  but  I  watched  anxiously  for  the  favoring 
moment  to  leave  the  bed  unobserved.  Repeated  trials  found 
the  distrustful  soldier  sufficiently  wakeful  to  look  after  his 
guest.  Overcome  by  the  slumberous  influences  of  fatigue, 


68  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SEPwVICE. 

my  comfortable  quarters,  and  the  "  stilly  night,"  I  sank  into 
a  restless  repose.  Scarcely  an  hour  had  passed,  when  I  sud 
denly  awoke,  starting  with  alarm  lest  the  opportunity  to 
escape  was  lost.  On  the  contrary,  I  found  my  companions 
were  thoroughly  asleep,  their  loud  breathing  the  only  sign 
of  life.  I  carefully  crawled  from  between  them,  till  half  my 
body  was  out  of  the  tent.  The  suspicious  man,  with  a  sound 
of  unrest,  turned  over.  I  remained  perfectly  still  till  he 
made  another  turn  and  stretched  out  his  arm  to  see  if  all  was 
right  in  the  middle.  I  drew  back  to  my  old  place,  and  he 
laid  his  hand  upon  me  several  times,  before  he  seemed  satis- 
lied  that  I  was  there.  Several  attempts  to  leave  the  tent 
ended  in  a  similar  failure.  Daylight  began  to  steal  into  the 
tent,  and  the  night  of  suspense  must  end  in  some  decisive 
effort  to  secure  the  boat  and  cross  the  Potomac.  The  soldier- 
fishermen  were  sleeping  quite  as  soundly  as  at  any  time 
before,  and  in  another  moment  I  stood  before  the  door  watch 
ing  the  effect  of  my  movement.  There  was  a  little  stir,  and 
I  stood  mechanically  poking  the  embers  of  our  evening  fire, 
as  if  looking  out  to  see  the  breaking  day  ;  but  with  my  pistol 
in  one  hand  ready  for  service.  Returning  it  to  my  pocket 
muzzle  down,  I  hastened  to  the  bank.  To  my  great  disap 
pointment,  there  were  no  oars  in  the  boat.  Upon  making 
search  among  the  willows,  I  found  a  short  one,  partially  de 
cayed.  Noiselessly  as  possible  I  launched  the  frail  bark, 
fearing  each  sound  on  the  sand  or  in  the  water  would  bring 
my  Dutch  friends  down  the  bank.  In  a  few  moments,  which 
suspense  made  oppressively  long,  I  floated  away  into  the 
stream,  at  this  point,  not  over  thirty  feet  in  width.  Taking 
the  middle  of  the  current,  I  pulled  off  my  coat,  and  began 
to  row  for  life.  The  tide  favored  me,  and  I  was  congratulat 
ing  myself  upon  the  prospect  of  an  unmolested  voyage, 
when  a  shout  drew  my  attention  to  the  vigilant  Dutchman, 
whose  gesticulations  could  not  be  misunderstood.  He 
called  loudly  to  his  bedfellow  :  "  Meyer  !  Meyer  !  the  poat 
ish  gone  !  the  poat  ish  gone  !" 

He  seized  his  musket  and  made  for  the  bank,  not  more 
than  a  dozen  feet  from  me,  shouting  : 

"  Come  pack  here  !     Come  pack  mit  that  poat !" 

My  only  answer  was  a  more  vigorous  use  of  the  oar. 


CROSSING  THE  POTOMAC.  69 

Placing  my  right  hand  upon  the  pistol,  and  watching  the 
soldier,  I  propelled  the  boat  with  my  left. 

"Come  pack!"  he  continued,  following  me  along  the 
bank.  He  then  paused,  leveled  his  musket,  and  was  about 
to  fire.  I  did  not  want  to  kill  "  mine  host,"  but  the  law  of 
self-defense  again  demanded  a  sacrifice.  With  quick  and 
sudden  aim,  I  fired — with  a  cry  of  distress,  he  staggered  and 
fell  lifeless  beside  his  musket.  His  comrade  was  running 
down  the  hill,  when,  seeing  what  had  happened,  he  turned 
back  to  the  tent.  He  soon  returned  with  a  double-barreled 
shot  gun,  and  stole  along  cautiously,  through  the  bushes,  till 
within  forty  yards  of  the  boat,  and  then  fired.  The  shot  fell 
around  me,  in  the  water.  Catching  a  glimpse  of  my  enemy 
in  the  thicket,  I  discharged  my  revolver.  He  ran  away,  evi 
dently  unhurt.  The  reports  had  given  the  alarm,  and  several 
soldiers  soon  came  in  sight.  An  instant  later,  a  bullet 
whistled  over  my  shoulder.  I  had  reached  the  decisive  mo 
ments  of  my  last  effort  to  get  out  of  "  Dixie."  Again  getting 
sight  of  the  Dutchman  in  the  bushes,  I  once  more  took  de 
liberate  aim  and  fired.  He  threw  up  one  arm,  gave  a  yell, 
and  fell  to  the  ground.  In  a  moment  he  rose  again,  and, 
groaning,  staggered  away.  Then  two  or  three  shots  saluted 
me  unceremoniously,  striking  and  splintering  the  side  of  the 
boat.  I  was  now  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  and  rapidly  left 
the  shore  behind  me.  A  squad  of  soldiers,  by  this  time, 
stood  on  the  brow  and  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  firing  their 
muskets.  The  c/iug  of  the  bullets  in  the  water  reminded  me 
that  my  transit  to  loyal  soil  was  not  yet  certain.  Both  hands 
were  laid  to  the  oar,  and,  striking  the  broad  current  of  the 
Potomac,  which  was  here  four  miles  wide,  I  rapidly  receded 
from  musket  range.  A  high  wind  swept  the  waters,  and,  while 
rounding  a  bluff,  a  sudden  gust  carried  away  my  hat,  and 
lifted  my  coat  lying  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  dropping  it  into 
the  river.  But  it  was  no  time  to  look  backward  to  those  ar 
ticles  of  apparel,  floating  between  me  and  my  foes,  whose 
bullets  still  came  unpleasantly  near.  Their  shots  continued 
until  they  fell  far  in  the  wake  of  my  boat.  The  sun  had 
risen  above  the  horizon,  warm  and  bright,  while,  for  two 
hours  and  a  half,  I  worked  with  a  single  oar,  and,  aided  by 
the  drifting  tide,  approached  the  Maryland  shore.  With  an 


70  UNITED  STATES  SEOKET  SERVICE. 

inexpressible  sense  of  relief,  I  heard  the  boat's  bow  touch 
the  sand.  I  was  near  Chapel  Point,  ten  miles  below  the 
creek  on  which  I  embarked,  and  so  exhausted,  that  with  dif 
ficulty  I  reached  the  bank.  On  its  green  carpet,  and  under 
the  cooling  shade  of  its  trees,  I  laid  down  to  rest,  leaving 
the  boat  to  which  I  owed  my  deliverance  to  the  winds  and 
waves  of  the  Potomac. 


CHAPTER    III. 

NORTHERN  EXPERIENCES  AS  CONFEDERATE  AGENT. 

Hospitalities  by  the  way — The  Report  to  General  Scott— Operations  in  Baltimore— 
The  Janus-faced  Unionist — A  rich  Development  in  Philadelphia — The  Arrests- 
Amusing  Prison  Scene. 

REFRESHED  by  an  hour  of  rest  sufficiently  to  renew  my 
journey  toward  Washington,  I  soon  came  to  a  small  and 
poor  habitation,  in  whose  door  stood  a  coarse  and  dirty 
female.  I  asked  her  for  something  to  eat. 

"I  have  nothing  to  spare  :  can't  give  you  a  mouthful." 

Whether  meanness,  destitution,  or  my  dilapidated  ap 
pearance  were  the  exciting  cause  of  her  rudeness,  I  can  not 
tell.  But  to  my  plea  for  a  crust,  or  inquiries  where  I  might 
find  even  a  partial  supply  of  the  lost  apparel,  she  closed 
the  door  in  my  face.  I  wandered  on,  a  solitary  country  mock 
ing  my  hunger.  Toward  noon  a  noble  mansion,  surrounded 
by  a  large  plantation,  arrested  my  eye,  and  on  its  porch  an 
elderly  woman  sitting  alone  amid  the  rural  quiet.  Entering 
^le  gate,  I  approached  her  with  a  morning  salutation.  She 
3turned  it,  with  a  suspicious  glance  at  my  unusual  appear- 
nce.  I  inquired : 

"  Can  I  get  a  drink  of  water  here,  madam  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  calling  a  colored  girl  to  bring  it. 

The  roar  of  the  cannon  at  Matthias  Point,  where  the 
rebels  were  practicing  with  the  battery,  could  be  distinctly 
heard.  I  said : 

"  We  are  getting  ready  for  the  Yankees  there  pretty  fast." 

"Yes." 

"They  won't  be  able  to  sail  up  and  down  the  river  muck 
more." 

"  No,  that  they  won't." 

The  peculiar  animation  with  which  she  made  this  reply 


72  UNITED   S1ATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

showed  me  that  I  had  not  mistaken  her  character.     While  I 
was  drinking,  she  inquired  from  what  place  I  had  come. 

I  told  her  from  Richmond,  to  see  what  the  Yankees  were 
doing,  and  report  to  Jeff.  Davis  and  Beauregard.  She  then 
inquired  how  I  lost  my  hat  and  coat.  I  told  her  they  were 
blown  off  while  crossing  the  river,  and  that  I  had  just  left 
the  shore,  with  nothing  to  eat  since  the  flight  before. 

"  Our  dinner  will  be  ready  soon,"  she  said,  "and  I  shall 
be  very  glad  to  have  you  stay  and  dine  with  us." 

The  invitation  was  accepted,  and  extra  preparation  made 
for  me.  An  excellent  meal,  many  inquiries  from  my  hostess 
concerning  the  progress  of  the  "holy  cause,"  and  predic 
tions  of  its  speedy  triumph  followed.  When  I  was  ready  to 
leave,  she  supplied  me  with  a  second-hand  hat  and  coat,  and, 
with  a  cordial  good-bye,  expressed  the  hope  that  I  should  be 
prospered  in  my  good  work,  and  do  much  for  the  independ 
ence  of  the  South. 

With  no  incidents  of  remarkable  interest,  I  passed 
through  the  couitties  of  Maryland,  reaching  Washington 
after  an  absence  of  three  eventful  weeks. 

I  at  once  reported  to  General  Scott,  giving  him  all  the  in 
formation  desired  respecting  Manassas,  Fredericksburg,  and 
Richmond,  the  resources  and  plans  of  the  rebel  chiefs,  and 
the  blockade  running  of  the  Potomac. 

He  read,  with  a  smile,  the  letters  from  the  Confederate 
Government,  when  I  expressed  my  design  to  use  them  in 
tracking  northern  traitors  in  their  treasonable  alliance  with 
the  South.  Expressing  his  gratification,  he  recommended 
my  name  to  Mr.  Cameron  for  permanent  service  as  a  secret 
agent  of  the  War  Department. 

I  commenced,  without  delay,  ferreting  out  these  sympa 
thizers  with  secession.  Two  brothers  named  A. ,  one  of  them 
within  the  rebel  lines,  were  engaged  in  supplying  munitions 
of  war  to  the  Confederacy. 

The  apparently  loyal  man  who  lived  in  Baltimore  had  a 
contract  to  furnish  the  regiment  of  Col. ,  then  on  the  Poto 
mac,  with  forage.  He  owned  a  small  vessel  on  the  river, 
whose  captain  shared  with  him  the  profits  of  their  secret 
treachery.  Filling  the  hold  with  small-arms,  ammunition, 
and  other  light  materiel  of  war,  they  were  covered  with  hay 


THE  VISIT  TO  BALTIMORE.  73 

and  oats  for  the  Union  troops.  Upon  reaching  Matthias 
Point,  the  captain  signaled  A.,  who  was  watching  for  him, 
and  the  contraband  goods  were  landed,  when  the  vessel  pro 
ceeded  to  Washington  with  its  light  freight  of  forage.  This 
shrewd  operation  had  been  carried  on  a  considerable  time, 
with  no  suspicion  attaching  to  the  Baltimore  brother  from 
his  loyal  neighbors,  of  the  illegitimate  traffic. 

I  proceeded  to  Barnum's  Hotel  in  Baltimore,  and  dis 
patched  a  note  to  A.,  informing  him  that  Mr.  Munson,  from 
Richmond,  would  like  to  see  him,  and  designating  a  time  for 
our  interview.  A.  promptly  called. 

He  entered  the  room,  when  the  following  conversation 
passed  between  us. 

"This  is  Mr.  A.,  I  presume." 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  sir.     Take  a  seat." 

A.  sat  down. 

"  Mrv  A.,  I  am  a  man  of  very  few  words.  I  came  here 
on  business,  and  I  want  to  get  through  with  it  as  soon 
as  I  can  conveniently.  I  am  an  agent  of  the  Confederate 
Government.  I  understand  that  you  are  willing  to  help  us, 
and  have  been  doing  so.  I  want  to  purchase  goods,  and  I 
have  the  gold  to  pay  for  them." 

A.,  who  was  a  short,  impulsive  man,  with  a  German  ac 
cent,  was  thrown  entirely  off  his  guard. 

"  I'm  your  man.  I'm  just  the  person  you  ought  to  have 
come  to.  I  help  the  South,  and  I  make  a  little  money  out 
of  the  North.  I'll  show  you  how  easy  it  is." 

From  his  coat  pocket  he  drew  an  envelope,  containing 
two  contracts — one  of  them  to  send  goods  to  Richmond,  and 
the  other  to  furnish  a  Union  regiment  with  certain  supplies. 
His  eye  twinkled  with  delight,  while  he  watched  my  perusal 
of  the  documents.  The  delivery  of  the  goods  was  a  subject 
of  considerable  discussion,  and  A.  was  very  particular  in 
his  inquiries  about  the  pay.  I  replied  :— 

"Mr.  A.,  I  do  not  come  here  to  make  money  out  of  my 
government.  I  came  here  purely  from  patriotic  motives. 
While  I  am  willing  to  pay  you  a  fair  percentage  on  any 
goods  you  may  buy,  and  a  liberal  allowance  for  your  services, 
I  of  course  can  not  submit  to  any  extortion,  or  to  any  exor- 


74  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

bitant  charges.  I  am  working  for  the  interests  of  my  people. 
I,  myself,  do  not  want  to  make  a  cent  out  of  this  business." 

"That  is  all  right — it  is  honorable  and  patriotic.  But  it 
is  not  safe  to  buy  the  goods  here,  because  men  in  this  trade 
have  been  detected,  and  the  police  watch  us  all  the  time. 
We  can  do  better  in  Philadelphia,  where  I  have  friends  to 
help  us. "  .>•, 

We  agreed  to  start  in  the  4:20  train  the  same  afternoon  for 
Philadelphia.  While  standing  in  the  depot  waiting  for  the 
train,  talking  with  A.,  I  saw  Senator  McDougal,  whom  I  had 
known  in  California,  and  George  Wilkes,  coming  toward 
me.  I  tried  in  vain  to  avoid  their  recognition,  but  McDougal, 
taking  my  arm,  exclaimed : 

"  Why,  how  d'ye  do,  Baker ?" 

With  a  look  of  strange  surprise,  I  said : 

4 'You've  got  the  advantage  of  me,  sir.  I  don't  know 
you." 

u  Well,  that's  a  good  joke,"  replied  McDougal,  laughing. 

"It  may  be,  but  I  don't  know  you,  sir.  My  name  is 
Munson." 

Suddenly  McDougal  seemed  to  fathom  the  mystery  suffi 
ciently  to  relieve  me  of  farther  embarrassment,  by  remark 
ing,  as  he  turned  away  : 

"Well,  upon  my  soul,  I  believe  I  am  mistaken.  Excuse 
me,  sir  ;  you  look  very  much  like  a  friend  of  mine."  The 
incident  made  but  slight  if  any  impression  upon  the  mind  of 
A.,  for  he  made  no  allusion  to  it  during  the  ride  to  Philadel 
phia. 

I  stopped  at  the  American  Hotel,  when  A.  left  me  to  find 
B.,  who  was  connected  with  a  large  hardware  house  in 
the  city,  and  bring  him  to  the  hotel.  Meanwhile,  by  a  cir 
cuitous  route,  I  reached  the  headquarters  of  the  police  and 
had  an  interview  with  Ben.  Franklin,  the  chief  of  the  depart 
ment.  Acquainting  him  thoroughly  with  the  business  in 
hand,  his  assistance  was  secured  to  make  the  arrests  at  the 
proper  time.  He  suggested  that  it  might  be  well  to  have 
the  conference  with  my  disloyal  friends.  To  this  I  assent 
ed,  and,  accompanying  me  to  the  hotel,  he  was  concealed 
under  the  bed.  Soon  after  A.  and  B.  entered — the  latter  a 
tall,  gaunt,  shrewd,  and  taciturn  man.  A.  opened  the  con* 


FRANKLIN  UNDER  THE  BED.  75 

versation,  and  talked  on,  while  B.  stroked  his  whiskers  and 
said  nothing.  I  repeated  the  assurance  that  iny  object  was  to 
serve  the  South  and  not  speculation.  I  urged  the  risk  of 
delay  in  completing  my  arrangements,  as  a  reason  for  prompt 
action.  In  conclusion,  I  remarked  to  B.  :  "I  learn  from  Mr. 
A.  that  you  are  friendly  to  our  people  and  willing  to  assist 
us." 

"  Yes,  sir,  my  sympathies  are  with  the  South,  and  possi 
bly  I  may  be  able  to  aid  you." 

B.  desired  to  know  the  kind  of  goods  that  were  needed, 
and  repeated  the  assurance  that  Philadelphia  was  a  safer 
place  than  Baltimore  or  New  York  for  the  purchase  of  them. 
I  then  produced  my  letters,  which  B.  read  carefully  and 
with  evident  satisfaction  ;  but  preferred  to  defer  any  further 
negotiations  for  the  present.  As  he  rose  to  leave,  he  requested 
me  to  call  at  his  place  of  business  that  afternoon.  A.  re 
mained  and  suggested  another  gentleman,  who  would  be 
glad  to  take  hold  of  the  business — a  Mr.  C.,  of  Commerce 
Street.  I  gratefully  accepted  the  proposal,  and  we  left  the 
room,  releasing  Franklin  from  his  close  confinement  under 
the  bed.  We  found  C.  in  his  office,  but  disinclined  to  talk. 
He  inquired  where  I  stopped,  and  I  returned  to  the  hotel. 
Shortly  after,  C.  made  his  appearance  and  commenced  con 
versation  in  a  very  confidential  way.  He  went  for  the  South, 
but  did  not  like  A.,  who,  he  affirmed,  was  simply  a  money- 
making  Jew.  I  told  him  I  knew  nothing  of  A.,  but  sup 
posed  him  to  be  a  reliable  friend  of  our  cause.  The  result 
of  the  interview  was  a  plan  to  keep  A.  interested  in  the 
transaction,  but  ignorant  of  its  most  important  particulars. 
In  the  afternoon  I  called  upon  Mr.  B.,  whose  confidence  was 
now  unreserved,  and  stated  to  him  my  conversation  with  C. 
He  then  said : 

"Now,  Mr.  Munson,  you  and  I  are  actuated  by  the  same 
motives  in  this  thing.  These  men,  A.  and  C.,  are  engaged  in 
it  simply  for  the  percentage  they  can  make.  I  think  you 
had  better  get  rid  of  them." 

I  replied,  that  this  could  not  well  be  done,  but  that  I 
might  withhold  any  further  information  than  was  absolutely 
necessary. 

The  conversation  closed  with  an  invitation  to  dine  with 


76  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

him  that  afternoon.     I  expressed  a  fear  that  it  would  give 
offense  to  A.,  if  I  should  go  alone. 

u  Well,"  said  B.,  "  You  had  better  bring  him  along." 

I  went  with  A.,  at  the  appointed  hour,  and  sat  down  to  a 
sumptuous  dinner.  Wine  was  abundant,  and  the  health  of 
Davis,  Beauregard,  and  other  leading  rebels  was  not  forgot 
ten.  B.  became  exhilarated,  and  his  secession  songs  were 
sung  so  loudly  that  we  were  obliged  to  hint  that  possibly  he 
might  be  heard  in  the  streets.  The  party  broke  up  at  a  late 
hour  in  fine  spirits.  I  made  arrangements  with  one  of  the 
banks  by  which  I  would  appear  to  have  plenty  of  money  at 
my  command.  I  went  to  a  tinner's  and  had  several  canvas 
bags  full  of  pieces  of  zinc  cut  the  size  of  gold  coin,  and  these 
were  deposited  in  the  vaults.  I  began  to  make  my  purchases. 
I  bought  two  hundred  thousand  cannon-primers,  two  hun 
dred  Colt's  revolvers,  a  million  friction  caps,  and  other  simi 
lar  goods.  I  also  ascertained  that  these  parties  were  carry 
ing  on  systematically  contraband  trade  with  the  South. 
Franklin,  Chief  of  Police,  was  informed  of  my  operations, 
and  we  concluded  it  was  time  to  begin  making  arrests.  On 
a  subsequent  day,  having  an  invitation  to  dine  with  A.  at  the 
house  of  B.,  I  told  Franklin  to  watch  us  when  we  came 
away,  and  if,  when  we  were  opposite  the  City  Hall,  I  raised 
my  hand,  he  was  to  arrest  them — otherwise  to  make  no  de 
monstration.  As  we  stepped  from  the  house  into  a  street 
car,  Franklin  got  on  to  the  platform.  When  the  designated 
point  was  reached,  A.  got  off  first,  and  I  immediately  gave 
the  signal.  Franklin,  laying  his  hand  upon  A.'s  shoulder, 
said: 

"I  want  you,  sir." 

I  was    making    off   across  the    street,   when    Franklin 
shouted : 

"  Here,  sir,  I  want  you,  too." 

I,  of  course,  returned,  looking  somewhat  alarmed. 

Said  Franklin : 

"  You  will  have  to  come  with  me,  gentlemen,  I  have  a 
little  private  business  with  you." 

A.  and  myself  were  soon  in  the  station-house  together. 
Franklin,  turning  to  me,  remarked  : 

"I've  been  looking  after  you,  sir,  for  some  time.     Your 


TWO   ARRESTS.  77 

name  is  Munson,  isn't  it  ?  You  came  here  from  the  South  to 
buy  goods,  didn't  you?  You  were  very  bold  about  it  ;  a 
little  too  bold,  as  you  have  just  discovered.  I've  been 
looking  after  you,  too,  A.  You're  a  Baltimorean,  ain't  you  \ 
You  came  here  to  get  rebel  supplies,  too,  didn't  you?  I 
shall  have  to  search  you  both." 

We  were  searched,  and,  of  course,  the  two  contracts  to 
supply  both  the  rebel  and  Union  troops  were  found  in  A.'s 
possession. 

4 'Take  this  man  to  the  Sixth  Precinct  station-house,  and 
lock  him  up  by  himself,"  said  Franklin  to  an  officer,  "and 
then  come  back  after  this  man,"  pointing  to  me. 

"  Now,  Ben,"  I  said,  when  A.  had  gone,  "  we  must  gob 
ble  up  those  other  two  men  the  best  way  we  can,  as  soon  as 
possible." 

"All  right,"  said  Franklin. 

I  had  an  appointment  to  meet  C.  the  next  morning,  to  ex 
amine  some  caps  which  he  had  received  from  New  York. 
When  we  met  according  to  this  arrangement,  C.  inquired 
for  A. 

I  replied : 

"He  got  a  dispatch  that  his  brother  was  in  Baltimore, 
and  he  has  gone  on  to  see  him.  He  will  be  back  to-mor 
row." 

The  caps  were  satisfactory,  but  C.  stated  that  he  must  go 
to  New  York,  to  get  some  telegraphic  material,  which  he 
was  to  furnish — some  small  wires  to  wind  the  battery,  and 
asked  me  if  I  could  not  advance  money. 

"I  haven't  any  with  me  now,  but,  if  you  will  meet  me  at 
the  corner  of  Third  and  Market  Streets,  at  half-past  one,  I 
can  let  you  have  some,  and  you  will  be  in  time  then  to  get 
the  two  o'clock  train  for  New  York." 

I  left  and  went  to  Franklin's  office,  requesting  him  to  ar 
rest  us  when  we  met  on  the  corner.  C.  and  myself  arrived 
a  little  before  the  time,  and  I  made  some  preliminary  conver 
sation  on  that  account.  At  the  moment  he  was  anticipating 
the  transfer  of  the  funds,  Franklin  came  up,  and  suspended 
operations  by  saying : 

"  I  am  the  chief  of  police  here,  and  I  want  you  two  gen 
tlemen." 


78  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

C.  laughed,  and  said : 
"  I  guess  you  don't  know  who  I  am." 
"Oh,  yes,  I  do,  and  I  know  this  other  man,  too.     He's  a 
"blockade  runner,   from  Richmond,   and  you're  not  much 
better." 

We  went  to  a  station-house,  and  Franklin  apparently 
searched  me,  while  another  officer  atteiided  to  C.  He  was 
then  taken  to  the  Sixth  Precinct  station-house,  and  locked  in 
a  cell  by  himself. 

B.  only  remained  to  be  arrested.  But  he  was  the  most 
important  one  of  the  number,  and  Marshal  Milwood,  of  that 
district,  was  to  assist  in  his  arrest.  I  called  on  Mr.  B.,  who 
said: 

"  I  think  we  have  both  got  about  tired  of  A.  and  C.,  and 
I  think  you  had  better  meet  me  to-morrow,  and  bring  them 
with  you,  so  that  we  can  settle  up  with  them,  pay  them  their 
commission,  and  tell  them  that  you  have  bought  all  you  re 
quire.  Then  we  can  go  into  New  York,  to-morrow,  in  the  two 
o'clock  train,  and  make  arrangements  for  all  the  goods  you 
want,  without  the  heavy  commission  you  are  obliged  to  pay 
them." 

I  promised  to  come  to  his  office,  at  twelve  o'clock,  the 
next  day.  Franklin  and  Marshal  Milwood  were  duly  in 
formed  of  this  appointment. 

Mr.  B.'s  store  was  in  a  long,  narrow  building,  and  in 
the  rear  were  two  or  three  small  offices,  with  desks  for 
writing.  I  was  with  Mr.  B.  in  one  of  these. 

After  the  usual  salutations,  B.  asked  : 

4 'Where  are  A.  and  C.?" 

"They  are  running  about  town,  somewhere.  I  didn't 
want  to  bring  them  here.  I  will  sit  down  and  write  them  a 
letter,  stating  that  my  business  is  nearly  done  in  Philadel 
phia,  and  that  I  am  about  to  leave." 

Mr.  B.  furnished  me  with  paper,  and  I  took  a  seat  at  one 
of  the  desks,  to  write.  The  time  passed  on,  and  I  became 
restless,  for  Franklin  and  Milwood  should  already  have  ar 
rived. 

If  they  should  fail  me,  I  thought  I  should  be  in  a  very 
disagreeable  dilemma,  having  promised  to  go  with  B.  to 
New  York 


THE  LAST  ARREST  OF  THE  TRIO.  79 

I  was  thus  meditating,  when  I  heard  two  men  coming 
down  the  store  from  the  front.  In  a  moment  more  Marshal 
Milwood — a  large,  strong  man,  with  a  gold-headed  cane  and 
a  gold  badge — entered  the  next  office,  and  said  : 

"Is  this  Mr.  B.?" 

"That  is  my  name,  sir,"  responded  B. 
'  "I  am' the  United  States  marshal  of  this  district,  and  I  ar 
rest  you,  sir." 

B.  turned  pale. 

Meanwhile,  Franklin,  who  had  also  entered,  turned  and 
said : 

"Here's  another  man  that  we  want.  This  is  that  man 
Munson." 

I  tore  off  the  paper  I  had  written,  and  commenced  rolling 
it  up,  as  though  secretly.  Taking  my  black  silk  hat  in  my 
hand,  I  quietly  put  the  paper  under  the  leather  lining  inside, 
and  placed  the  hat  on  my  head.  B.  was  watching  me,  and 
conjectured  that  I  had  written  something  in  the  letter  which 
could  criminate  them.  If  he  had  any  doubt  before  that  I  was 
what  I  represented  myself  to  be,  this  action  would  have  re 
moved  his  suspicions. 

"  I  guess  you  are  mistaken,  gentlemen,"  said  I. 

"Oh,  no,  not  at  all,"  said  Franklin  ;  "you  can't  fool  us. 
You  are  the  man  that  came  here  from  the  South,  to  buy 
goods.  Let  me  see  the  letter  you  were  writing." 

"  I  haven't  written  any  letter,"  said  I. 

"Oh,  none  of  that!"  said  Franklin,  knocking  my  hat 
from  my  head  as  roughly  as  though  he  had  been  in  earnest. 
"You  thought  I  didn't  see  that  little  sleight-of-hand  perform 
ance,  didn't  you  f  he  continued,  taking  the  paper  from  the 
hat.  He  read  it,  and  handed  it  to  Milwood 

B.  was  walking  up  and  down,  stroking  his  beard,  having 
regained  his  composure. 

' '  We  want  both  of  you , 5 '  said  Milwood.  ' i  Mr.  Marshal, ' ' 
said  B.,  "I  think  you  are  entirely  too  fast  in  this  matter.  I 
am  an  old  citizen  here,  well  known,  and  a  partner  in  this 
house.  This  gentleman  is  from  the  South,  it  is  true.  He  in 
quired  me  out  and  visited  me,  but  I  cannot  believe  he  is 
here  for  any  improper  purpose.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned, 
I  shall  be  able  to  show  who  and  what  I  am  very  easily." 


80  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

B.  was  searched,  and  quite  important  papers  for  evidence 
were  found  on  him.  He  was  then  sent  to  the  Sixth  Precinct 
station-house. 

That  evening  Marshal  Milwood,  Ben.  Franklin,  and  I, 
went  down  to  see  the  prisoners,  I  keeping  carefully  out  of 
their  sight. 

1  'Let  us  see  what  they  will  say  to  each  other/'  said  one 
of  the  party.  An  officer  took  A.  into  C.'s  room. 

"  My  G — d  !  what  are  you  doing  here  V9  exclaimed  A. 

" Doing  here?"  answered  C.,  angrily.     "  I'm  arrested." 

"  Why,  when  were  you  arrested  ?" 

"  I  was  standing  on  the  corner  of  Market  and  Third  Streets 
with  Munson,  and  Ben.  Franklin  took  us  both." 

"  My  G — d,  I  was  arrested  with  Munson,"  said  A. 

"  You  can't  play  that  on  me.  You're  a  -  -  Jew,  and  it's 
you  who  have  brought  all  this  trouble  on  me." 

.  A.  was  enraged  at  this,  and  conversation  followed  of  the 
roughest  sort. 

When  the  excitement  subsided,  B.  was  put  into  the  same 
room  with  them,  Milwood,  Franklin,  and  myself,  still  out  of 
sight,  listening. 

"My  G— d,  B.,  you  arrested  too?"  said  A. 

B.  stroked  his  whiskers  and  looked  sternly. 

"I  understand  it  all,"  said  he.  "You  are  two  scoun 
drels,  and  one  or  the  other  of  you  either  betrayed  this  matter 
or  let  it  out  by  your  cursed  carelessness.  I  believe  A.,  that 
that  you  came  from  Baltimore  with  Munson  to  beat  him  out 
of  his  money  and  get  him  arrested." 

The^y  abused  each  other  for  nearly  an  hour,  and  A. 
wanted  to  fight  the  rest.  Each  declared  that  he  was  arrested 
with  Munson,  and  not  one  would  believe  a  word  the  other 
said. 

"Come,  you're  making  too  much  noise,"  said  the  officer, 
finally.  "We'll  have  to  separate  you  again." 

Early  in  the  morning  they  were  taken  to  a  prison  out  of 
town,  and  in  the  afternoon  Milwood  and  Franklin  went  with 
me  to  visit  them  again.  I  was  put  into  a  cell,  and  A.  brought 
and  locked  in  with  me. 

"  Mein  Got,  Munson,  what  a  troubles  this  is!"  said  A., 
his  German  accent  more  noticeable  in  his  dejection.  "Mein 


0 
THE  PRISON  SCENE.  81 

Got,  when  we  got  out  of  that  cars  and  that  man  Franklin 
came  up,  I  thought  I  should  have  died.  And  B.  and  C.  are 
arrested  too." 

"  Well,  we're  all  in  the  same  boat,"  said  I :  "I  suppose 
they'll  hang  me." 

In  a  short  time  A.  was  told  to  come  out  and  get  his  din 
ner,  and  B.  was  locked  in  with  me  ;  I  putting  on  the  aspect 
of  chief  mourner  over  our  fate. 

'  "  Well,  I'm  sorry  for  you,  Munson,"  said  B.  "I  suppose 
my  friends  will  have  me  out  this  afternoon  or  to-morrow,  and 
if  I  can  do  any  thing  for  you  I  shall  be  glad  to.  I  never 
liked  that  Jew,  and  I  am  convinced  that  this  is  all  his 
doing." 

After  a  while  B.  was  removed,  and  C.  put  in  the  cell.  He 
came  in  with  a  knowing  leer  on  his  face.  He  had  suspected 
the  truth. 

"I'm  glad  to  see  you,  Munson,"  said  he;  "  that  was  a 
splendid  thing  we  played  on  them  fellows,  wasn't  it?  Oh, 
that's  the  way  to  catch  them  !" 

"What  do  you  mean  ?"  said  I. 

"  Why,  I  knew  who  you  were  all  the  time.  You  couldn't 
fool  me  ;  I  wanted  to  help  you  catch  the  scoundrels." 

"  Who  do  you  think  I  am  ?" 

"You  are  a  detective  from  Washington.  I  knew  you 
well  enough.  I  was  just  going  up  to  Marshal  Milwood,  to 
tell  him  what  we  had  done." 

"  C.,  it  is  too  late  to  tell  that  story  now.     It  won't  do." 

A  statement  of  the  cases  was  forwarded  to  Washington, 
and  A.,  P.,  and  C.  were  sent  to  Fort  Warren.  A.,  probably 
from  the  excitement  and  mortification  attending  his  arrest 
and  imprisonment,  became  insane,  and  was  sent  to  Black- 
well's  Island,  and  afterward  to  the  asylum  near  Baltimore, 
where  he  still  remains.  Before  A.  left,  in  a  fit  of  passion,  he 
struck  C.  in  the  face,  breaking  his  nose.  B.  and  C.  were 
released  on  bail  for  trial. 

A  leading  New  York  daily  paper  contained  the  very 
correct  account  of  the  case  as  quoted  below  : — 

"The  most  important  arrests  that  have  been  made  during 
the  rebellion  came  to  light  in  this  city  to-day.  Most  of 

6 


82  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

those  previously  incarcerated  in  Fort  Lafayette  had  been 
devoting  their  influences  to  treason ;  but  the  parties  here 
arrested  were  contributing  arms  and  munitions  of  war 
daily,  bribing  officers  of  the  United  States  Army  to  further 
their  designs,  and  had  organized  a  system  of  treason  so  skill 
ful  and  so  complete,  that  only  after  the  utmost  vigilance, 
and  when  the  detectives  had  tested  all  means  to  entrap  and 
decoy  them,  the  full  proofs  came  to  light. 

"The  names  of  these  men  are  J.  M.  H.,  F.  W.,  and  W. 
G. — H.  is  a  Baltimore  Israelite,  whose  business  is  the  making 
of  military  trimmings,  epaulettes,  sword-handles,  &c.  He 
had  obtained  a  hay  contract  from  the  United  States  Govern 
ment,  to  more  effectually  conceal  his  plans,  and  was  armed 
with  numerous  letters  from  Federal  functionaries,  that  he 
intended  to  produce  in  emergencies.  This  man  conducted 
contraband  trade  from  Baltimore  until  General  Dix  and  the 
provost-marshal  showed  him  up.  He  was  first  observed 
in  this  wise : — A  package,  containing  several  thousand  fric 
tion  tubes  and  cannon-primers,  had  been  left  at  Adams's 
Express  office  in  this  city,  addressed  to  a  well-known  firm 
in  Baltimore.  Being  threatened  with  arrest,  the  latter  firm 
confessed  that  they  were  the  agents  of  J.  M.  H.,  and  it  was 
further  educed  that  the  same  was  shipped  under  a  fictitious 
name  by  W.  G. 

"Detective  Benjamin  Franklin,  a  sagacious  and  fertile 
Philadelphia  officer,  now  determined  to  seduce  H.  to  this 
city ;  for  which  purpose  he  resorted  to  certain  ingenious 
means,  not  now  ripe  for  publication.  Convinced  that  heavy 
orders  awaited  him  here,  and  that  Philadelphia  was  less 
under  espionage  than  Baltimore,  H.  came  on.  A  cele 
brated  Lincoln  detective  now  took  part  in  the  matter,  and 
the  means  by  which  they  inveigled  all  the  parties  consti 
tute  the  richest  item  in  the  history  of  criminal  surveillance. 
The  Israelite  was  so  played  upon  that  he  is  not  yet  aware 
of  the  enemies  who  ruined  him,  and  when  the  matter  was 
ripe  the  whole  party  were  taken  up,  their  goods  and  papers 
seized,  and  they  are  now  in  Fort  Lafayette,  having  gone 
forward  on  Sunday  night. 

"W.  G.  is  a  razor  and  cutlery  importer,  whose  estab 
lishment  is  situated  at  Fifth  and  Commerce  Streets.  Ha 


THE   HAY   CONTRACT.  #3 

has  never  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance,  being  an  Englishman. 
His  game  was  to  pretend  himself  a  Federal  agent  until  the 
worst  came,  when  he  was  to  claim  the  privileges  of  a  British 
subject.  In  his  establishment  were  found  surgical  instru 
ments,  caps,  pistols,  bowie-knives,  &c.,  packed  and  di 
rected  to  go  southward.  The  property  amounts  to  $10,000 
in  value. 

"F.  W.  is  a  Virginian,  formerly  in  partnership  with 
C.  B.  C.,  205  North  Water  Street.  He  has  always  been 
a  rabid  traitor,  and  his  wife  has  been  six  times  to  Rich 
mond  and  back  within  as  many  weeks,  taking  each  time 
trunks  heavily  filled  with  weapons  and  goods  contraband. 
She  passed  our  lines  by  bribing  an  officer  of  the  army,  who 
obtained  passes  for  the  purpose.  Said  officer  has  been  ar 
rested,  and  will  probably  be  shot.  At  W.'s  house  an 
extensive  correspondence  with  parties  in  the  South  was 
found,  and  his  complicity  with  the  rebels  was  proved  by 
his  papers,  even  in  the  absence  of  any  other  evidence. 
Among  other  articles  seized,  there  was  a  pair  of  epau 
lettes,  marked  with  the  name  of  Captain  R.,  an  officer 
in  the  rebel  army.  There  were  also  a  photographic  group 
of  worthies,  of  which  W.  was  the  center.  A  gentleman, 
who  is  familiar  with  the  likenesses,  says  that  they  repre 
sent  Captain  R.,  Captain  J.  A.  C.,  Lieutenant  C.  D.  F., 
of  Georgia,  and  B.,  mayor  of  Savannah,  all  decided 
rebels. 

"  The  hay  contract  in  which  H.  was  engaged  was  to  have 
been  worked  to  good  advantage.  Two  vessels,  one  loaded 
with  bales  of  hay,  and  the  other  with  bales  containing  war 
munitions,  were  to  have  been  dispatched  up  the  Potomac, 
and  at  Aquia  Creek,  at  a  given  signal,  the  bogus  hay  would 
have  been  run  under  the  Rebel  batteries.  All  this  was 
proved  by  seized  letters,  and  also  the  fact  that  the  late  cap 
tures  of  Federal  sloops  and  small  craft  by  the  Rebels,  off 
the  Potomac  and  Rappahannock  Rivers,  were  the  work  of 
design  and  not  of  accident,  the  same  containing  contraband 
matters.  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore  mer 
chants  are  thus  implicated,  and  the  proofs  are  too  plain 
and  startling  to  be  set  aside.  These  three  men  were  leagued 
together,  and  among  their  several  correspondence  were  la*** 


84  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SEPwVICE. 

letters  from  Rebel  contractors,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of 
pistols  and  side-arms. 

"After  being  arrested,  they  were  shifted  from  station- 
houses  to  prison,  being  one  night  taken  out  of  town  to 
stave  off  judicial  decisions,  writs  of  habeas  corpus,  &c. 
Finally,  on  Sunday,  Marshals  Jenkins  and  Steele  drove 
them  to  the  New  York  boat — W.  defiant,  G.  cowed  and 
sullen,  and  the  Israelite  trembling  like  a  leaf. 

"A  part  of  the  correspondence  implicating  them  was 
obtained  from  the  wife  of  a  lieutenant  in  the  Federal  a*rmy, 
who  had  been  rather  delicately  implicated  with  N.  H.  W., 
now  in  Fort  Lafayette.  She  has  been  arrested  in  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  where  she  resides. 

"The  Government  decoy  who  assisted  detective  Frank 
lin  in  these  labors  is  said  to  be  a  daring  Californian,  full 
of  nerve  and  fertile  in  expedients,  who  has  been  twice  in 
Charleston  and  thrice  in  Richmond  since  the  battle  of  Bull 
Run.  His  manner  of  making  the  arrest  cannot  now  be  dis 
closed,  although  it  rivals  in  interest  and  danger  the  exploits 
of  the  best  Bow  Street  officers." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TREASON  AND  TRAITORS  AT  THE  NORTH. 

Baltimore — The  Detective  Service  and  the  Arrest  of  the  Maryland  Legislature — The 
Refugee  and  the  Spy — The  Pursuit  and  the  Capture — Traitors  at  Niagara  Falls — 
Acquaintance  with  them — The  Arrest — In  Fort  Lafayette. 

OF  all  places  north  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  Baltimore 
had  the  pre-eminence  in  the  early  development  of  treason, 
and  its  defiant  audacity.  It  is  doubtful  whether  any  other 
city  furnished  as  largely  and  promptly  for  the  rebel  army  the 
sons  of  aristocratic  families.  Here  originated,  practically, 
armed  resistance  to  the  Government. 

The  blood  of  the  Massachusetts  Sixth  was  the  first  martyr- 
blood  of  the  war,  and  it  stained  the  pavements  of  Baltimore. 
From  that  city  was  sent  the  first  expedition  to  destroy  a  rail 
road — that  to  Gunpowder  River. 

Whatever  Baltimore  may  have  done  since  to  redeem  her 
name  from  treason's  darkest  hue,  at  the  beginning  of  the  civil 
ronflict  it  was  a  hot-bed  of  crime,  and  its  manifold  products 
served  well  the  garner  of  all  its  harvest — Richmond. 

To  make  the  most  of  the  information  obtained  in  Rich 
mond,  and  of  my  letters  from  the  authorities,  I  sought  the 
acquaintance  of  leading  secessionists,  and  was  soon  on  excel 
lent  terms  with  them ;  indeed,  I  was  admitted  into  their  secret 
councils.  This  was  more  readily  done  at  this  time,  when  any 
representative  of  the  South  was  cordially  welcomed  to  the 
traitorous  circles  of  that  city.  And  my  commission  from  the 
Confederate  government  gave  me  distinction  among  ttie 
friends  of  the  revolt. 

So  determined  and  persistent  were  the  people  in  their 
opposition  to  the  Government,  that  a  well-devised  and 
deeply-laid  plan  was  nearly  consummated  to  carry  the  State 
out  of  the  "Union  and  to  link  its  destinies  with  the  South. 


86  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

This  was  to  be  accomplished  through  the  secret  assembling 
of  the  Legislature  of  Maryland.  So  dark,  disloyal,  and  un 
known  to  the  public  had  been  the  meetings  of  this  Legisla 
ture,  that  none  (or  very  few)  of  the  most  prominent  rebels 
were  apprised  of  its  movements.  As  a  confidential  and 
trusted  friend  of  the  authorities  at  Richmond,  there  could  be 
no  objection  to  revealing  to  me  the  plot.« 

At  many  of  the  private  meetings  which  I  was  invited  to 
attend,  I  was  shocked  and  amazed  at  the  cool  and  deliberate 
manner  in  which  they  declared  their  intentions  to  meet  at 
Frederick,  pass  the  ordinance  of  secession,  and  by  it  make 
and  proclaim  Maryland  a  Confederate  State.  These  facts,  as 
fast  as  they  were  obtained,  were  forwarded  to  Washington. 

The  rebel  legislators  arrived  in  Frederick,  in  accordance 
with  a  previous  understanding,  at  different  times,  and  from 
various  directions,  to  avoid  suspicion  in  loyal  minds  as  to 
their  real  object.  This  was  about  the  middle  of  September, 
1861.  Those  that  did  reach  Frederick  were  quietly  arrested, 
and  others  en  route,  or  just  ready  to  leave  Baltimore  to  meet 
their  fellow-conspirators,  were  taken  with  so  little  demonstra 
tion,  scarcely  any  one  of  the  number  knew  of  the  arrest  of 
his  fellow-traitor. 

The  prompt  action  taken  by  the  Government  and  its  im 
portance,  I  believe,  have  never  been  appreciated  by  the 
people  of  the  loyal  States. 

It  is  startling  to  contemplate  for  a  moment  the  result 
which  must  have  followed  the  vote  of  this  body  of  treason 
able  men. 

It  would  have  been  taken  at  once  as  the  signal  for  the 
immediate  organization  of  a  large  rebel  force  in  the  State ; 
and,  instead  of  Washington  having  been  the  capital  of  the 
Union  in  the  civil  war,  it  would  have  been  the  capital  of  the 
Confederacy. 

Instead  of  the  Potomac  river  being  the  picket  line  be 
tween  the  hostile  armies,  that  line  would  probably  have  been 
somewhere  on  the  borders  of  Pennsylvania. 

Whatever  may  be  the  estimate  put  upon  the  military  or 
civil  status  of  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  to  his  energy,  courage,  and 
executive  power  in  an  emergency,  the  country  is  indebted 
for  the  position  which  Maryland  occupied  during  the  war. 


THE  REFUGEE  AND  THE  FEMALE  SPY.  87 

Had  lie  faltered  on  his  arrival  in  the  State,  or  even  hesitated 
a  moment,  Maryland  would  have  been  a  Confederate  State. 
Had  he  done  nothing  more,  the  country  would  have  owed 
General  Butler  a  lasting  debt  of  gratitude. 

September  28,  1861,  while  stopping  at  French's  Hotel,  in 
New  York,  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  C.,  the  book 
keeper.  Having  had  occasion  to  make  inquiries  of  the  char 
acter  of  his  guests,  I  was  compelled  to  disclose  my  office. 

While  conversing  with  him  on  one  occasion  about  the 
hardships  of  the  loyal  people  of  the  South,  he  called  my  at 
tention  to  a  man  stopping  there,  who  said  he  was  a  refugee 
from  Mobile,  and  wished  me  to  hear  his  story  of  wrongs. 

I  consented,  and  was  introduced  to  an  apparently  respect 
able  and  honest  mechanic,  who  stated  that  he  was  a  North 
ern  man,  and  had  been  South  for  some  time,  as  locomotive 
engineer. 

When  the  rebellion  began,  he  inadvertently  declared  his 
sentiments,  and  the  vigilance  committee  ordered  him  to  go 
North. 

He  owned  a  small  house,  worth  a  few  thousand  dollars, 
and  wished  to  stay  long  enough  to  sell  it  and  take  his  family 
with  him.  But  he  was  required  to  start  at  once,  leaving  his 
family  behind. 

An  intimation  to  him  by  Mr.  C.  that  I  might  influence  the 
authorities  at  Washington  and  get  a  pass,  induced  him  to 
apply  to  me  for  assistance. 

I  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  case,  gave  him  my  address  in 
Washington,  and  asked  him  to  call  upon  me  there.  Subse 
quently,  when  the  incident  had  passed  from  my  mind,  one 
day  my  refugee  friend  came  rushing  into  my  apartment  at 
Washington,  and  excitedly  said  : 

"I  have  just  met  B.  on  the  avenue,  a  young  man  from 
Montgomery,  Alabama,  where  I  was  once  employed,  ele 
gantly  dressed  in  female  attire,  and  accompanied  by  a  man 
whom  I  do  not  know.  I  believe  he  is  a  spy." 

"  Why  did  you  not  follow  him  ? " 

"  I  was  so  much  excited,  I  did  not  think  of  it." 

My  informant  then  gave  me  some  account  of  B.,  when  I 
requested  him  to  go  with  one  of  my  assistants  through  the 
principal  streets  in  search  of  the  mysterious  strangers. 


88  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  search  was  continued  for  six  days. 

One  morning  he  came  with  the  haste  of  great  excitement 
into  my  quarters  again,  saying  : 

u  Well,  I  met  B.  and  his  friend  just  now,  and  followed 
them  to  the  National  Hotel." 

I  went  there  with  my  informant,  procured  two  tickets  for 
dinner,  and  we  were  soon  seated  at  the  table,  where  I  found 
the  couple.  They  were  registered  in  the* book  as  "Dr.  McC. 
arid  wile,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va."  I  did  not  lose  sight  of  them 
ugain. 

On  Saturday  they  left  Washington.  I  followed  them  to 
Philadelphia.  They  stopped  at  the  Continental  Hotel,  regis 
tering  their  names  "Dr.  McC.  and  wife,  Washington,  D.  C." 
Under  their  names  I  put  my  own  as  "John  Brown."  After 
oome  farther  disclosures,  which  we  shall  not  here  detail,  on 
Sunday  night  they  started  for  the  West. 

I  was  dressed  in  the  garb  of  a  farmer,  and  managed  with 
out  suspicion  to  sit  near  them  and  hear  much  of  their  con 
versation  ;  all  of  which  proved  clearly  their  treasonable 
character. 

Monday  night  we  reached  the  Burnett  House,  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  I  saw  them  safely  domiciled  in  the  fourth  story,  and 
waited  until  after  one  o'clock  at  night,  when  I  knocked  at 
the  door.  It  was  cautiously  opened,  when  I  said : 

"  Doctor,  I  want  to  see  you  privately  a  moment." 

His  wife  was  sitting  with  her  feet  on  the  mantel-piece, 
smoking  a  cigar,  and  her  dress  unhooked. 

I  said,  "Doctor,  I  have  followed  you  from  Washington  ; 
I  know  the  character  of  this  young  man  in  female  dress." 

At  this  moment  I  noticed  a  revolver  on  the  mantel-piece, 
and  remarked : 

"  This  might  be  dangerous  in  the  hands  of  an  ill-minded 
person  ;  I  guess  I  will  take  possession  of  it." 

The  doctor  was  boisterous  and  threatening.  I  told  him  1 
did  not  wish  to  make  him  notorious  there,  and  alarm  the 
house  ;  that  I  knew  all  about  them,  and  resistance  would  not 
help  the  matter.  McC.  commenced  pulling  on  his  boots, 
when  I  noticed  the  glitter  of  the  handle  of  a  bowie-knife 
which  was  thrust  into  a  pocket  in  the  side  of  his  boot.  I 
added,  reaching  out  my  hand  : 


THE   GREAT  REBELLION  LONG  PREMEDITATED.  89 

4 'Doctor,  I  think  I  will  take  this  also  ;  you  might  hurt 
yourself." 

With  a  slight  resistance  on  his  part,  I  secured  it.  The 
search  of  his  baggage  revealed,  drawn  on  tissue  paper,  elab 
orately  prepared  plans  of  the  fortifications  and  number  of 
troops  in  and  around  Washington,  with  a  large  number  of 
letters  of  great  importance  to  the  Government. 

All  of  these  were  put  into  the  trunks,  again  locked  up, 
and  with  the  keys  in  my  possession,  at  four  o'clock  A.M., 
I  was  on  my  way  to  Washington  with  the  travelers  and  their 
precious  freight.  They  were  safely  quartered  in  the  Old 
Capitol  prison,  and  the  maps,  &c.,  delivered  to  Mr.  Seward. 

As  an  evidence  that  the  great  rebellion  had  long  been 
premeditated  by  the  prominent  politicians  of  the  South,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  observe  how  completely  they  seemed  to 
have  the  machinery  of  their  treason  in  operation.  For, 
before  the  roar  of  the  cannon  around  Sumter  had  ceased 
to  echo  in  the  bay  of  Charleston,  the  secret  emissaries  of  the 
cause  had  received  their  instructions,  and  each  knew  dis 
tinctly  the  part  he  was  to  play  in  the  great  drama. 

From  Floyd  to  the  lowest  traitor,  the  certainty  of  success, 
and  the  matured  plans,  had  so  emboldened  them,  that  but 
little  discretion  or  concealment  was  deemed  important.  And 
while  Breckinridge  was  daring  the  North  in  Congress  to 
oppose  the  right  of  the  South  to  secede,  its  traitorous  agents 
were  boasting  in  the  streets  of  Washington  what  they  in 
tended  to  do. 

With  a  view  to  the  arrest  of  these  rebel  agents,  October 
18,  1861,  I  went  to  Canada,  as  the  subjoined  letter  will  show: 

WASHINGTON,  October  2o,  1861. 

lion.  SECRETARY  OF  STATE: 

PEAR  SIK — I  returned  from  Canada  tins  morning.  I  found  at  the  Clifton 
House,  Niagara  Falls,  a  large  number  of  prominent  secessionists,  who  have 
just  returned  from  Europe. 

I  would  like  an  order  for  the  arrest  and  conveyance  to  Fort  Lafayette  of 
S.  W.  A.  and  0.  B.  C.,  the  first-named  being  a  member  of  the  so-called  Con 
federate  Congress  at  this  time.  These  traitors  are  waiting  an  opportunity  to  go 
South.  They  have  very  important  correspondence  in  their  possession,  some 
of  which  I  have  seen.  I  am  confident  1  shall  succeed  in  inducing  them  to 
visit  our  side  of  the  river,  which  of  course  will  he,  the  only  opportunity  for 
arresting  them.  Yours,  very  respectfully, 

L.  0.  BAKEE. 


90  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

Having  obtained  the  desired  order  from  the  Secretary  of 
State,  I  immediately  started  for  Niagara  Falls.  At  Roches 
ter  I  employed  a  colored  servant,  for  I  had  determined  .to 
play  the  part  of  some  prominent  rebel  from  the  South,  and 
wrote  three  letters,  all  addressed  to  the  name  at  the  Clifton 
House  which  I  had  assumed. 

One  of  these  letters  was  mailed  in  New  York,  one  in  St. 
Louis,  and  the  third  in  Washington.  On  my  arrival  at  the 
Clifton  House,  where  my  secession  friends  alluded  to  were 
stopping,  I  registered  my  assumed  name,  and  put  on  the  airs 
of  a  Southern  gentleman.  I  secured  two  of  the  most  spacious 
rooms  in  the  house. 

The  obliging  landlord  brought  to  me  my  letters,  and  in 
view  of  the  honor  conferred  upon  him  he  was  more  than 
ordinarily  civil. 

He  remarked  that  he  had  often  heard  my  name  mentioned 
by  his  Southern  friends.  Upon  my  adding  that  I  desired  to 
live  in  perfect  quiet,  he  said  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
one  so  distinguished  to  do  this ;  especially  would  my  ac 
quaintance  be  sought  by  fellow-exiles  from  the  "  sunny 
South. " 

I  was  allowed  to  pass  that  evening  in  seclusion  ;  but  early 
the  next  morning  a  servant  handed  me  the  card  of  S.  W. 
Ashley,  with  his  compliments,  and  expressing  a  desire  to 
see  me. 

I  graciously  granted  Mr.  A.'s  request,  and  told  the  ser 
vant  to  show  him  up. 

1  may  here  remark  that  the  chances  or  risks  so  often  taken 
of  being  detected  in  the  assumed  name  by  some  acquaintance 
of  the  real  person,  sometimes  do  prove  fatal  to  the  plan  ;  but 
even  a  defeat  by  the  discovery  of  the  real  object  by  those 
I  am  seeking  to  entrap  is  only  the  failure  of  that  particu 
lar  plot,  leaving  a  hundred  others  open  for  farther  experi 
ment. 

Fortune  favored  me,  however,  in  this  case,  as  Mr.  A.  had 
no  personal  acquaintance  with  the  traitor  whose  name  I  had 
assumed. 

Our  aims  and  purposes  apparently  being  alike,  we  were 
Boon  on  the  most  familiar  terms.  We  talked  over  the  pros 
pect  of  glorious  successes  by  our  gallant  troops,  and  laughed 


mm  •'••'  : 


PERILS   OF  "SUSPENSION  BRIDGE."  g| 

at  the  absurdity  of  the  attempt  of  the  Yankees  to  resist  tlio 
valor  of  the  chivalric  South. 

Mr.  A.,  having  preceded  me  several  days  in  the  visit 
to  the  Falls,  had  become  acquainted  with  the  interesting 
localities,  and  politely  invited  me  to  accompany  him  on  a 
tour  of  observation.  I  gladly  accepted,  and  spent  a  day 
among  the  wonders  of  the  great  cataract. 

The  following  morning  he  called  again,  to  repeat  the  kind 
attention. 

At  my  suggestion,  we  decided  to  visit  that  marvelous 
monument  of  engineering  skill,  the  Suspension  Bridge.  I 
was  enthusiastic  in  praise  of  the  designer,  and  tried  to  ex 
plain  how  the  first  wires  were  thrown  over  the  chasm  ;  and, 
to  have  a  farther  inspection,  proposed  that  we  should  buy 
tickets  to  cross,  intimating  to  my  friend  that  we  had  better 
not  go  over,  but  simply  advance  a  sufficient  distance  to  make 
an  examination  of  the  structure. 

I  entertained  my  friend  with  remarks  upon  the  scenery, 
the  cables,  &c. ;  and,  to  go  into  the  scientific  observation  of 
the  different  parts  of  the  bridge,  I  went  over  the  national  line 
a  hundred  feet  perhaps,  toward  the  American  shore.  While 
deeply  interested  in  conversation,  we  were  suddenly  accosted 
by  a  mild,  gentlemanly  man,  who  said  to  my  friend,  Mr.  A. : 

"  Your  name  is  A.,  sirl  I  have  an  order  from  the  Sec 
retary  of  State  for  your  arrest.  In  your  admiration  of  this 
structure,  I  think  you  have  ventured  a  little  too  far.  You 
will  please  accompany  me  with  your  friend." 

I  replied  :  "  Sir,  certainly  you  can  not  have  an  order  for 
my  arrest ;  if  so,  will  you  produce  it  V1 

He  then  took  from  his  pocket  the  order  for  the  arrest  of 
Philip  Herbert,  my  assumed  name. 

I  suggested  to  Mr.  A.  that  we  should  accompany  the 
officer,  quite  sure  that,  upon  the  proper  explanation,  we 
should  be  at  once  released. 

Oar  protestations  were  of  no  avail.  He  said:  "I  have 
been  watching  this  bridge  for  you  three  weeks  ;  quite  sure 
you  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  examine  it.  You 
must  go  with  me."  We  started  immediately  for  New  York. 

Mr.  A.-  had  been  quite  thoughtful  and  sombre  on  the 
way  to  Rochester,  and  there  remarked  to  me  that  his  mind 


92  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

was  not  perfectly  clear  in  regard  to  the  part  I  was  playing  ; 
he  had  his  suspicions  that  he  had  mistaken  his  man.  Philip 
Herbert,  it  will  be  recollected,  while  in  Congress,  killed  a 
waiter  in  Willard's  Hotel,  and  after  the  date  of  this  affair 
was  himself  killed  in  the  war  while  colonel  of  a  regiment. 

We  were  taken  from  New  York  to  Fort  Lafayette,  where 
I  remained  an  hour  and  my  less  fortunate  friend  eight  months. 


CHAPTER    V. 

A  KNIGHT  OF  THE  GOLDEN  SQUARE. 

P.  IT.  P.,  alias  Carlisle  Murray,  a  Knight  of  the  Goldeu  Square — The  Arrest- 
Release — Papers  of  F.  examined — Secretary  Seward's  Order  for  a  Second  Arrest 
— On  the  Track — The  Rural  Retreat — Mr.  Carlisle  Murray  a  Reformer  and 
Lover — The  Official  Writ — The  Astonished  Landlord  and  Landlady — A  Scene — 
Report. 

IT  was  during  the  month  of  November,  1861,  that  the  ex 
istence  of  certain  treasonable  organizations,  having  for  their 
object  the  overthrow  of  the  Government,  began  to  attract 
attention.  October  17,  1861,  a  communication  was  received 
by  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  State,  purporting  to  give  the  his 
tory  of  a  secret  society  in  Texas,  known  as  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Circle.  The  particular  objects  of  this  organization 
were  not,  however,  fully  explained.  A  few  days  later,  an 
other  letter  was  received  at  the  State  Department,  giving 
similar  information.  On  the  24th  of  October,  Benjamin 
Franklin,  Chief  of  the  Philadelphia  Police,  arrested,  on  a 
telegraphic  dispatch,  a  one-armed  man,  named  Carlisle  Mur 
ray,  and  confined  him  in  the  station-house  of  that  city.  On 
searching  his  person,  mysterious  papers  were  found,  appar 
ently  containing  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Square.  Franklin  sent  a  dispatch  to  me,  in 
forming  me  of  the  arrest, 

I  came  to  Philadelphia,  compared  the  documents  with  the 
original  records  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle  in  the 
State  Department,  and  found  them  to  agree — the  two  societies 
were  clearly  essentially  one  in  character.  In  a  further  con 
versation  with  Murray,  he  claimed  to  be  an  intimate  friend 
of  a  well-known  merchant-prince  of  Boston,  for  whom  he 
acted  as  agent.  At  this  stage  of  the  war  so  little  was  known 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  no  great  importance  was 
attached  to  Murray's  papers,  and  he  was  released. 


94  UNITED   STATES   SECPwET   SERVICE. 

Before  this,  however,  I  recognized  him  as  a  somewhat 
distinguished  individual.  His  name  was  P.  H.  F.,  who 
figured  as  Fillibuster  Walker's  minister  from  Nicaragua  in 
1848.  A  subsequent  examination  of  the  papers  in  Murray's 
possession,  taken  in  connection  with  those  before  referred 
to,  satisfied  me  that  he  was  really  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Circle. 

Clothed  with  the  authority  conferred  by  the  following 
order,  I  entered  upon  the  search  after  F.  :— 

DEPARTMENT  OF  RTATK,         > 
WASHINGTON,  November  '2,  1861.  j 

To  L.  C.  BAKER,  Esq.,  Washington,  D.  C.  :— 

You  will  please  arrest  P.  II.  F.,  alias  Carlisle  Murray,  and  convey  him  to 
Fort  Warren,  Boston,  Massachusetts.     Examine  his  person  and  baggage,  and 
eend  all  papers  found  in  his  possession  to  this  Department. 
I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD, 

Secretary  of  State. 

He  had  been  released  some  weeks  before  his  real  charac 
ter  was  discovered.  To  find  him  then  seemed  a  hopeless 
task.  By  intercepted  letters  postmarked  Branford,  Conn., 
I  was  soon  on  his  track.  Assuming  another  name,  he  had 
selected  this  quiet  town  as  his  temporary  residence.  His 
assumed  name  there  I  did  'not  know  ;  consequently  must 
devise  some  plan  which  would  lead  to  the  knowledge 
of  his  locality.  Accompanied  by  Franklin,  I  proceeded  to 
Branford.  To  avoid  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the  citizens,  it 
was  necessary  that  Mr.  Franklin  and  myself  should  appear 
under  an  assumed  character.  We  represented  ourselves  to 
be  gun  manufacturers  in  behalf  of  the  Government,  seeking 
for  an  eligible  spot  and  building  in  which  to  carry  forward 
our  business.  An  old  machine  shop,  not  then  used,  answered 
my  purpose. 

When  it  was  known  that  two  intelligent  men  were  about 
establishing  business  for  the  loyal  cause,  the  good  people  of 
course  were  very  anxious  to  serve  us.  The  only  hotel  in 
Branford  was  a  quiet  inn,  kept  by  a  venerable  c6uple.  Here 
we  found  ourselves,  strangers  to  all  and  in  pursuit  of  a 
stranger,  with  no  tangible  clew  to  his  person  or  place  of 
abode.  To  get  on  good  terms  with  "  mine  host"  and  hostess 


THE   ASTONISHED  LANDLADY.  95 

it  was  only  necessary  to  state  prospective  plans,  and  that 
their  house  would  be  my  headquarters.  The  old  man  talked 
freely  of  the  facilities  for  my  contemplated  business,  and  of 
the  moral  and  social  condition  of  the  people  ;  inviting 
Franklin  and  myself  to  dine  with  them.  Up  to  this  time  we 
had  made  no  inquiry  for  the  object  of  our  visit,  trusting  to 
circumstances  for  farther  developments.  We  soon  sat  down 
to  an  excellent  dinner.  While  at  the  table,  the  old  lady  in 
quired  of  her  husband,  "Is  Mr.  Jackson  coming  down  to 
dinner?  You  had  better  ask  him."  This  question  satisfied 
me  that  we  had  a  distinguished  guest.  Who  was  that  Mr. 
Jackson  ?  I  immediately  rose,  giving  Franklin  the  cue,  and, 
to  the  astonishment  of  the  honest  pair  presiding  at  the  table, 
rushed  up  stairs  to  search  the  house.  Hurrying  from  room 
to  room,  at  length  I  found  the  strange  boarder  occupying  the 
only  bedroom  and  parlor  in  the  house.  I  said,  extending 
my  hand: 

"  How  are  you,  F?" 

He  arose,  and,  politely  taking  my  hand,  said  : 

"  You  have  the  advantage  of  me." 

I  replied :  ' '  I  believe  I  have  ;  for  I  have  a  warrant  for 
your  arrest ;  and  I  don't  think  you  have  one  for  me." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  he  replied  ;  "I  recollect  you  now.  You  are 
from  California  ? " 

And  in  the  coolest  and  most  off-hand  manner  said  : 

"  Why,  I  am  glad  to  see  anybody  from  California.  Here 
is  some  good  brandy.  Well,  how  are  my  friends,  McDougal 
and  Tillford  ? " 

He  then  added:  "  Why,  Baker,  this  is  a  good  joke. 
How  did  you  find  out  where  I  was  ?  I  thought  I  had  got 
beyond  the  reach  of  detectives.  Now,  the  people  here  think 
me  a  very  good  man.  I  have  lectured  on  temperance  and 
religion  ;  have  a  class  in  the  Sabbath- school ;  and  am  court 
ing  one  of  the  prettiest  girls  in  Connecticut.  This  is  too 
bad." 

By  this  time  the  landlord  and  his  wife  had  entered  the 
room,  having  learned  from  Franklin  French's  real  character, 
when  she  said  : 

* 4  Why,  Mr.  Jackson,  how  could  you  be  so  wicked  1 
These  gentlemen  say  you  are  a  rebel  sjjy.  To  think  that  a 


96  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

secessionist  has  even  slept  under  our  roof.  I'll  liave  to  air 
the  bed  and  purify  the  whole  house." 

Then,  looking  at  her  hands  and  crying  "bitterly,  she 
added  : 

"  And  I  have  washed  your  clothes  !  May  the  Lord  for 
give  you,  for  I  can't." 

The  scene  was  a  mixture  of  the  pathetic  and  comic  rarely 
witnessed.  The  unsuspecting  landlord,  who  had  nearly 
reached  his  threescore  and  ten  years,  stood  trembling  with 
the  pals}7",  and  with  a  most  woebegone  expression,  while  his 
more  demonstrative  companion  seemed  beyond  the  reach  of 
a  comforting  word.  Then  followed  a  hasty  packing  up  of 
French's  effects,  and  sending  them  down  stairs,  when  he 
paid  his  weekly  bill,  and  said  to  the  landlady  : 

"  I  will  return  and  explain  this  whole  thing  to  you." 

In  less  time  than  it  has  taken  to  tell  the  story,  the  news 
had  spread  through  the  village.  The  pastor  whose  r  ilpit 
French  had  occupied,  the  postmaster,  and  blacksmith  were 
at  the  hotel.  But  one  person  could  be  found  who  <  ejected 
to  the  proceedings,  and  he  was  a  newly  arrived  M.  D.  from 
Texas,  who  at  once  declared  his  purpose  to  resist  the  order 
of  arrest,  and  called  upon  the  people  to  assist  in  rescuing  the 
prisoner.  The  display  of  a  six-shooter  immediately  quieted 
his  rebellious  spirit.  F.  was  taken  to  New  Haven,  thence 
to  Fort  Warren.  After  a  brief  incarceration,  he  wa^.  paroled 
by  Secretary  Seward ;  and  so  the  matter  ended/  The  dis 
loyal  order  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle  was  so 
vaguely  understood  that  it  was  thought,  after  all,  harm 
less  to  the  Government. 

The  subjoined  report  to  the  Secretary  of  State  will  shed 
more  light  upon  the  character  and  career  of  F.,  and  illus 
trate  further  the  necessity  of  a  detective  police  when  traitors 
in  arms  and  in  the  disguise  of  loyal  citizens  are  plotting  with 
unscrupulous  hate  against  the  Government : 

WASHINGTON,  November  17,  1861. 
To  the  Hon.  W.  II.  SEAVARD  : — 

DEAR  SIR — On  the  2d  of  November,  I  received  an  order  from  the  State 
Department  to  arrest  and  convey  to  Fort  Warren  one  P.  II.  F.,  alias  Carlisle 
Murray.  From  an  intercepted  letter  found  in  the  Philadelphia  post-oiiice,  I 
had  reason  to  believe  that  F.  was  at  or  near  Branford,  Connecticut.  On 


A   KNIGHT   OF  THE   GOLDEN   SQUARE.  97 

tha  5th  instant,  I  took  officer  Ben.  Franklin,  and  proceeded  to  the  above- 
named  place.  After  some  delay,  I  succeeded  in  finding  F.  at  a  small  hotel, 
where  he  had  been  stopping  for  some  months.  I  immediately  placed  him 
under  arrest,  searched  his  person  and  effects,  and  found  a  number  of  letters, 
most  of  which  seem  to  be  a  correspondence  between  him  (F.)  and  a  dis 
tinguished  merchant,  relating  to  the  sale  of  certain  steamboats  to  the  United 
States  Government  belonging  to  this  merchant.  F.  had  represented  him 
self  to  the  confiding  gentleman  as  one  Carlisle  Murray,  who  had  been 
driven  out  of  the  South  because  of  his  Union  sentiments.  He  also  exhibited 
what  purported  to  be  genuine  letters  from  the  Hon.  Mr.  Etheridge,  Andrew 
Johnson,  Parson  Brownlow,  and  others,  authorizing  him  to  collect  moneys 
from  loyal  people  of  the  North,  for  the  support  of  Parson  Brownlow's  paper 
(the  Enoxville  Whig}.  I  have  ascertained  that  he  did  collect,  from  the  mer 
chant  already  mentioned,  and  others,  about  four  thousand  dollars.  A  careful 
perusal  of  the  correspondence  between  these  parties  shows  that  the  latter 
did  make  an  engagement  with  Mr.  F.  to  sell  two  steamers  to  our  Govern 
ment,  and  that,  he  was  to  receive  a  certain  commission  for  the  same.  During 
the  time  he  was  trying  to  sell  or  negotiate  for  the  steamboats,  he  visited  the 
merchant  at  his  country  residence,  was  invited  to  spend  the  Sabbath,  and 
dine  with  him  (which  invitation  F.  accepted),  receiving  letters  of  introduction 
to  prominent  and  wealthy  citizens  of  Boston,  New  York,  Brooklyn,  and 
other  places.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  F.  is  one  of  the  most  accom 
plished  villains  in  America,  nor  that  the  merchant  did  lona  fide  enter  into 
a  contract  or  agreement  with  F.  to  sell  certain  steamboats  to  the  United 
States;  nor  that  his  patron  was  informed  of  the  true  character  of  F.  long 
before  he  took  any  steps  for  his  arrest.  The  correspondence  and  all  the 
facts  in  the  case  go  to  show :  First,  that  F.,  by  forged  letters  and  misrepre 
sentations,  deceived  his  patron ;  second,  that  the  merchant,  finding  F.  a  very 
shrewd,  intelligent  man,  did  employ  him  to  sell  the  steamers:  and  third,  that, 
when  he  learned  the  real  character  of  F.,  the  authorities  were  not  immediately 
notified  by  him ;  and  when  said  merchant  ascertained  that  F.  could  not,  or 
would  not,  make  a  sale  of  the  boats,  he  telegraphed  to  the  authorities  in 
Philadelphia  to  arrest  Carlisle  Murray  for  swindling.  These  are,  in  my  opinion, 
about  the  facts  relating  to  the  matter,  as  far  as  the  merchant  is  concerned. 

Among  the  papers  found  in  F.'s  possession,  was  a  manuscript  purporting- 
to  be  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  a  secret  order  or  association,  known, 
as  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Square.  This  document  is  copied  almost  ver 
batim  from  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle, 
an  order  that  originated  in  Texas,  some  two  years  since,  the  object  of  which 
was,  the  overthrow  of  the  United  States  Government.  By  an  ingenious  word 
ing  of  these  papers — that  is,  whenever  the  name  and  objects  of  the  order 
occur — the  terms  have  been  used,  evidently  intending  to  convey  the  impres 
sion  that  it  was  a  Union  order,  designed  to  be  secret  in  its  nature,  but  the 
object  of  which  was  to  be  the  maintenance  of  the  cause  of  the  North. 

I  am  satisfied  that  F.  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle; 
that  he  has  copied  their  constitution  and  by-laws;  that  the  papers  found  in 
his  possession  have  been  altered  or  worded  differently  from  tho  original,  so 
7 


98  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

that,  if  ho  should  at  any  time  be  suspected  or  arrested,  these  papers  could  not 
be  used  as  evidence  against  him.  All  the  letters  and  papers  found  in  F.'s 
possession  are  forwarded  to  your  Department. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

L.  C.  BAKEB. 

In  the  early  stages  of  the  war,  before  any  police  organ 
ization  of  the  Government  had  been  perfected  or  set  in 
operation,  and  before  blockade  restrictions  had  been  es 
tablished,  the  whole  North  was  flooded  by  a  class  of  south 
ern  spies,  correspondents,  and  incendiaries.  That  the  spy 
ing  and  detective  business  was  not  confined  to  those  who 
had  made  it  a  profession  would  seem  to  be  indicated  by 
the  following  letter.  The  writer  of  this  precious  document 
was  an  Episcopalian  minister  from  the  South,  who  had  been 
employed  by  the  rebel  government  to  visit  the  North,  with 
a  view  to  ascertain  the  movements  then  on  foot  toward  the 
organization  of  the  army.  It  was  written  to  Bishop  Gen 
eral  P.  The  "Joe"  spoken  of,  was  a  sergeant  in  one 
of  the  Federal  regiments,  with  whom  an  arrangement  had 
been  made  by  the  writer  to  convey  through  the  lines  to 
the  rebels  any  documents  that  might  be  forwarded  to  him 
for  that  purpose.  "Joe"  was  ferreted  out  and  arrested, 
and  made  a  confession  of  the  whole  scheme  which  is  re 
ferred  to  in  the  communication ;  to  wit,  the  organization  of 
a  force  in  Philadelphia,  New  Jersey,  and  Delaware,  to  seize 
the  Arsenal,  Navy  Yard,  and  public  property  at  Philadel 
phia.  The  "friend  Bob"  spoken  of  was  Bob  B.  (ex-senator 
B.),  of  Delaware.  When  the  ringleaders  of  this  conspiracy 
discovered  that  I  was  on  their  track,  they  immediately 
abandoned  the  scheme,  or  transferred  their  field  of  opera 
tions  to  the  West,  where  an  organization  was  perfected, 
but  broken  up  by  the  arrest  of  Dr.  D.  at  Indianapolis, 
in  1864. 

PHILADELPHIA,  December  2C,  1S6L 

WOKTIIY  SIK — Various  good  and  sufficient  reasons  have  detained  me  north 
of  this  point  several  days  beyond  the  time  specified  in  your  instructions.  First 
of  these,  I,  in  a  room  in  Boston,  was  expatiating,  as  usual,  upon  the  horrors  and 
sin  of  slavery,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  misrepresenting,  in  a  blundering  way, 
its  real  condition.  One  of  the  chaps  took  up  the  cudgel  in  good  earnest.  He 
had  sailed  South,  been  in  Southern  ports,  knew  Southern  people  well,  they 
were  kind  to  the  nigger,  &c.,  &c.  I  invited  talk,  solicited  conversation  and 


A   SPICY   CLERICAL  EPISTLE.  99 

information — gained  his  confidence,  finding  how  freely  he  let  himself  out.  I 
had  several  interviews,  and  finally  threw  otf  the  mask,  and  told  my  real  object 
was  to  gain  information,  in  which  he  aided  me  to  the  extent  of  his  utmost 
ability.  Ho  is  a  man  about  sixty  years  of  age,  but  strong  and  active ;  and 
although  a  native-born  New  Englander,  he  hates,  with  a  perfect  ferociousness, 
the  name  of  New  England.  Several  reasons  conspire  to  produce  this.  First, 
he  has  been  swindled  by  a  pious  deacon,  his  brother-in-law,  who  induced  his 
wife  to  forsake  him ;  then  he  has  mingled,  to  a  great  extent,  with  our  people 
South,  and  cherishes  a  fond  recollection  of  many  of  our  citizens.  Oh,  how  he 
swears  at  the  Yankees.  I  soon  ascertained  that  I  might  place  implicit  reliance 
upon  his  word.  My  respect  and  confidence  were  confirmed  by  the  opinions 
entertained  and  freely  expressed  here  by  all  classes.  They  represent  him  as  a 
bold,  outspoken  secessionist.  Being  a  man  of  tried  and  sterling  bravery,  the 
people  know  well  that  it  would  never  do  to  trifle  wkh  him ;  and,  added  to 
this,  he  is  worth  some  twenty  or  twenty -five  thousand  dollars;  being  quite 
judiciously  invested,  enables  him  to  realize  an  income  of  at  least  three  or 
four  thousand  a  year,  at  least  three-fourths  of  which  he  gives  away — not  in 
the  form  of  common  charities  altogether,  but  gifts  in  the  shape  of  loans  to 
deserving  beginners.  In  this  way  his  popularity  among  a  great  many  is  solid, 
not  only  with  those  whom  he  has  benefited,  but  others,  whose  respect  for 
such  unostentatious  nobleness  is  challenged  and  secured. 

Well,  he  is  the  man  we  need.  He  will  go  into  the  scheme  with  heart  and 
soul.  His  plan  is,  receive  orders  for  a  stanch,  swift  sea-steamer  from  a  South 
American  power,  have  her  quietly  and  expeditiously  built,  manned  with  the 
right  kind  of  a  crew,  give  out  that  he  is  going  with  her,  let  her  take  in  a 
cargo  of  just  such  articles  as  we  need  at  present — boots,  shoes,  &c. — sail,  and 
enter  the  first  Southern  port  that  looks  clear.  I  would  here  remark,  that  his 
plan  is  to  have  three  just  such  steamers  under  way  at  the  same  time.  Either 
this,  or  he  will  buy — each,  however,  from  different  points.  Marine  signal 
No.  8  (eight)  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America  will  be  used  upon  entrance 
of  our  port.  This,  you  remember,  is  the  plan  agreed  upon  to  deceive  the 
blockade  fleet. 

The  day  after  my  arrival  in  this  place  I  was  accosted  by  a  venerable  old 
beggar,  who  stood  at  a  corner  soliciting  alms.  His  touching  tone  of  voice, 
coupled  with  his  meek  yet  respectful  appearance,  although  in  rags,  attracted 
and  interested  me.  I  gave  him  a  dime,  and  asked  him  carelessly  where  he 
lived,  with  no  intention,  however,  of  paying  him  a  visit,  but  hardly  knowing 
what  to  say,  and  feeling  I  ought  to  say  something. 

He  replied,  "  You  aint  got  any  Jearnes  River  tobacky,  I  reckon,  to  give  a 
fellow  a  chaw." 

Imagine  my  surprise  when  my  beggar  friend  proved  to  be  our  old  Nebo. 
Cute  as  ever,  he  plies  his  artful  game.  He  tells  me  that  he  was  in  Washing 
ton  last  week ;  says  old is  drunk  one-half  his  time.  and are 

laying  up  big  piles  of  United  States  money  both  for  themselves  and  friends, 

though is  the  sharpest  in  the  way  of  money.     That  old  stupid  ft>ol, , 

is  completely  under  the  thumb  of ,  ditto. 

Nebo  says  that,  unsuspectingly,  he  has  been  permitted  to  enter  both  the 


ICO  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

civil  and  military  department  in  Washington  and  Alexandria.  As  his  means 
of  communicating  with  head-quarters  is  so  very  expeditious  and  complete,  I 
deem  it  both  impolitic  and  unnecessary  to  detail,  in  this  communication,  the 
vast  amount  of  useful  information  which  he  is  enabled  to  pick  up.  One  thing 
I  must  mention.  lie  says  that  in  less  than  three  months  we  will  have  Phila 
delphia  and  Baltimore.  He  says  that  as  soon  as  the  advance  is  made  upon 
the  lines  at  W.,  a  party  here,  now  numbering  over  five  thousand,  in  this  city, 
together  with  thrice  that  number  in  the  adjoining  counties,  will  seize  the 
Navy  Yard,  Arsenal,  &c.  His  experience  tallies  jrith  mine,  that  is,  that  New 
Jersey  is  sound  to  the  back-bone  for  us:  yes,  far  more  so  than  Delaware, 
although  a  Southern  State. 

I  am  afraid  to  advise  you  to  take  that  trip,  for,  notwithstanding  the  clerical 
cut  of  my  coat,  I  am  watched  very  closely,  as  are  all  strangers,  by  the  Govern 
ment  spies.  The  people  are  heartily  sick  and  tired  of  this  war,  but  are  afraid  to 
litter  such  sentiments,  it  being  treason,  or  so  ruled  by  that  drunken  thief, . 

Nebo  says  that  whenever needs  money  he  sends  ahead  some  startling 

telegraph  communications,  manufactured,  as  a  matter  of  course.  Soon  the 
streets  of  Philadelphia  and  New  York  ring  with  the  cry  of  extras :  "  Glorious 
news  (in  big  letters).  Fifty  thousand  secessionists  routed  by  a  Union  force 
of  only  one  hundred  and  fifty.  We  took  thirty  thousand  prisoners,  two  hun 
dred  and  seventy-five  thousand  stand  of  arms,  one  thousand  four  hundred 
cannon,  and  an  immense  stock  of  ammunition.  The  rebel  general  shot  in  the 
mouth  by  a  Buck-tail,  which  would  have  proved  fatal,  but  just  as  the  ball  hit 
him  he  spit  out  a  quid  of  tobacco,  which  turned  the  ball  aside.  It,  however, 
glanced  from  the  quid  and  killed  a  colonel  and  eleven  privates.  Our  loss 
(Union) — two  killed,  three  wounded,  one  missing." 

Such,  my  dear  general,  is  the  windy  stuff  which •  uses  to  draw  money 

out  of  the  Wall  Street  kings.  Verily,  this  is  a  humbuggy  age.  To  my  mind 
it  is  past  my  comprehension  how  the  two  sections  can  ever  meet  together, 
even  in  ordinary  intercourse.  You  can  form  no  conception  of  the  bitter  feel 
ing  of  hostility  entertained  by  all  classes  here.  An  instance  or  two  will 
suffice.  An  interesting  pious  family,  whose  savory  discourse  did  my  soul  much 
good  in  its  growth  in  grace,  &c.,  &c.,  whose  hospitality  I  often  enjoyed,  one 
day  last  week,  in  making  a  call,  I  found  them  much  excited.  Upon  inquiring 
the  cause,  Miss  Annie  informed  me  that  they  had  just  learned  that  the  bonnet- 
maker  was  a  vile  secessionist.  I  straightened  my  eye-brows,  turned  up  my 
whites,  and  made  an  appropriate  pious  ejaculation,  and  inquired  how  she  had 
made  the  discovery.  By  accident,  sir.  Well,  to  sift  the  testimony  from  their 

verbiage,  Mrs. ,   a  poor  widow,  who    makes   a  living  for  herself  and 

children  in  the  bonnet  business,  had  been  so  imprudent  as  to  say  to  my  friend, 
"Well,  I  hope  if  they  do  liberate  the  negroes,  they  will  make  some  provision 
for  their  support,  for  they  will  no  longer  have  their  owners  to  look  to."  Now, 
for  this  vile  secession  (!!!),  my  pious  friends  are  determined  not  to  pay  their 
bonnet-bills  until  the  war  is  over.  Don't  you  admire  their  spunk?  The  other 
instance  is  this  : — A  pious  elder  in  one  of  the  Presbyterian  churches  here  has 
a  daughter  married  to  a  Southern  elder,  who  is  in  the  Southern  army ;  and  so 
bitter  is  his  feeling,  that  neither  daughter,  child,  nor  husband  is  ever  alluded 


SECESSION  -PICTURES   OF   THE    NTORTH.  101 

to,  even  [in]  liis  prayers.  Indeed,  my  dear  sir,  the  spirit  of  the  wolf,  the 
hyena,  ay,  rattlesnake,  and  all  vicious  animals,  are  let  loose  in  the  hearts  of 
this  people.  There  is.no  language  sufficiently  strong  to  describe  the  malignity 
of  their  feelings.  Ages  hence  will  this  feeling  burn.  I  thought  some  of  our 
Hotspurs  went  far  in  their  expressions  of  hatred  and  contempt,  but  it  don't 
begin  to  touch  bottom  with  Philadelphians.  But  with  all  this,  I  understand 
that  we  have  a  goodly  heritage  in  this  city  and  its  vicinity.  Old  Nebo  tells 
me  that  there  is  now  in  process  of  completion  a  scheme  to  he  inaugurated 
soon  upon  a  grand  scale.  It  contemplates  the  seizure  of  Philadelphia.  He 
says  there  is  over  three  millions  of  dollars  invested.  He  could  not  make  me 
acquainted  with  the  particulars.  They  arc  called  the  "Regulators."  lie  says 
that  seve'ral  prominent  military  men  have  it  [in]  charge.  It  embraces  New 
Jersey  and  Delaware.  I  find,  however,  I  am  repeating  what  I  have  already 
written  in  this  letter. 

Dr. 's  church,  during  the  week,  is  turned  into  a  tailor  shop.     The 

Doctor  is  a  strong  coercionist  in  the  pulpit ;  in  the  parlor  he  is  a  secessionist, 

or,  I  should  say,  an  apologist  for  that  vile  heresy,  Dr. ,  ditto,  Dr. ,. 

ditto,  and  many  others,  who  were  converted  during  the  days  of  terror  last 
April,  when  our  friend  Boh  escaped  the  halter  in  Philadelphia.  Thousands 
here  entertain  earnest  and  anxious  desires  for  peace,  but  dare  not  utter  their 
thoughts  even  to  their  nearest  kin.  In  rny  clerical  capacity  I  say,  that  this 
people  is  given  over  not  only  to  believe  a  lie,  but  lies.  The  truth  is  too  tame 
and  commonplace.  They  are  confident  that  ten  of  their  men  can  beat  and  put- 
to  rout  one  hundred  of  tire  South.  I  then  ask  them  why  their  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  which  outnumbers  the  South,  don't  move,  and  crush  Beauregard. 
They  say,  "  Oh,  that  is  the  fault  of  politicians."  As  an  Englishman,  some 
avoid  and  wheedle  me.  Your  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS,  the  D.  D. 

I  will  be  in  Cleveland  ten  days  from  time  first  noted. 

The  following  is  a  copy  from  a  letter  which,  accompanied 
the  former,  in  similar  handwriting  : — 

PHILADELPHIA,  December  27,  1361. 

DEAR  PHIL — Joe  tells  me  that  you  are  about  Sin  sin  naughty,  as  he  drawls 
it  out.  I  detained  this  to  say  a  word  about  the  M.  and  G.  difficulty;  but  you 
see  the  papers — all  bosh.  Send  word  by  this,  if  you  choose,  that  it  will  end 
in  smoke- -a  flash  in  the  pan.  You  can  read  and  remember  as  much  of  the 
inclosed  as  you  can.  Be  sure  to  note  the  figures,  as  they  mark  the  name  of. 
the  Sea  Dog.  Burn  the  letter  unless  you  can  safely  carry,  and  then  get  in^ 
your  hole  and  skeet  for  Dixie.  It  ought  to  have  gone  before,  but  I  was  far 
away  when  F.  was  here,  and  did  not  see  him.  Oh,  how  these  Northern 
papers  lie  about  us.  Joe  is  a  sergeant  in  a  company  of  one  of  the  regiments 
here— will  start  for  Washington  soon.  If  he  gets  on  picket  duty  he  will  com 
municate.  Direct  your  letters  to  Rev. ,  D.  D.  (be  sure  to  put  the  D.  D.), 

of  Bath.  England.     Good-bv,  and  G.  B.  Y. 

TOM. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

•I 

DISLOYALTY  AMONG  THE  POSTMASTERS. 

A  Mystery — The  Result  of  Cabinet  Meetings  in  Washington  known  in  Richmond— 
The  Detectives  learn  the  Reason — A  Visit  to  Lo;ver  Maryland — Amusing  Scenes 
— The  Mysterious  Box — The  Reports — A  Rebel  Letter. 

IT  was  a  surprising  fact  during  the  first  six  or  eight 
months  after  the  war  began,  that  the  result  of  every  Cabinet 
meeting  at  Washington  was  reported  in  Richmond  within 
twenty-four  hours  after  it  was  held.  The  secret  was,  that 
every  postmaster  in  Lower  Maryland,  comprising  the  coun 
ties  of  St.  Charles,  St.  George,  and  St.  Mary's,  with  three 
exceptions,  were  disloyal.  It  had  been  taken  for  granted 
that  the  State  was  true  to  the  Government,  while  rebel  emis 
saries  were  constantly  conveying  information  from  Washing 
ton  to  the  post-offices  along  the  Potomac,  from  which  it  was 
transmitted  to  Fredericksburg  by  blockade- runners  and 
spies,  and  thence  telegraphed  to  Richmond.  By  this  arrange 
ment,  uninterrupted  and  unrestrained  communication  was 
kept  open  between  the  rebels  North  and  South  until  Novem 
ber  20.  1861,  when  I  decided,  if  possible,  to  break  up  the 
treasonable  correspondence.  Accordingly,  the  Secretary  of 
War  directed  that  three  companies,  of  one  hundred  men  each, 
from  the  Third  Indiana  Cavalry,  then  in  General  Hooker's 
division  at  Budd's  Ferry,  be  detached,  and  report  to  me  for 
the  purpose  of  visiting  and,  if  necessary,  permanently  occu 
pying  Lower  Maryland. 

The  first  post-office  upon  which  I  called  was  at  Chaptico, 
a  small  village  at  the  head  of  a  bay  of  the  Potomac,  bearing 
the  same  name,  and  about  sixty  miles  from  Washington.  I 
reached  the  village  late  one  afternoon,  when  an  amusing 
incident  occurred,  illustrating  the  ignorance  in  the  country 
generally,  more  profound,  perhaps,  in  some  portions  of  it 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  BOX.  103 

respecting  military  affairs,  resulting  from  the  peaceful  pur- 
buits  of  the  people  during  a  long  period  of  declining  martial 
spirit  and  demonstrations. 

The  first  military  seen  in  Chaptico  was  my  advent  with 
three  hundred  of  u  Uncle  Sam's  boys,"  which  naturally  cre 
ated  intense  excitement  among  this  rural  people. 

My  force  was  composed  principally  of  Germans,  who  be 
came  brave  soldiers  subsequently  in  the  western  battle 
fields.  They  were  addicted,  of  course,  to  the  use  of  intoxi 
cating  drinks  ;  hence  it  was  necessary  to  encamp  apart  from 
places  where  liquors  were  sold.  I  entered  the  town  with  my 
orderly,  to  notify  all  vendors  of  strong  drink  to  close  their 
bars,  and  under  no  circumstances  to  sell  to  the  soldiers  under 
my  command. 

In  the  evening,  to  my  surprise,  when  passing  one  of  the 
drinking-houses,  I  found  it  full  of  troops  who,  with  the  land 
lord,  were  having  a  jolly  time  over  their  potations. 

I  immediately  stepped  in  and  inquired  of  the  host : 

"Did  I  not  give  you  an  order  not  to  sell  liquor  to  my 
men?" 

"  Why,  Colonel,"  he  said,  "  these  ain't  no  soldiers  ;  they 
are  officers.  They  have  got  swords  on." 

Officers  generally  wearing  swords,  the  cavalrymen  thus 
armed  deceived  the  benighted  dealer  in  poor  whisky  and 
beer.  He  was  sure  that  he  was  honored  with  men  quite 
above  common  soldiering. 

I  proceeded  to  the  post-office,  and  found  the  postmaster 
sick  and  all  the  family  in  about  the  same  plight,  excepting  a 
bright  little  girl,  twelve  years  of  age. 

I  rapped  at  the  door,  when  she  raised  the  window  and 
said: 

"Father  told  me  I  must  not  let  any  of  the  Yankee  sol 
diers  in." 

I  replied :  "  I  am  not  a  Yankee  soldier,  but  an  agent  of 
the  Post-office  Department." 

I  was  then  admitted ;  and  asked  where  the  office  was 
kept.  She  pointed  to  a  box  of  pigeon  holes.  While  exam 
ining  it,  I  accidentally  observed  a  rough  pine  box  with  iron 
hasp  and  hinges  and  a  United  States  mail  lock.  It  was  par 
titioned  through  the  center,  with  a  hole  for  letters  in  each 


104  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

division.     Over  one  part  was  "  Southern  Letters  ;"  over  the 
other,  ' i  Northern  Letters. ' ' 

I  said  :  "What  is  this  box  for  ?" 

She  innocently  answered,  pointing  to  the  inscriptions : 

"  Why,  the  letters  put  in  that  hole  (the  Southern)  go  to 
Richmond  ;  and  those  in  the  other  go  to  Washington." 

The  postmaster,  who  was  in  bed,  overhearing  her,  spoke 
somewhat  excitedly : 

"No,  that  ain't  so  ;  why  do  you  tell  the  gentleman  such 
a  story?" 

I  answered :  "I  guess  the  girl  tells  the  truth." 

Taking  the  box,  which,  upon  examination,  was  found  to 
contain  letters  from  rebels  on  the  way  to  the  Confederacy, 
and  those  whose  hearts,  if  not  their  faces,  were  toward  rebel- 
dom,  I  placed  it  in  the  Post-office  Department  at  Washing 
ton  as  a  curiosity,  where  it  still  remains. 

At  L.,  the  largest  village  in  all  that  part  of  Lower  Mary 
land,  another  amusing  incident  occurred.  It  had  long  been 
the  residence  of  aristocratic  families.  A  weekly  newspaper 
was  published  there — a  paper  which  was  pre-eminent  in  fan 
ning  the  fires  of  rebellion  throughout  that  region. 

Arriving  within  two  miles  of  the  town  at  evening,  I  en 
camped  in  a  grove  of  pines.  With  a  captain,  sergeant,  and 
two  orderlies  I  rode  into  the  village,  and  found  the  people 
had  heard  of  our  arrival.  The  principal  men  of  the  place 
waited  upon  me  and  protested  in  the  most  violent  manner 
against  Yankee  troops  disturbing  their  peace  ;  for  they  were 
"  State-rights  people,  who  only  wished  to  be  let  alone." 
They  made  threats  of  personal  violence  if  my  soldiers  were 
brought  into  Leonardtown. 

I  replied:  UI  am  here  under  orders  of  the  Secretary  of 
War,  on  a  peaceful  investigation,  and  not  as  charged,  to  steal 
your  slaves,  to  burn  your  houses  and  barns,  or  to  molest 
the  inhabitants.  I  have  money  to  pay  for  forage  and  rations 
if  you  will  sell  them  ;  if  not,  shall  take  them." 

By  this  time  the  editor  of  the  paper  had  become  bois 
terous  in  his  condemnation  of  the  Government  and  its 
officers.  I  quietly  directed  a  guard  to  be  placed  around  his 
printing-office.  Selecting  from  my  command  Judge  L.,  of 


A  SUDDEN  CONVERSION.  105 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  an  officer  who  had  some  experience  as  an 
editor,  I  directed  him  to  write  an  article  for  the  paper,  in 
which  the  rebel  editor  was  made  to  recant  his  secession 
heresy  and  declare  for  the  Union,  advising  all  his  sub 
scribers  to  do  the  same.  The  compositors  were  compelled 
to  set  it  up,  and  then  the  pressmen  reluctantly  struck  off  the 
paper.  The  subscription  book  was  consulted,  and  to  each 
name  a  copy  of  the  paper  was  mailed.  The  excitement  and 
indignation  which  followed  the  distribution  of  the  suddenly 
loyal  sheet,  and  the  discovery  of  the  serious  joke,  made  one 
of  the  most  ludicrous  incidents  in  my  official  experience. 
The  further  results  of  this  expedition  are  presented  in  the 
subjoined  note  and  reports : 

WASHINGTON,  November  25, 1SC1. 

Brigadier-General  HOOKER,  Commanding  at  Budd's  Ferry: 

DEAR  SIR — The  expedition  under  my  command  to  the  lower  coast  of 
Maryland  lias  proved  successful.  We  captured  four  mounted  traitors  and  one 
rebel  spy.  Mr.  Seward  is  much  gratified  at  the  promptness  with  which  you 
responded  to  the  orders  given  to  me.  Also  obtained  many  valuable  letters 
and  documents,  from  which  important  results  will  follow.  To  Captain 
Keister  and  Lieutenant  Lemon,  I  am  under  many  obligations ;  I  found  them 
very  prompt  and  ready  to  act  at  all  times.  The  men  under  their  command 
conducted  themselves  with  the  greatest  propriety.  A  detachment  of  sixteen 
men,  as  a  guard,  accompanied  me  by  steamer  xia  Baltimore  to  this  city.  1 
return  them  to  their  quarters  to-day.  Allow  ine  to  return  you  my  thanks  for 
your  extreme  kindness  to  me  during  my  short  stay  at  your  headquarters. 

Yours,  truly, 

L.    C.  BAKER. 


WASHINGTON,  November  27.  1861. 

To  the  Hon.  WILLIAM  II.  SEWARD,  Secretary  of  State: 

DEAR  Sn: — In  compliance  with  orders  issued  from  your  Department, 
under  date  of  November  18th,  I  repaired  to  the  headquarters  of  Brigadier- 
General  Hooker,  at  or  near  Budd's  Ferry,  and  was  promptly  furnished  with 
one  hundred  men  from  the  Third  Indiana  Cavalry,  under  command  of  Captain 
Keister.  The  object  of  the  expedition  was  to  arrest  parties  suspected  of 
rendering  aid  to  Virginia  rebels,  to  discover  the  channel  through  which  con 
traband  correspondence  was  being  carried  on,  and,  if  necessary,  to  take  into 
custody  any  persons  found  in  arms  against  the  United  States  Government. 
On  my  arrival  at  Port  Tobacco,  tho  headquarters  of  Colonel  Graham's  regi 
ment,  I  found  the  inhabitants  complaining  bitterly  at  their  alleged  ill-treat 
ment,  and  depredations  committed  by  the  soldiers  under  his  command.  In 
justice  to  Colonel  G.,  however,  I  found,  on  inquiring,  that  the  inhabitants 


106         UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

had  been  the  first  aggressors.  There  are  residing  at  this  place  but  four 
or  five  Union  men — the  balance  either  being  sympathizers  with  secessionists, 
or  open  and  avowed  aiders  and  abettors  of  treason.  The  postmaster  at  this 
place  is  secretly  doing  all  in  his  power  to  further  the  interests  of  the  Con 
federacy.  Eight  miles  from  the  above-named  locality  is  a  small  town,  known 
as  Allen's  Fresh.  There  are  but  two  Union  men  at  this  place.  I  found 
in  the  post-office  here  five  letters,  addressed  to  fictitious  names;  on  opening 
them,  I  discovered  that  they  contained  sealed  letters,  addressed  to  well-known 
secessionists  in  Virginia.  The  postmaster  was  one  of  those  who  assisted  and 
contributed  to  organize  and  equip  Confederate  soldiers  now  in  Virginia.  At  the 
Newport  post-office,  some  two  miles  from  Allen's  Fresh,  I  found  a  package 
of  thirty-four  letters,  post-marked  "Newport  P.  O.,  Maryland,"  all  ready  to 
be  forwarded  to  different  localities  at  the  North.  On  examining  these  letters, 
I  found  that  they  were  all  written  in  Virginia,  and  had  all  been  dropped  into 
the  office  by  one  person.  At  Chaptico,  a  place  of  about  two  or  three  hundred 
inhabitants,  located  at  the  head  of  a  small  inlet  opening  into  the  Potomac, 
I  found  but  four  Union  men,  the  traitors  at  this  point  having  threatened  to 
hang  and  burn  the  property  of  any  man  who  dares  to  avow  Union  sentiments. 
At  this  point,  there  has  been  carried  on  for  months  a  regular  communication 
with  Virginia.  The  postmaster  here  openly  declares  himself  a  traitor;  I 
should  have  placed  him  under  arrest,  but  found  him  confined  in  his  bed  with 
chills  and  fever,  besides  having  a  large  family  depending  on  him  for  their 
daily  support.  I  next  stopped  at  Leonardtown.  This  is  the  largest  and  by 
far  the  most  prosperous  village  in  Lower  Maryland.  I  do  not  consider  it  safe 
to  say  that  there  is  one  Union  man  in  the  town  or  vicinity,  although  many 
declare  themselves  State  Rights  Men,  which  is  but  a  milder  term  for  secession 
ists.  At  this  place  has  been  enlisted,  equipped,  and  conveyed  to  Virginia,  a 
very  large  number  of  men  for  the  Confederate  army.  But  very  few  hesitate 
to  declare  openly  their  secession  sentiments;  I  think  this  is  attributable 
almost  wholly  to  the  publication  of  a  bitter  and  uncompromising  secession 
paper,  published  in  this  place.  I  found  in  the  post-office  a  large  number  of 
letters  going  to  and  coming  from  Virginia.  The  postmaster,  a  Mr.  Yates, 
declared  himself  to  me  a  good  Union  man;  I,  however,  afterward  obtained 
the  most  undeniable  proof  of  his  disloyalty  to  the  Government  and  sympa 
thy  with  the  rebels.  I  think  that  Leonardtown  should  be  at  once  placed 
under  martial  law,  and  a  provost-marshal  appointed,  in  order  that  the  few 
Union  men  residing  there  may  have  some  kind  of  protection  against  these 
traitors.  From  Leonardtown  I  went  to  Great  Mills,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles. 
There  are  but  few  inhabitants  residing  directly  on  the  road,  the  population 
being  mostly  on  the  Potomac  and  Pawtuxent  rivers.  Daily  steamboat  com 
munication  from  Baltimore  to  Millstone  Landing  (a  point  on  the  Pawtuxent 
river,  near  its  mouth)  has,  in  my  opinion,  made  this  the  most  important  point 
in  Lower  Maryland.  That  you  may  more  readily  understand  with  what 
facilities  correspondence  and  goods  of  all  descriptions  have  and  are  being 
transported  into  Virginia  by  this  route,  I  annex  a  map  of  the  country.  Tho 
distance  from  Millstone  Landing,  on  the  Pawtuxent,  to  Redmond's  Landing, 
at  the  head  of  St.  Mary's  river  (four  miles  from  tho  Potomac),  is  but  eight. 


REBELS  IN  SOUTHERN  MARYLAND.  1()7 

miles,  the  road  being  excellent  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  There  are  but  four 
or  five  Union  men  in  this  vicinity ;  most  of  those  who  have  declared  them 
selves  as  such  have  either  been  driven  from  the  county,  or  dare  not  avow 
themselves  in  favor  of  the  Government.  A  number  are  now  residing  in  the 
neighborhood  who  hold  commissions  in  the  rebel  army.  It  is,  however, 
exceedingly  difficult  to  arrest  them ;  the  approach  of  any  considerable  number 
of  troops  is  a  signal  for  these  cheats  to  leave  their  houses,  or  secrete  them 
selves,  and  it  can  only  be  accomplished  by  the  most  shrewd  and  well-laid 
plans.  I  made  the  following  arrests,  viz. :  E.  II.  J.,  W.  M.  A.,  E.  M.  S.,  and 
R.  L.  II.  Theso  men  were  a  part  of  an  organization  known  as  the  Lower 
Maryland  Vigilance  Committee. 

Mr.  E.  II.  J.  resides  at  what  is  known  as  the  Old  Factory,  St.  Mary's 
County,  is  engaged  in  merchandising,  farming,  &c.  When  the  present  dim* 
culties  broke  out,  J.  went  to  Baltimore,  and  was  there  during  the  riot  of 
April  19th.  On  his  return  hence,  he  brought  not  less  than  four  hundred 
stands  of  arms  from  Baltimore,  which  afterward  were  sent  to  Virginia.  lie 
has  had  wagons  for  hauling  contraband  goods  from  the  Potomac  to  the  Pa- 
tuxent,  during  the  greater  part  of  the  summer  and  fall.  He  made  his  house 
the  headquarters  of  secession  spies,  passing  to  and  from  Virginia;  has  enlisted, 
equipped,  and  forwarded  a  large  number  of  men  for  the  Confederacy ;  has 
notified  Union  men  to  leave  the  county ;  and  has,  on  all  occasions,  cursed  and 
abused  the  Government. 

D.  W.  M.  A.  resides  about  one  mile  from  J.,  openly  defies  the  Govern 
ment,  was  a  co-operator  with  J.  in  all  his  treasonable  operations  ;  is  said 
to  be  the  secretary  of  the  Vigilance  Committee,  and  stated  to  me,  after  his 
arrest,  that  he  would  yet  kill  a  Yankee  for  every  day  that  he  was  imprisoned 
by  the  Government. 

E.  M.  S.  is  a  Confederate  spy.     He  was  indicted  by  the  Baltimore  grand 
jury  for  engaging  in  the  riot  of  the  19th  of  April,  but  made  his  escape  into 
Virginia,  and,  up  to  the  time  of  his  arrest,  had  kept  out  of  the  way.     Some 
memorandums  of  importance  were  found  in  his  possession. 

The  arrest  of  B.  L.  II.  will  prove  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
Government.  II.  resided  at  the  landing  on  the  Patuxent  River,  and 
made  his  hotel  the  rendezvous  for  all  the  secessionists  in  the  county.  At  his 
house  were  held  all  their  meetings  and  deliberations.  He  had  tw(>  teams 
constantly  running  from  the  landing  to  the  Potomac  River.  I  have  the  most 
positive  proof  that,  the  night  before  his  arrest,  he  took  three  hundred  Colt 
revolvers  to  Virginia;  I  found  two  large  boxes  buried  in  the  sand,  about  two 
hundred  yards  from  his  house,  from  which  he  took  these  revolvers.  Mrs. 
H.  informed  me  that  she  had  frequently  cautioned  her  husband  that  he  would 
yet  be  caught  and  imprisoned  by  the  Government,  but  ho  disregarded  her 
advice,  and  told  her  that  he  was  determined  to  make  money  in  some  way. 
Some  letters  were  found  in  his  possession  of  the  strongest  secession  character, 
also  Confederate  envelopes,  stamps,  circulars,  &c.  II.  was  the  master  spirit, 
and  the  worst  man  in  the  county. 

Much  difficulty  was  experienced  in  making  these  arrests.  The  county 
is  wild  and  unsettled;  a  complete  set  of  signals  had  been  established  among 


103  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

the  inhabitants,  and  notice  of  our  arrival  had  been  given  to  the  entire  country, 
making  it  necessary  to  move  only  at  night-time.  I  endeavored,  stating  that, 
as  soon  as  the  troops  left,  their  building  would  be  burned,  and  they  them 
selves  assassinated  or  hung  by  the  Committee. 

I  am  much  indebted  for  my  success  to  Brigadier-General  Hooker,  for  hi?, 
promptness  in  furnishing  men ;  to  Captain  Keister,  for  the  energy,  patience, 
and  promptness  with  which  he  aided  me  at  all  times;  to  A.  G.  Lawrence, 
Esq.,  who  accompanied  me  from  this  city,  for  the  very  efficient  aid  and 
advice  he  gave  at  all  times.  Some  small-arms,  two  "tegs  of  rifle  powder, 
secession  flags,  and  other  articles  were  seized. 

Since  my  return,  I  have  had  some  conversation  with  the  Postmaster- 
General  in  relation  to  mail  matters.  When  I  go  down  again,  he  has  autho 
rized  me  to  displace  all  disloyal  postmasters,  and  if  safe  and  reliable  Union 
men  can  be  found,  to  recommend  them  for  appointment ;  if  such  can  not  be 
found,  discontinue  the  offices  altogether.  This  course,  I  have  no  doubt,  will 
induce  them  to  better  regard  and  appreciate  the  favors  they  have  and  are 
still  receiving  from  the  Government.  In  order  that  the  channels  of  commu 
nication  with  the  South  may  be  effectually  broken  up,  and  protection 
afforded  to  Union  men  in  Charles  and  St.  Mary's  counties.  I  would  most 
respectfully  recommend  that  a  military  force  be  sent  there  at  once.  Two  or 
three  hundred  men  could  subsist  themselves  and  horses,  without  being  com 
pelled  to  transport  forage.  Should  you  deem  it  proper  or  advisable  to  send 
such  a  force,  I  would  gladly  go  with  them,  and  render  all  the  assistance  in 
my  power.  Asking  pardon  for  this  my  lengthy  communication. 
I  remain,  dear  Sir,  most  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKEK. 


WASHINGTON,  January  14,  1S63 
To  the  Honorable  POSTMASTER-GEXEUAL: — 

BEAK  SIR — At  your  request,  I  herewith  send  report  of  the  condition  in, 
which  I  found  the  several  post-offices  located  in  Charles  and  St.  Mary's 
counties,  Maryland.  At  Port  Tobacco,  numerous  and  repeated  comphfmts 
have  been  forwarded  to  me  by  detective  agents  of  the  Government,  concerning 
the  loyally  of  the  postmaster  at  this  place.  Charges  of  the  most  grave  and 
aggravated  character  have  been  made  by  the  few  Union  men  residing  in  this 
vicinity.  On  investigation,  I  found  that  he  has,  on  three  different  occasions, 
received  packages  of  letters,  post-marked  at  Baltimore,  and  forwarded  same 
to  Virginia.  On  or  about  the  loth  October,  a  Confederate  spy  mailed  at  this 
office  one  hundred  and  forty  letters,  which  he  (the  spy)  brought  direct  from 
Virginia.  This  was  done  with  the  full  knowledge  and  consent  of  the  post 
master.  In  addition  to  this,  he  has  aided  and  advised  a  number  of  young 
men  in  the  neighborhood  to  cross  the  river  and  join  the  Confederate  army. 

Allen's  Fresh. — The  postmaster  at  this  place  seldom  if  ever  attends  per 
sonally  to  the  duties  of  the  office,  but  leaves  the  business  in  the  hands  of  a 
young  boy,  some  twelve  or  fourteen  years  old.  I  found  in  this  office  nine 


MARYLAND   POSTMASTERS.  100 

uncalled-for  letters,  having  been  addressed  to  fictitious  names ;  on  opening 
them,  I  found  they  were  addressed  to  individuals  in  the  so-called  Confederate 
States.  The  postmaster  in  this  place  is  disloyal  and  can  not  be  trusted. 

Newport. — In  this  office,  I  found  a  package  of  fifty-two  letters,  written 
by  parties  now  residing  in  the  rebel  States,  addressed  to  persons  in  Baltimore. 
The  postmaster  is  a  first-class  rebel.  In  rny  opinion,  this  office  could  be 
discontinued,  it  being  located  but  two  miles  from  Allen's  Fresh. 

Charlotte's  Hall. — But  one  contraband  letter  was  found  in  this  office.  The 
postmaster  assures  me  that  he  is  a  good  Union  man,  and  is  doing  all  he  can  to 
assist  and  forward  the  interests  of  the  Government.  I  think  him  a  highly 
intelligent  gentleman,  but  hardly  sound. 

Oakville. — This  office  is  located  in  a  thrifty,  settled  community,  and  is  but 
of  little  importance;  being  some  distance  from  the  Potomac,  has  less  facilities 
than  other  offices  for  conducting  contraband  mail  matter.  I  consider  the 
postmaster  a  loyal,  good,  and  reliable  man. 

Chaptico. — From  the  peculiar  location  of  this  office  (being  situated  at  the 
head  of  Chaptico  Bay),  the  postmaster  has  very  superior  facilities  for  con 
ducting  a  large  contraband  business,  which  he  has  riot  failed  to  improve  to 
a  greater  extent  than  any  other  officer  in  Lower  Maryland.  Indeed,  lie 
openly  boasts  that  he  holds  two  appointments  as  postmaster — one  from 
Washington,  and  one  from  Richmond.  A  large  number  of  contraband  letters 
were  found  in  his  office.  In  addition  to  this,  he  is  an  habitual  drunkard, 
neglecting  the  duties  of  his  office  ;  he  has  repeatedly  neglected  to  lock  the 
mail-bag;  has  often  left  the  key  in  the  bag,  and  often  refused  to  open  the 
mail  at  all.  From  the  importance  of  this  office,  it  could  hardly  be  dis 
continued  without  a  positive  injury  to  a  large  number  of  good  and  loyal 
citizens. 

Leonardtown. — This  is  the  largest  village  or  town  in  Lower  Maryland. 
Charges  of  disloyalty  have  repeatedly  been  made  against  the  postmaster  of 
this  place,  many  of  which  I  have  thoroughly  investigated.  He  (Yates)  styles 
himself  a  State  Rights  man,  which  is  but  a  mild  term  for  secession.  A 
number  of  contraband  letters  were  found  in  his  office,  but  he  positively  denies 
knowing  the  writers,  or  the  parties  to  whom  they  are  addressed.  The 
citizens  generally  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  him,  and,  so  far  as  I  can 
judge,  the  office  was  well  managed.  Everything  seems  to  be  conducted 
with  a  great  deal  of  system  and  regularity.  As  no  better  man  could  be 
induced  to  take  the  office,  I  should  think  a  change  not  advisable  at  present. 

Great  Mills. — This  is  an  office  of  some  importance,  being  located  midway 
between  the  Pawtuxent  river  and  the  head  of  St.  Mary's,  by  opening  directly 
into  the  Potomac.  In  September  last,  acting  under  an  order  from  your 
department,  I  seized  the  entire  contents  of  the  office.  About  one-fourth  of 
the  mail  was  directed  (under  cover)  to  the  Confederate  States.  I  think, 
however,  the  postmaster  is  a  loyal  citizen,  but  has  been  very  negligent  in  his 
duties.  Not  desiring  to  incur  the  hatred  of  the  secession  community  in  which 
he  resided,  he  has  allowed  letters  to  be  received  at  his  office  from  the  rebel 
States,  addressed  to  well-known  traitors,  without  reporting  the  same  to  the 
proper  authorities.  - 1  think  a  change  should  be  made  at  this  office  at  once. 


110  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

Saint  Inagoes. — This  office  is  of  but  little  importance ;  but  few  letters 
received  or  mailed.  I  have  heard  no  complaints  against  the  postmaster  here, 
hence  I  conclude  he  is  loyal. 

From  the  very  meager  amount  realized,  I  have  found  it  exceedingly  diffi 
cult  to  find  good,  reliable,  loyal  men,  who  would  accept  the  appointment  of 
postmaster.  Many  who  are  competent  will  not  devote  the  necessary  tim^ 
required  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office.  I  have,  however,  obtained  the 
names  and  consent  of  loyal  citizens  who  will  accept  an  appointment  at  a 
number  of  the  offices  mentioned  in  this  report,  and,  ;w  soon  as  I  can  complete 
the  list,  I  shall  forward  the  same  to  your  department.  I  consider  it  a  matter 
of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  Government,  at  this  time,  that  our  post 
masters  should  be  loyal  and  true  to  the  Union,  particularly  when  their  offices 
can  by  any  possibility  be  used  in  any  manner  as  a  medium  to  convey  informa 
tion  to  the  Confederate  States.  To  discontinue  altogether  our  mail  facilities 
in  Lower  Maryland,  at  present  time,  would  result  in  a  great  inconvenience 
and  injury  to  the  few  loyal  people  residing  in  that  section,  as  well  as  our 
military  forces,  which,  at  my  suggestion,  have  been  stationed  along  the 
Potomac,  to  break  up  the  contraband  trade  so  successfully  carried  on  during 
the  past  summer. 

I  am,  most  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER. 

Special  Agent  P.  O.  Depart.,  and  Government  Detective. 


A  letter  which  was  intercepted  about  this  time  will  reveal 
the  demoniac  spirit  of  the  rebellion,  which,  I  regret  to  know, 
exists  still  to  an  alarming  extent  in  the  conquered  South  : — 


NANJKMOT,  December  19,  1862. 

Dr.  HATLINQ: — 

I  expect  to  go  from  home  soon,  under  another  permit,  to  Nanjemoy,  and 
want  to  make  a  good  thing  of  it — better  than  before.  What  I  say  about  the 
permit,  is  confidential ;  don't  forget. 

I  suppose  you  have  heard  but  little  of  the  truth  of  the  little  skirmish 
before  Fredericksburg.  Abolition,  with  Burnside  at  its  head,  was  somewhat 
scorched.  At  least  thirty  thousand  were  made  to  bite  the  dust.  The  strangled 
newspapers  on  this  side  dare  not  tell  half  the  truth.  I  have  my  information 
from  officers  and  men  who  were  on  the  field,  and  in  the  battle.  They  say  tho 
slaughter  can  never  be  described  or  forgotten  by  those  who  saw  it.  They 
lay  by  thousands  upon  a  single  acre.  The  Southern  blood  was  fully  up; 
they  spared  nothing,  but  slew  the  cringing,  cowardly,  wiglish  Abolitionists 
with  an  unsparing  hand. 

The  Southern  loss  was  comparatively  small,  it  is  thought  not  over  fifteen 
hundred,  though  nothing  can  be  definitely  known,  yet  awhile,  on  the  subject. 
It  was  doubtless  the  greatest  slaughter  ever  made  on  this  continent.  But 


A  REBEL  LETTER.  Hi 

will  it  teach  the  fools  at  Washington  wisdom?  I  hope  so.  Report  reached 
here  yesterday,  that  Burnside,  Stanton,  and  Halleck  have  resigned.  Lincoln, 
Be  ward,  &c.,  ought  to  follow  suit.  And  then  commence  and  hang  over/ 
Abolitionist  and  Black  Republican,  and  the  balance  may  have  some  peace. 
The  sooner  this  is  done  the  better. 

Your  friend, 
(Signed)  G.  W.  0. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

FRAUDS— DISLOYALTY  IN  MARYLAND. 

The  Freighted  Traveler — Treason  and  Frauds  overlooked  in  the  Rising  Storm  of 
Rebellion — The  Bankers — The  Pretty  Smuggler — Reliable  Character  of  thr 
Detective  Bureau — Disloyalty,  and  its  Punishments  in  Lower  Maryland — The 
Friends  of  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair  and  the  Quinine  Traffic  — "  Chunook ' 
Telegrams. 

THERE  was  about  this  time  a  rather  marked  illustration  of 
a  common  means  of  transporting  contraband  goods  across  the 
lines.  The  extent  to  which  such  methods  of  deception  were 
resorted  to  by  both  men  and  women  shows  the  stringency  of 
the  blockade  at  which  the  rebels  sneered  for  a  while,  and  the 
mania  for  speculation  amid  the  horrors  of  war. 

I  went  to  the  wharf  at  Baltimore  to  watch  the  movements 
of  a  suspicious  passenger  who  had  gone  just  before  me  to 
embark. 

He  succeeded  in  passing  the  scrutiny  of  Provost-Marshal 
McPhail,  and  went  on  board  the  steamer  bound  South.  I 
followed  him,  and  became  satisfied  that  I  had  tracked  an  old 
offender.  I  accordingly  addressed  him,  when  he  denied  any 
disloyal  designs.  His  hat  had  a  peculiar  appearance — seemed 
heavier  than  it  ought  to  be.  Removing  it,  I  saw  that  the 
interior  was  conical  in  form,  the  base  fitting  his  head.  I 
struck  the  top  of  the  crown  upon  the  rail  of  the  boat,  when 
a  cloud  of  quinine  dust  rose  in  the  air.  The  rogue  stood 
disclosed  ;  and  my  first  business  was  to  secure  his  weapons 
of  defense,  if  he  had  any.  A  pistol  was  found  and  seized. 
This  weapon  and  the  knife  are  the  universal  means  of  pro 
tection,  and  used  in  ways  unknown  to  any  but  villains  and 
their  captors.  On  one  occasion  a  man  had  his  Deringer  in 
his  pantaloons  pocket,  and  with  his  hand  was  turning  it  to 
fire  at  me  through  his  pocket,  when  I  sprang  upon  him  and 
took  it. 


AN  ENTERPRISING   TRAVELER.  113 

The  brief  report,  which,  will  give  further  particulars  in 
Wilson's  case,  alludes  to  the  search  for  him  in  Maryland, 
where,  to  escape  the  detectives,  he  sprang  from  a  window  in 
the  second  story  of  a  dwelling  and  got  away  : — 

WASHINGTON,  December  30,  1861. 

To  the  Honorable  SECRETARY  OF  STATE: — 

DEAR  SIR — On  the  morning  of  the  19th  instant,  I  arrested,  on  board  the 
steamer  Mary  Washington,  in  Baltimore,  one  William  Wilson.  Upon  search 
ing  his  person,  I  found  concealed  in  his  overcoat  pocket  a  large  druggist's 
jar,  containing  three  ounces  of  quinine,  a  package  of  letters  addressed  to 
parties  in  Europe,  and  a  number  of  photographs.  I  also  found  in  Wilson's 
hat,  very  ingeniously  concealed,  twenty  ounces  of  quinine.  From  reliable 
information  received  since  the  arrest,  I  am  satisfied  that  Wilson  is  the 
notorious  "Bill  Wilson,"  of  St.  Mary's  county,  Maryland,  and  the  individual 
for  whose  arrest  the  Government  lately  offered  a  large  reward.  Wilson  had  on 
his  person  British  papers,  showing  that  he  had  traveled  in  Europe  as  an 
Englishman. 

He  is  now  confined  in  Fort  McHenry,  awaiting  the  orders  of  the  State 
Department. 

I  consider  him  a  very  dangerous  man  to  be  at  large. 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 

L.  0.  BAKER. 

The  storm  of  civil  war  came  so  suddenly  upon  us,  that 
how  to  meet  it  was  the  great,  absorbing  question.  The 
Cabinet,  Congress,  and  the  loyal  masses  at  the  North  were 
intensely  aroused  to  the  need  of  men  and  money  to  beat  back 
the  wanton  assault  of  treason  upon  our  nationality. 

Consequently,  scarcely  a  thought  was  given  to  the  possi 
bility  of  disloyalty  and  frauds  at  home.  The  eye  was  fixed 
upon  the  dark  horizon  of  Southern  revolt ;  while  within  our 
own  brighter  one  were  plots  and  robberies  of  the  public 
treasury,  whose  disclosure  was  as  startling  as  it  was  sicken 
ing  to  every  patriotic  heart. 

An  example  of  rebel  perfidy  and  disregard  of  oaths  in  the 
highest  class  of  capitalists  was  discovered  toward  the  close 
of  1861.  The  house  of  J .,  Bros.  &  Co.,  bankers,  in  Baltimore, 
whose  business  previous  to  the  rebellion  was  principally 
with  Southern  banks,  applied  to  the  Hon.  Simon  Cameron 
for  a  permit  to  visit  friends  at  the  South.  Mr.  Cameron 
had  known  the  members  of  this  firm  to  be  of  the  first 
respectability,  and  gave  the  desired  pass. 

8 


114  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

After  this  was  used,  another  was  obtained,  until  a  large 
number  had  been  obtained  and  had  served  well  the  purpose 
of  the  enterprising  bankers. 

I  received  information  that  one  of  the  firm  was  engaged 
in  conveying  large  amounts  back  and  forth  in  connection 
with  the  banking  house  of  P.  M.,  Richmond ;  and  that  this 
means  was  resorted  to  for  the  transaction  of  business  which 
months  before  had  been  pronounced  contraband. 

I  determined  to  detect  the  offenders  in  the  act,  and  ex 
pose  their  disloyalty. 

Mr.  J.  was  arrested  at  the  Relay  House,  with  his  servant, 
and  upon  examination  of  his  baggage  a  large  amount  of 
exchange  and  rebel  correspondence  was  found. 

When  the  pass  taken  from  Mr.  J.  and  all  the  facts  were 
presented  to  Mr.  Seward,  he  directed  the  seizure  of  the 
bank.  It  was  decided  to  make  a  thorough  examination  of 
the  vaults.  The  firm  refusing  to  give  up  the  keys  of  them, 
they  were  broken  open,  and  revealed  the  shameful  truth 
that  the  house  had  been  for  months  acting  contrary  to  a  well- 
known  order  of  the  President  prohibiting  trade  with  the 
South. 

The  next  day  I  was  directed  by  Mr.  Seward  to  visit  the 
War  Department  by  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.  I  repaired  ac 
cordingly  to  his  office,  and  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of 
President  Lincoln,  Secretaries  Seward  and  Cameron,  ai^d 
Thomas  A.  Scott,  and  requested  to  identify  the  passes  issued 
to  J.  I  cannot  pretend  to  say  how  far  Mr.  Cameron  was 
imposed  upon  by  his  banking  friends,  or  to  what  extent 
the  disclosure  subsequently  influenced  his  course.  Mr.  J. 
was  sent  to  Fort  McHenry,  and  the  bank  remained  for  a 
long  time  closed. 

Not  far  removed  in  date  of  occurrence,  another  form  of 
fraudulent  speculation,  of  which  an  instance  among  the 
male  traitors  has  been  recorded  in  the  experience  of  "Billy 
Wilson,"  presented  itself  under  a  new  and  very  amusing 
aspect. 

I  was  standing  on  the  steamboat  wharf  at  the  foot  of  Sev 
enth  Street,  Washington,  with  some  of  my  assistants,  when  a 
pretty  .and  tastefully  dressed  woman  stepped  from  a  carriage 


THE  FAIR  SMUGGLER.  115 

and  cast  a  restless,  inquiring  glance  upon  the  miscellaneous 
crowd  around  her.  This  little  peculiarity  attracted  my  at 
tention.  For,  not  unfrequently,  the  clew  to  a  crime  and  its 
perpetrator  is  given  by  such  signals,  of  both  which  only  a 
detective  of  some  experience  would  observe.  An  anxious 
look,  a  passing  expression  of  the  face,  a  confused  manner  or 
answer  to  a  question,  becomes  the  key  to  unlock  a  great  and 
dark  mystery  of  wrong. 

I  closely  watched  the  fair  traveler  as  she  walked  upon 
the  narrow,  springy  plank  to  the  boat,  and  saw  that  the  foot 
bridge  yielded  to  her  step  quite  too  much  for  her  natural 
weight.  I  was  satisfied,  upon  a  nearer  observation,  that 
under  her  light  outer  dress  there  was  a  heavier  garment  than 
anything  in  the  usual  contents  of  the  female  wardrobe. 

I  politely  accosted  her  in  the  saloon,  and  said  : 

"  Madam,  what  have  you  concealed  under  your  dress  ?" 

"  Nothing,  sir,"  she  sharply  replied,  "that  I  have  not  a 
right  to  carry." 

uSee  here,  my  lady  ;  just  step  into  that  state-room,  and 
relieve  yourself  of  the  contraband  goods  without  further 
ceremony  or  trouble." 

She  disappeared,  and  a  moment  later,  from  the  partially- 
opened  door  spitefully  threw  a  skirt,  in  which  was  quilted 
forty  pounds  of  sewing  silk,  saying: 

"  I  suppose  you  think  that  you  are  very  smart." 

I  quietly  replied:  "Smart  enough  for  you,  madam;" 
rolled  up  the  valuable  garment,  and  left  her  to  her  own 
reflections. 

In  the  introduction  to  this  volume,  I  said  that  it  was  the 
aim,  and  to  some  extent  a  successful  one,  I  think,  to  give  to 
the  Detective  Bureau  a  character  second  to  no  other  part  of  the 
national  service  in  reliability.  No  man,  however  successful 
in  his  particular  work,  was  allowed  to  remain  in  my  employ 
ment  if  found  to  be  wanting  in  integrity.  I  quote  one  case 
from  several  on  this  point. 

Mr.  M.,  in  accordance  with  the  subjoined  order,  was 
arrested  and  confined  in  the  Old  Capitol  Prison  : 

WASHINGTON,  2Tarch  12, 1862. 
To  the  Honorable  P.  H.  WATSON,  Assistant  Secretary  of  War : 

DEAB  SIR — In  compliance  with  your  order  of  the  8th,  I  herewith  forward 


116  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

report  in  the  case  of  S.  M.  M.,  a  detective  agent  of  the  United  States  Govern 
ment,  charged  by  John  Evans,  John  Bradshaw,  and  others,  captains  of  schooners 
engaged  on  the  Potomac,  with  having  at  sundry  times  blackmailed  or  extorted 
money  illegally  from  them. 

1st.  Mr.  S.  M.  M.  is  not,  nor  has  been  at  any  time,  in  my  employ.  On 
or  about  the  12th  of  January,  1862,  Mr.  M.  was  appointed  by  the  State 
Department  as  a  detective  agent,  and  was  ordered  to  report  to  me.  I  imme 
diately  sent  him  to  Alexandria,  Virginia,  for  the  purpose  of  watching  all 
suspected  persons ;  giving  him  no  authority  to  arrest  or  seize  property  of  any 
description  without  first  obtaining,  through  me,  the  proper  order  from  the 
State  Department. 

On  the  10th  instant,  I  applied  to  Mr.  Allen,  before  and  by  whom  the 
affidavits  forwarded  to  your  department  were  acknowledged,  and  ascertained 
that  the  charges  were  true,  except  as  to  date,  and  some  other  minor  discrep 
ancies,  which  do  not  in  any  manner  alter  the  charges  or  affect  the  matter.  So 
far  as  Mr.  M.  is  concerned,  I  consider  the  charges  made  in  the  Affidavits 
proved,  and  deeply  regret  that  any  officer  with  whom  I  have  had  any  connec 
tion  should  be  guilty  of  such  conduct. 

If  any  class  of  men  in  the  employ  of  the  Government  at  this  time  should 
be  honest  and  trustworthy,  it  is  its  confidential  agents. 

I  respectfully  suggest  that  you  order  me  officially  to  discharge  Mr.  S.  M.  M. 
immediately 

I  am,  Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Government  Detective,  War  Department. 

Several  weeks  before  the  occurrences  which  will  soon  be 
narrated,  information  had  been  conveyed  to  the  War  De 
partment,  from  Lower  Maryland,  of  treasonable  designs  and 
operations  of  the  people  residing  there.  The  loyal  few  en 
tered  their  complaint  in  words  which  I  shall  quote  : — 

GREAT  MII.I,S  P.  0.,  ) 

ST.  MARY'S  COUNTY,  November  13,  1861.  j 

Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War: — 

DEAR  SIR — Being  a  loyal  citizen  of  Maryland,  I  regard  it  an  imperative 
duty  to  inform  the  Government  of  some  facts  which  I  hope  the  Government 
may  recognize. 

There  is  a  set  of  men  here  who  have  done,  and  are  still  doing,  all  in  their 
power  to  aid  the  rebel  army.  They  have  used  the  most  treasonable  language 
toward  the  Government;  they  have  harbored,  fed,  and  equipped,  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  a  great  many  men,  and  then  have  conveyed  them  to  Vir 
ginia.  I  also  firmly  believe  they  have  arms  buried  in  a  churchyard,  ready  to 
use  upon  the  Union  people  here,  should  the  opportunity  offer.  These  men 
have  done  much  against  the  Union  cause  here.  At  the  recent  election,  they 
tried  to  have  men  vote  who  acknowledged  they  had  been  to  Virginia  to  bear 


THE  MARYLAND   UNIONISTS   COMPLAIN.  117 

arms  against  the  Government,  and  did  finally  succeed  in  regard  to  some  who 
had  been  to  the  rebels,  in  the  face  of  all  I  could  do.  We  polled  many  more 
votes  than  they  anticipated,  and  they  now  threaten  our  lives  and  property, 
and  say  they  will  drive  us  from  our  homes. 

They  organized  a  vigilance  committee,  and  waited  upon  many  Union  men, 
and  even  forced  one  citizen  to  leave  the  county ;  this,  sir,  would  be  confirmed 
by  all  the  Union  men  in  the  district.  I  shall  take  here  the  liberty  to  append 
the  names  of  these  men.  As  I  have  said  before,  if  the  chance  offers  itself,  our 
lives  and  property  are  in  danger.  Since  the  election,  their  hatred  has  become 
bitter,  since  they  see  the  majority  in  the  State  for  the  Government. 

I  now  beg  to  say  a  few  words  in  regard  to  the  gentlemen  who  have  been 
elected  by  the  disunionists  to  serve  in  the  Legislature.  They  have  publicly 
said  they  owe  no  allegiance  to  the  Government,  and  they  further  say  they  are 
not  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  also  say  they  had  rather  see  the  Govern 
ment  sink  to  hell,  than  to  see  the  Southern  Confederacy  lose  the  slightest 
victory. 

These,  sir,  are  the  men  elected  as  our  guardians  in  the  two  branches  of  the 
Legislature.  We,  the  Union  men  of  St.  Mary's  county,  do  solemnly  protest 
against  these  men,  and  contend,  as  the  true  and  loyal  citizens  of  Maryland, 
they  do  in  no  wise  represent  our  views,  and  believe  that  these  men  will 
not  defend  our  rights,  and  redress  our  grievances*in  the  both  Houses.  We, 
sir,  believe  that  a  Camanche  has  as  much  right,  and  would  as  soon  recognize 
one,  as  the  men  forced  upon  us  by  the  rebels.  We  beg  protection  in  our 
county,  and  in  the  Legislature,  by  the  removal  of  these  men  from  our  midst. 
They  are  still  carrying  a  great  many  goods,  and  I  believe  some  ammunition 
and  arms  to  the  rebels. 

Captain  Gray,  of  one  the  cutters  in  the  Potomac,  I  much  fear  will  have 
trouble  by  his  gentlemanly  conduct  and  courtesy  toward  the  rebels  here.  I 
heard  from  them  that  they  intended  a  party  of  them,  sufficient  in  number,  to 
go  aboard  to  dine  or  exchange  courtesies,  and  seize  the  vessel  and  crew,  and 
run  them  into  Virginia.  This  is  from  these  men  whom  I  shall  give  the  names 
of.  We  beg  that  these  men  may  be  taken  out  of  our  midst,  and  sent  away 
from  us.  They  threaten  us  in  the  most  unmeasured  terms.  I  beg  to  know  if 
we  are  recognized,  that  I  may  appease  the  fears  of  our  people  here.  Many  of 
them  are  much  frightened,  as  the  rebels  are  largely  in  the  ascendency,  and 
they  threaten  desolation.  Take  the  men  whose  names  I  here  append,  and  all 
will  be  well  with  us — as  loyal  people. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  R.  BISCOE, 

Great  Mills  P.  O., 

St.  Mary's  County.  Maryland. 
To  Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 

Those  elected  to  the  Legislature  :  for  Senate,  L.  B. ;  House  delegates,  B.  G. 
Harris,  Esq.,  J.  F.  D. ;  Aiders  and  abettors :  H.  J.  C.  and  son,  J.  D.  F.  and  son, 
B.  K.,  B.  H.,  Dr.  F.  S.,  Dr.  A.  L.,  I.  A.,  and  J.  A.,  E.  H.  J.,  S.  H.,  M.  H., 


118  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

F.  C.,  T.  S.,  J.  G.,  Dr.  A.,  W.  C.  A.,  B.  H.,  and  in  fact  every  rebel  here, 
have  done  something  to  contribute  to  the  rebel  forces. 

Yours, 

J.  B. 
The  paper  had  this  indorsement : — 

Hon.  WILLIAM  H.  SEWABD  : — 

Inclosed  is  a  list  of  candidates  that  I  think  .are  fair  subjects  for  Fort 
Warren. 

THOMAS  A.  SCOTT,  Asst.  Sec.  of  "War. 

Before  leaving  Washington,  I  was  directed  "by  Mr.  Sew- 
ard  to  exercise  my  own  judgment  and  discretion  as  to  the 
arrest  of  these  persons,  furnished  with  the  following  order  :— 

DEPARTMENT  or  STATE,          ) 
"WASHINGTON,  November  19, 1861.  J 

To  Brigadier-General  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  or  General  HOOKEB  : — 
GENERAL — The  bearer  of  this  is  Mr.  L.  C.  Baker,  a  detective  in  the  employ 
of  this  department,  whom  I  have  requested  to  look  after  some  disloyal  per 
sons  in  St.  Mary's  county,  Maryland.     I  will  thank  you  to  render  him  any 
assistance  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  that  he  may  require. 
I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
F.  W.  SEWARD, 

Assistant  Secretary. 

Further  facts,  in  addition  to  those  already  in  my  posses 
sion,  determined  my  action  in  this  matter. 

I  selected  the  names  of  eight  persons  to  be  arrested  ; 
among  them,  one  H.,  residing  on  Patuxent  river,  near  its 
mouth,  at  a  place  called  Millstone  Landing. 

H.,  aside  from  his  secession  heresy,  was  a  man  of 
notoriously  bad  character,  and  the  terror  of  his  neighbor 
hood.  An  old  resident,  he  had  become  familiar  with  all  the 
streams,  bays,  inlets,  &c.,  of  that  region,  including  the  Po 
tomac  and  Patuxent  rivers,  and  Chesapeake  bay.  The 
character  of  the  man,  and  this  knowledge  of  the  country, 
made  him  a  fit  tool,  and  valuable  member  of  the  band  of 
blockade  runners  and  spies,  who  resorted  to  his  house  as 
their  place  of  rendezvous. 

For  ten  days  before  I  was  on  his  track,  he  had  slept  in  the 
woods,  from  fear  of  being  taken. 

As  an  evidence  of  rebel  zeal,  they  had  arranged,  a  system 


THE  ARREST  OF   REBEL  EMISSARIES.  H9 

of  signals,  to  give  the  alarm  whenever  a  detective  or  Gov 
ernment  agent  appeared  in  the  vicinity. 

During  the  day,  strips  of  white  cotton  cloth  were  careless 
ly  suspended  from  the  windows  of  their  residences,  or  from 
a  tree  or  shrub,  to  give  notice  of  the  arrival.  In  the  night, 
the  signal  was  the  blowing  of  tin  horns. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  and  to  accomplish  the  purpose  of 
arresting  the  traitors,  the  greatest  caution  was  necessary. 

I  therefore  divided  my  force  of  a  hundred  men  into  eight 
or  ten  parties,  giving  each  officer  a  minute  description  of  the 
residence  of  the  man  to  be  arrested.  Aware  that  the  arrest 
of  any  one  of  the  band  before  the  others  would  immediately 
alarm  them,  these  squads  all  left  camp  at  the  same  time,  with 
the  understanding  that,  whether  the  arrests  were  made  or 
not,  the  whole  company  should  rendezvous  at  a  certain 
point  the  next  morning  at  eight  o'clock.  A  more  inclement 
and  a  wilder  night  I  have  rarely  known. 

The  streams  were  swollen  by  rains,  and  the  darkness 
great,  which  tended  to  make  the  expedition  very  uncertain 
and  uncomfortable. 

With  the  thirteen  men  who  accompanied  me,  at  two 
o'clock  A.  M.,  I  surrounded  the  house  of  H.  On  knock 
ing  at  the  door,  I  gained  no  response.  Forcing  my  entrance 
into  the  house,  I  was  confronted  by  H.  with  a  loaded  pisto1, 
who  desired  to  know  my  errand.  I  replied  : 

"H.,  your  house  is  surrounded,  and  I  have  come  to 
take  you  prisoner.  Give  me  that  pistol."  He  did  so  reluct 
antly. 

Upon  searching  the  house,  I  found  six  notorious  blockade- 
runners  in  the  upper  story.  Two  were  on  their  way  to 
"  Dixie"  with  mail,  and  four  returning,  and  conveying  letters 
of  more  or  less  importance  North. 

Naturally  enough,  the  company  were  greatly  disconcerted. 

I  put  these  under  arrest,  and,  while  searching  outhouses, 
found  the  4 '  intelligent  contraband. ' '  Upon  questioning  him,  I 
learned  where  a  large  number  of  pistols  and  sabers,  which 
he  had  carted  to  their  place  of  interment,  on  their  way  South, 
were  buried.  From  him  I  also  ascertained  that  a  large 
square  box,  containing  Sharp' s  rifles,  was  buried  in  a  Catho 
lic  church-yard  three  miles  from  the  river. 


120  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

Upon  application  to  the  Rev.  Mr. ,  pastor  of  the  flock 

worshiping  there,  he  treated  my  statements  with  ridicule, 
and  refused  to  let  me  desecrate  the  "hallowed  ground,"  pro 
nouncing  the  act  wanton  sacrilege.  He  denounced  the  Gov 
ernment  for  permitting  it. 

I  proceeded  to  the  burial-place  with  the  contraband,  who 
pointed  out  the  grave.  When  my  men  commenced  throwing 
out  the  dirt,  the  priest  approached,  and  with  uplifted  hands 
exclaimed :  "  Is  it  possible  that,  in  this  enlightened  age,  men 
can  be  found  who  will  willfully  desecrate  the  resting-place 
of  the  dead!" 

I  continued  the  work  of  exhuming  the  treasure  until  a 
new  and  large  pine  box  was  found  and  raised  to  the  surface. 
It  contained  fifty-six  Sharp' s  rifles,  with  fifty  rounds  of  am 
munition  each. 

My  clerical  friend  exclaimed,  with  apparent  surprise,  "I 
wonder  how  those  arms  could  have  got  there  !" 

It  may  be  well  to  state  here,  that  one  of  the  fondest 
dreams  of  the  people  of  Lower  Maryland  was,  that  at  some 
future  day  the  rebel  army  would  cross  the  Potomac,  and 
have  on  the  nearer  shore  to  Washington  a  base  of  operations 
against  the  capital.  Therefore  these  people  had  long  been 
secreting  arms  and  ammunition,  to  be  ready  for  this  grand 
movement. 

My  plan,  which  has  been  before  referred  to,  but  par 
tially  succeeded,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  arrival  of  the 
military  was  known. 

Dr.  S.,  a  prominent  rebel,  had  left  his  home  on  the  first 
intimation  of  our  approach.  His  house  was  visited  the  next 
day,  but  he  was  not  at  home. 

My  squad  were  hungry,  and  asked  for  dinner.  The 
women  at  once  began  to  prepare  it.  Among  the  inviting 
dishes  was  a  roasted  opossum.  We  all  ate  heartily,  and, 
besides  paying  liberally  for  the  meal,  we  kindly  thanked 
our  fair  hostess  for  the  satisfactory  repast. 

Upon  reaching  camp  we  were  taken  ill,  and  in  a  few 
hours  three  out  of  the  five  were  in  a  dangerous  condition. 

A  physician  was  called,  who  said:  " These  men  have 
been  poisoned.  What  have  they  been  eating  ?" 

No  explanation  could  be  then  given  ;  but  it  was  after- 


SMUGGLING  QUININE  SOUTH.  121 

ward  ascertained  that  the  opossum  had  extra  dressing  for 
our  special  benefit. 

H.,  with  seven  of  his  companions,  was  confined  in  Fort 
Lafayette  a  year. 

The  name  will  again  appear  in  the  record  of  a  later  period, 
in  a  light  no  more  flattering. 

I  learned  about  this  time  that  persons  connected  with  dis 
tinguished  politicians  were  engaged  in  suspicious  business 
in  Washington.  The  names  were  Mrs.  T.,  Miss  L.  B.  B., 
and  M.  B.  B.,  a  Baptist  minister. 

I  also  learned  that  Mrs.  T.  was  the  mother  of  Miss  B., 
the  sister-in-law  of  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair,  Postmaster- 
General,  and  that  Mrs.  T.  and  her  friends  resided  in  Fau- 
quier  County,  Virginia.  The  passes  had  been  procured 
on  the  recommendation  of  Postmaster  Blair,  to  give  these 
persons  the  opportunity  to  get  a  few  of  the  "necessaries 
of  life." 

An  espionage  of  the  visitors  disclosed  a  traffic  in  quinine 
of  considerable  extent. 

They  had  visited  three  drug  stores,  and  purchased  six 
hundred  ounces.  This  was  taken  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Gal 
lagher,  brother  of  Miss  B.  To  ascertain  in  what  way  the 
quinine  was  to  be  conveyed,  resort  was  had  again  to  the 
contraband. 

A  negro  servant  at  Mr.  Gallagher's  house  soon  reported 
that  Miss  B.  was  engaged  in  making  a  skirt  formed  of  sec 
tions,  or  long  pockets,  lined  with  oiled  silk. 

The  smugglers  were  so  closely  watched  that  every  move 
ment  in  the  purchase  was  known  within  half  an  hour  after  it 
occurred. 

I  had  decided  not  to  arrest  them  until  they  were  over  our 
lines.  After  they  left  Washington,  I  called  on  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Blair,  and  told  him  the  particulars  in  regard  to  his  friends  ; 
when  and  where  the  medicine  was  obtained  ;  the  manufacture 
of  the  skirt  for  its  transportation,  &c.  I  further  apprised  him 
that  they  had  that  morning  started  for  home.  Mr.  Blair  lis 
tened  to  my  story,  and  then  pleasantly  remarked:  "  Why, 
Baker,  those  persons  are  as  loyal  as  you  are,  and  I  loaned 
them  the  money." 

Then  taking  his  bank  book  from  his  drawer,  he  added : 


122  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

"  See  ;  I  have  just  had  my  note  for  five  hundred  dollars 
discounted  to  help  these  poor  people." 

I  replied  :  "  Mr.  Blair,  I  cannot  be  mistaken  about  this." 

Exhibiting  much  impatience  at  my  positiveness,  he  said  : 
"  Well,  arrest  them  ;  and  if  you  find  the  quinine,  put  them 
in  the  Old  Capitol." 

Three  miles  over  the  lines,  I  stopped  4he  travelers,  and 
informed  Miss  B.  that  I  wanted  to  examine  the  skirt.  She 
immediately  went  into  a  farm-house,  took  off  the  garment, 
and  threw  it  down  indignantly,  saying :  "  So  this  is  the  way 
you  treat  Southern  ladies." 

The  whole  party  were  then  escorted  to  Washington. 

Miss  B.  and  Mr.  B.  were  lodged  in  the  Old  Capitol 
prison.  Upon  reporting  the  facts  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
he  directed  me  turn  the  quinine  over  to  the  medical  director, 
the  horse  and  wagon  to  the  quartermaster,  and  the  groceries 
to  the  hospitals. 

The  next  morning  the  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair  and 
Miss  B.  called,  and  demanded  the  restoration  of  the  prop 
erty. 

I  informed  them  of  its  disposal. 

On  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  Mr.  Blair  came  back  with 
written  order  from  Mr.  Lincoln  to  deliver  up  the  goods. 

I  told  him  that  this  was  impossible,  for  it  had  already 
been  handed  over  to  the  Government  by  authority  of  the 
Secretary  of  War. 

He  then  demanded  my  removal  from  office. 

Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  see  that  I  had  disobeyed  any  order, 
and  failed  to  appreciate  his  Postmaster's  regard  for  law  and 
his  Southern  friends. 

The  parties  were  kept  in  prison  several  weeks,  and  then 
paroled. 

We  add  Mr.  B.'s  statement,  made  under  oath  : — 


M.  B.  B.  makes  the  following  statement : — 

I  \vas  born  in  Loudon  County,  Virginia.  Aged  twenty-three  years.  Re 
side  in  Fauquier  County,  Virginia.  On  or  about  the  27th  of  October,  1862, 
Mrs.  T.,  her  daughter  (Miss  L.  B.  B.),  and  myself,  came  to  Washington  city, 
in  a  buggy  or  carriage,  which  was  owned  by  Mrs.  T. — the  horse  belonged  to 
me.  Mrs.  T.  also  had  in  her  employ  a  wagon  and  team,  which,  I  believe, 


MR.   BAYLY'S   COMPANION".  123 

were  the  property  of  the  driver,  and  which  were  engaged  by  her  to  convey 
groceries  to  her  home,  for  family  use. 

My  visit  to  Washington,  at  the  time  referred  to,  was  at  the  written 
request  of  Mrs.  T.,  desiring  me  to  accompany  her  to  Washington.  After 
making  her  purchases,  she  (Mrs.  T.)  obtained  the  necessary  passes  for  our 
return;  we  started  for  home,  and  arrived  in  Alexandria,  Virginia.  The 
weather  being  rainy,  Miss  B.  and  myself  commenced  the  preliminaries  for 
taking  medicines  through  the  lines,  on  a  speculation.  After  the  agreement 
to  do  so,  I  ordered  some  of  the  medicines  in  Alexandria,  when  our  party 
(Mrs.  T.,  Miss  B.,  and  myself)  concluded  to  return  to  Washington,  D.  C. ; 
but  Mrs.  T.,  to  my  knowledge,  knew  nothing  of  the  contraband  arrangement 
between  Miss  B.  and  myself. 

The  purchases  were  all  made  by  me,  both  in  Alexandria  and  in  Washing 
ton.  Miss  B.  and  myself  jointly  expended  about  five  hundred  dollars  in  the 
enterprise. 

Miss  B.'s  arrangements  for  the  conveyance  were  completed  at  Mr.  Gal 
lagher's  residence  on  Fifteenth  Street ;  mine  were  completed  in  Alexandria. 
After  taking  every  precaution  for  success,  we  started  for  home  in  the  same 
conveyance  that  brought  us,  and  the  same  parties,  viz. :  Mrs.  T.,  Miss  B.,  and 
myself. 

We  proceeded  homeward  until  stopped  by  the  pickets,  near  Chantilly,  and 
were  then  taken  to  Ceritreville,  Fairfax  County,  Virginia,  where  we  were 
searched,  and  the  contraband  medicines  found  and  taken  from  us.  I  had  but 
two  letters,  which  were  taken  from  me  when  arrested — one  was  given  me  by 
Miss  B.  H.  (who,  I  believe,  boards  on  Four-and-a-Half  Street),  remarking  at 
the  time,  that  it  was  from  her  mother  to  her  sister;  Mr.  McV.,  of  Alexandria, 
handed  me  the  other,  requesting  me  to  send  it  to  his  father,  remarking  that 
there  was  nothing  treasonable  in  it. 

I  did  not  know  of  any  letters  on  the  person  of  Miss  B.,  previous  to 
our  arrest.  When  arrested,  Miss  B.  and  myself  regretted  the  cause 
thereof,  as  we  imagined  Postmaster-General  Montgomery  Blair  might  be 
censured  for  aiding  and  assisting  us  in  obtaining  passes,  our  actions,  as 
detected,  having  the  appearance  of  disloyalty.  It  is  but  justice  to  that  gen 
tleman  to  say,  that  he  knew  nothing  of  the  matter  between  Miss  B.  and 
myself. 

Besides  the  contraband  medicines  taken  from  me,  I  had  two  carpet-bags, 
which  contained  my  clothing.  I  also  hold  a  receipt  from  detective  officer 
Lee,  for  "  forty  dollars  in  treasury  notes,  thirty  dollars  in  Virginia  State  notes, 
twenty-four  dollars  in  Confederate  notes,  and  two  dollars  on  broken  bank," 
together  with  my  horse,  which  was  in  the  buggy  when  arrested.  I  believe 
all  these  are  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  L.  C.  Baker,  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War 
Department,  and,  being  my  individual  property,  I  respectfully  ask  their  return 
on  the  disposal  of  my  case.  * 

Having  thus  truthfully  stated  rny  case,  and  my  lady  companion  (Miss  B.) 
having  been  discharged,  I  presume  that  justice  and  punishment  should  be 
administered  without  partiality.  I,  therefore,  respectfully  ask  my  discharge 
from  confinement  on  the  same  conditions  and  privileges  as  were  conceded  to 


124  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

Miss  L.  B.  B.,  my  companion  in  the  unfortunate  matter  which  caused  ray 
arrest  and  confinement. 

M.  B.  B. 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  this  eleventh  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1862, 
the  above-named  Marcus  B.  B.,  and,  being  sworn  according  to  law,  de 
clares  the  above  statement  to  be  true. 

L.  C.  TURNER, 

'    Judge-Advocate. 
Witness  my  hand  and  seal  the  day  and  year  aforesaid. 

The  telegraph  lines  were  especially  guarded  after  the  war 
commenced.  Great  failures  in  army  movements  were  caused 
by  the  improper  use  of  the  telegraph. 

When  battles  were  impending,  guards  and  censors  to 
watch  it  were  sent  by  the  Government  to  the  offices,  for  two 
reasons :  first,  to  prevent  intelligence  from  reaching  the  ene 
my  ;  secondly,  to  keep  it  out  of  the  hands  of  unscrupulous 
persons,  who  would  use  it  for  speculation.  Two  millions 
of  dollars  were  made  in  Wall  Street  in  an  hour  by  a  single 
telegram.  The  business  of  that  money  market  was  governed 
by  the  army  movements.  Various  tricks  and  expedients 
were  resorted  to  for  the  concealment  of  the  traffic  in  blood 
and  gold. 

Very  few  exceptions,  however,  were  made  to  this  general 
rule.  The  commanding  general,  chief  quartermaster,  and 
a  few  others,  were  permitted  to  send  dispatches  not  subject 
to  the  usual  censorship.  A  prominent  officer  attached  to 
headquarters,  who  had  spent  his  early  life  in  Oregon,  with 
the  army,  had  become  familiar  with  an  Indian  jargon  called 
CJiunook,  introduced  by  cast-away  sailors,  seventy-five 
years  ago.  No  trade  but  that  of  whale-ships  was  then 
carried  on  along  that  coast.  The  sailors  taught  the  Indians 
certain  expressions,  pretending  them  to  be  English,  which 
remain  in  use  among  them. 

A  prominent  Oregon  politician,  then  in  Washington— a 
friend  of  the  army  officer  before  referred  to — had  also  learned 
this  "Chunook."  Presuming  that  the  knowledge  of  this 
jargon  was  confined  to  themselves  at  the  East,  they  had 
arranged  a  system  of  telegrams,  to  speculate  in  gold. 

December  12,  1862,  after  a  temporary  repulse  of  the  Union 
Army,  I  was  sent  for  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  said : 


CHUNOOK   TELEGRAMS.  125 

"  Colonel,  can  you  tell  me  what  this  means  ?"  handing  me  a 
telegram,  which  I  recognized  at  once  as  Chunook.  The  dis 
patch  was  signed  "—  — ,"  and  sent  to . 

I  replied  :   "  Oregon  Indian  jargon." 

He  added :  "  What  is  jargon  \ " 

I  explained. 

He  asked  me  to  write  out  a  translation  of  it. 

The  Secretary  did  not  seem  fully  to  appreciate  my 
knowledge  of  the  language. 

He  inquired  if  there  were  others  who  understood  it. 

I  replied :  "  Yes,  several." 

Retaining  the  telegram,  he  sent  for  Mr.  D.,  clerk  in  the 
Department  of  the  Interior,  who  had  also  been  in  Oregon. 

He  translated  it  substantially  as  I  had  done.  The  Sec 
retary,  still  incredulous,  sent  for  General  -  — ,  who  is  a 
tine  linguist. 

He  said:  "Mr.  Secretary,  why,  this  is  Hungarian:"  a 
reply  which  was  for  some  time  a  standing  joke  at  the  gener 
al's  expense. 

The  dispatches  continued  to  arrive  that  and  the  next  day. 
They  were  altered,  transposed,  &c.,  then  forwarded,  to  the 
great  wonder  and  bewilderment  of  the  recipients. 

We  copy  the  original  telegrams  with  the  two  translations, 
intimating  that  the  Chunook  system  of  telegraphing  was  re 
jected  by  the  Government. 

The  expressions,  apparently  so  disconnected,  had  each  a 
significance  well  understood  by  the  army  speculators  :— 


NESIKA  ISCUM  FP.EDEBICKSBURG. 

Hin  nesika  pooh  cononay  okok  sun  copa  Inn  bias  guns.  Wake  hin  tilicum 
mameloos.  Tomolloh  tenas  sun  nesika  puck  puck  copa  musket  pe  cononay 
pire  ictas.  Nahnitka  clunas  silcum  nesika  mameloos  kata  wake  chaco  ole 
nez. 

Where  is  S.  Where  H.  S.  Come  here  to-day.  My  soldiers  come  as  you 
told  me.  Now  tell  me,  old  N.,  suppose  you  want  to  see  one  big  firing.  All 
well,  you  make  haste  here  now.  News  why  mad,  yes,  to-morrow. 

Where  is  S.  Tell  H.  S.  to  come  here  to-day.  The  soldiers  come  as  you 
told  me.  Now  tell  old  N.,  suppose  he  wants  to  see  one  big  firing,  all  right, 
make  haste  here.  They  will  be  mad  to-morrow. 


126  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  TELEGRAPH,  "WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  D.  0.,  December  12, 1862.  f 

Wake  siyah  cultus  mitlike  nesika  conoway  okok  sun  nika  tumtum  claska 
rebels  puck  puck  nesika  tornallah  kagna  pilitin  divils  klasli  nauitch  conoway 
sun  tomallah  klark  aiyum  mika. 

We  have  come  to  Fredericksburg.  A  great  many  we  shoot  all  this  day, 
with  a  great  many  big  guns.  A  great  many  of  your  people  are  killed.  To 
morrow  morning  we  shoot  with  muskets  and  all  firVarrns.  Yes,  probably 
half  of  us  will  be  dead.  Why  don't  you  come. 

We  have  come  to  Fredericksburg.  We  have  killed  a  great  many  to-day, 
with  big  guns.  A  great  many  of  their  people  are  killed.  To-morrow  morn 
ing  we  shoot  with  muskets,  and  all  kinds  of  fire-arms.  Probably  half  of  us 
will  be  dead.  Why  don't  old  N.  come. 

It  appears  to  patriotic  "outsiders"  incredible  that  such  a 
morbid  spirit  of  speculation  could  exist  amid  the  tragedies 
of  civil  war  ;  but  those  who  escaped  the  contamination  in  the 
arena  of  tempting  opportunities  were  the  select  and  incor 
ruptible  few,  at  whose  head  was  Abraham  Lincoln. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

OFFICIAL  SERVICES  AND  EMBARRASSMENTS— NEW  ORDER  OF  THINGS. 

The  Bureau  transferred  to  the  War  Department — Dr.  H.,  and  the  Perilous  Adventure 
of  which  he  was  the  occasion — Report  of  the  Case — Arrest  of  the  Leader  of  a 
great  secret  Southern  Organization — Documents  and  Letters — Rebel  Poetry. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE,  ) 

WASHINGTON,  February  15,  1862.  ) 

SIR — Permit  me  to  introduce  Mr.  L.  0.  Baker,  who  has  been  employed 
by  the  State  Department  in  the  detective  service,  and  who,  so  far  as  known, 
has  discharged  his  duties  in  a  manner  entirely  acceptable.  In  consequence 
of  Executive  Order  No.  1,  dated  February  14,  this  department  has  no  further 
use  of  his  services.  He  is  commended  to  your  consideration  as  a  capable  and 
efficient  officer. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  H.  SEWARD. 
Hon.  EDWIN  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 

Some  interesting  adventures  soon  after  followed. 

Dr.  G.  H.  was  from  Leesburg,  Va.  ;  graduated  in  the 
Medical  College  of  Philadelphia,  and  became  engaged,  while 
attending  lectures,  to  the  daughter  of  a  prominent  citizen, 
and  subsequently  married  her. 

Immediately  after  the  rebellion  broke  out,  he  took  sides 
with  the  South,  and  became  so  obnoxious  to  the  people  of 
Germantown,  by  the  declaration  of  his  secession  sentiments, 
that  a  committee  waited  upon  him  requesting  him  to  leave, 
which  he  refused  to  do.  This  so  exasperated  the  citizens, 
that  they  warned  him  to  take  a  peaceful  farewell  of  the  com 
munity.  He  decided,  at  length,  to  go  South.  Removing  to 
Baltimore,  with  others  of  similar  character,  among  them  Cap 
tain  Wardell,  of  the  STienandoah,  he  entered  into  the  exciting 
but  lucrative  business  of  blockade-running.  In  the  selection 
of  his  associates,  as  will  appear,  he  took  one  of  my  detec 
tives,  and  gave  the  details  of  the  plan,  dates  of  intended 
operations,  and  the  kind  of  goods  to  be  sold.  The  schooner 
chartered  by  them  was  the  James  Buchanan — a  fitting 
name. 


128  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

Having  learned  all  the  facts,  I  provided  a  tug,  and  was 
lying  off  Annapolis  two  days  and  nights,  expecting  every 
moment  the  appearance  of  the  schooner;  whose  departure 
was  delayed  by  a  terrible  snow-storm. 

And  here  I  was  obliged  to  resort  to  one  of  the  subter 
fuges  which  were  employed  afterward  so  successfully  by 
my  assistants.  * 

Putting  on  the  old  oily  clothes  of  an  engineer,  and  with 
an  oil  can  in  my  hand,  I  went  to  the  store  where  the  excur 
sionists  were  getting  supplies. 

While  there,  I  found  the  entire  company  engaged  in  the 
purchase. 

I  was  in  no  hurry  to  leave  the  place,  but  managed  to  get 
close  to  one  of  the  company  who  belonged  to  my  force,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  circle  in  disguise,  trying,  by  nudging 
him  and  pulling  his  coat,  to  let  him  know  who  I  was.  It 
was  all  in  vain  :  so  complete  was  my  transformation  into  a 
common  and  greasy  engineer. 

Captain  Wardell  asked  me  on  what  boat  I  was  engineer. 
I  said  of  a  tug-boat. 

Wardell,  then  turning  to  one  of  his  companions,  re 
marked  :  "Why,  here's  a  man  who  can  tow  us  out."  Then 
again  addressing  me,  he  inquired  : 

' '  What  will  you  ask  to  tow  a  small  schooner  out  into 
the  bay?" 

I  replied :  "  On  moderate  terms.  If  you  are  all  ready, 
for  ten  dollars.  Where  is  your  schooner?" 

"  At  the  wharf." 

"  Well,  if  you  are  ready  in  an  hour  I'll  do  the  job.  My 
tug  is  at  the  end  of  the  pier." 

I  went  on  board  and  told  my  twelve  assistants  to  go  into 
a  small  cabin  aft,  and  not  to  show  themselves  till  signaled 
by  me. 

Soon  after  the  blockade  runners  came  down,  stepped 
aboard  the  schooner,  threw  me  a  line,  bade  adieu  to  their 
friends  on  shore,  and  we  started  down  the  bay. 

Their  vessel  being  small,  with  little  room  under  Ihe  deck, 
they  remained  above. 

Six  miles  from  Annapolis,  where  they  could  sail  their 
vessel,  they  hailed  me,  and  told  me  to  cast  off  the  line. 


\V  llY  , 

v  US  \  \  \ 


Of 


THE  CAPTURE.  129 

I  invited  them  on  the  tug  to  take  a  glass  of  good  cheer 
"before  leaving.  They  came  on  board,  and,  while  gathered 
around  the  bottle,  I  gave  the  signal ;  my  men  rushed  up  the 
hatchway.  I  told  my  guests  who  I  was,  and  that  they  were 
my  prisoners.  Among  them  was  one  of  my  detectives,  who, 
to  be  distinguished  readily,  wore  a  red  shirt  and  black  belt. 
He  had  been  three  weeks  with  these  blockade-runners.  A 
little  warlike  demonstration  was  soon  quieted  by  the  display 
of  a  carbine.  I  took  them  to  Fort  McHenry,  in  a  snow-storm 
of  great  severity ;  and,  having  let  my  subordinates  return 
with  the  boat  while  I  adjusted  business  details,  found  the 
walk  of  nearly  three  miles,  in  the  night,  no  pleasure  walk 
after  the  excitement  and  fatigue  of  the  day. 

My  report  recounts  the  official  course  of  events  partially 
narrated : — 

"WASHINGTON,  February  24,  1862. 

To  the  Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War:— 

DEAR  SIR — Herewith  please  find  my  report  in  the  case  of  Dr.  H.  H., 
arrested  at  Annapolis,  on  the  18th  instant.  The  doctor  is  a  resident  of 
Germantown,  Pennsylvania.  During  the  excitement  last  summer,  the  doctor 
made  himself  particularly  obnoxious  to  the  Union  people  in  his  vicinity 
by  his  open  denunciations  of  the  Government  and  his  avowed  sympathy 
with  the  so-called  Confederate  States;  so  distasteful  had  he  become,  at 
one  time,  that  the  police  authorities  in  Philadelphia  were  compelled  to 
interfere  to  protect  his  person  and  property.  Dr.  H.  was,  until  the  last 
two  years,  a  resident  of  Winchester,  Virginia;  he  married  the  daughter 
of  F.  B.,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia  (a  good  Union  man  and  a  worthy  citizen). 
On  or  about  the  first  of  the  present  month,  the  Doctor  began  making  arrange 
ments  for  going  South,  for  the  purpose  of  joining  the  Confederate  army  as  a 
surgeon.  He  came  on  to  Baltimore,  Maryland,  mingled  freely  with  the 
secession  element  in  that  city.  On  the  10th  instant,  an  organization  or  party 
of  rebels,  in  Baltimore  (of  which  the  Doctor  was  one),  chartered  the  sloop 
James  Buchanan  to  carry  them  to  Virginia.  Being  advised  of  their  intended 
movements,  I  chartered  (by  order  of  Major-General  Dix)  a  steam  tug,  with  a 
view  to  intercept  them,  it  being  understood  that  the  party,  consisting  of 
thirteen  persons,  were  to  embark  at  Annapolis.  The  day  fixed  upon  for  their 
departure  being  very  stormy,  the  sloop  did  not  leave  Baltimore.  I,  however, 
went  to  Annapolis  on  Tuesday  last,  and  found  the  expedition  ready  to  sail 
Having  no  boat  at  my  disposal,  I  immediately  arrested  Dr.  II.  I  searched 
his  baggage,  and  found  letters  which  settle  the  question  as  to  his  guilt 
and  intentions  to  join  the  Confederates.  A  quantity  of  gold  coin  and 
Confederate  bank-bills  were  found  in  his  possession,  also  pistols,  rubber 
blankets,  ready-made  clothing,  &c.,  &c.  The  prisoner,  with  the  letters, 
9 


180  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

papers,  money,  and  all  other  effects  belonging  to  him,  were  turned  over  to 
General  Dix,  at  Baltimore.  The  prisoner  is  now  confined  in  Fort  Mcllenry, 
subject  to  the  disposal  of  your  Department. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER. 

Alexandria,  notwithstanding  its  proximity  to  Washing 
ton,  became  headquarters  of  secession  councils.  This  state 
of  things  culminated,  early  in  the  struggle,  in  the  death  of 
Ellsworth. 

At  Baltimore,  while  I  was  apparently  in  sympathy  with 
the  rebels,  I  learned  of  a  secret  organization  at  Alexandria. 
It  was  formed  ostensibly  for  the  benefit  of  the  families  of 
both  Union  and  Confederate  soldiers.  This  will  account  for 
the  connection  of  Mr.  Louis  McKenzie  with  its  proceedings. 
He  became  a  member,  unaware  of  its  real  character  ;  and 
when  its  disloyal  spirit  was  apparent,  he  absented  himself 
from  the  meetings  of  the  society.  The  seizure  of  the  records 
put  me  in  possession  of  its  entire  history.  There  was  "a 
wheel  within  a  wheel"  in  this  organized  benevolence,  de 
signed  to  bring  out  all  the  sympathy  available  for  the  cause 
of  treason.  The  Peel  correspondence  will  be  found  es 
pecially  rich  in  expressions  of  feeling ;  while  the  rebel 
poetry,  which  graced  one  of  the  meetings  of  the  association, 
presents  very  forcibly  its  ruling  animus.  In  this  report, 
as  in  other  narratives  I  shall  quote,  sometimes  uninteresting 
details  occur,  because  inseparable  from  the  record  :— 

•WASHINGTON,  March  4. 1862. 

To  the  Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  transmit  my  report  in  the  following 
cases,  arrested  at  Alexandria  by  myself  and  assistants,  February  26th  and 
27th,  1862.  Accompanying  this  report  are  two  books — one  containing  the 
proceedings  of  a  secret  organization,  or  society,  for  the  benefit  of  the  families 
of  soldiers  now  in  the  Confederate  army,  also  the  manufacture  of  uniforms, 
clothing,  &c.,  which  have  from  time  to  time  been  forwarded  to  the  so-called 
Confederate  States.  This  association  was  organized  in  June  last,  and,  as 
appears  from  the  minutes  of  their  proceedings,  the  Ladies'  Relief  Association, 
composed  of  the  wives  and  daughters  of  its  members,  were  admitted,  in  order, 
as  it  is  alleged,  to  extend  the  usefulness  of  their  operations. 

Repeated  complaints  have  been  made  to  me,  during  the  past  fall  and 
winter,  concerning  the  meetings  and  treasonable  transactions  of  this  society. 


CITIZENS  OF  ALEXANDRIA  ARRESTED.  131 

Owing  to  the  high  social  standing  and  position  of  these  traitors,  and  the  ex 
treme  secrecy  with  which  all  their  operations  were  carried  on,  I  found  it 
very  difficult  to  ascertain,  with  any  degree  of  certainty,  their  places  of  meet 
ing,  their  number,  or  the  names  of  the  parties  comprising  the  organization. 

During  the  past  four  months,  large  numbers  of  cards  were  picked  up  in 
the  streets  and  bar-rooms  at  Alexandria,  on  which  were  printed  words  and 
sentences,  disconnected,  which  (since  the  arrests  were  made)  I  have  ascer 
tained  were  intended  as  a  notice  to  the  members  of  the  society  to  meet  at  a 
certain  time  and  place.  So  dark  and  secret  were  all  their  proceedings,  that 
it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty,  and  after  months  of  patient  and  constant 
surveillance,  that  this  board  of  secret  plotters  against  the  Government  were 
brought  to  light. 

The  book  containing  the  minutes  of  these  meetings  was  found  in  the  pos 
session  of  Henry  Peel,  who,  at  the  time  of  the  arrests,  was  secretary  of  the 
association.  This  book,  fortunately,  contained  the  names  of  all  the  officers, 
which  subsequently  led  to  their  arrest.  The  book  marked  "Dangerfield" 
was  found  in  his  (Dangerfield's)  possession.  It  contains  a  statement  of  the 
object  of  the  association,  the  names  of  its  contributors,  names  of  subscribers, 
amount  subscribed,  and  how  disbursed. 

There  can  be  no  question  as  to  the  real  object  of  this  association.  Let 
ters,  papers,  and  memorandums,  found  in  possession  of  nearly  all  the  parties 
arrested,  show  most  conclusively  that  these  individuals  were  engaged  in  a 
treasonable  conspiracy  to  levy  war  against  the  United  States  Government, 
and  all  have  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  Much  of  the  proof  on 
which  I  rely  to  convict,  under  the  act  of  1861,  is  verbal  conversations  with 
and  between  these  rebels,  which  have  been  overheard  by  many  of  the  most 
reliable  citizens  of  Alexandria,  and,  I  am  satisfied,  will  convince  any  jury  in 
the  land  of  their  guilt. 

On  or  about  the  4th  of  March,  1861,  Mr.  Louis  McKenzie  (now  Mayor  of 
Alexandria)  was  called  upon  for  consultation  with  J.  B.  Dangerfield,  W.  F. 
Booth,  W.  H.  Taylor,  W.  H.  Marburg,  General  Johnston  (now  in  the  Con 
federate  army),  James  Green,  and  J.  W.  Burke,  for  the  purpose  of  devising 
some  plan  for  the  seizure  of  Washington,  the  seizure  of  steamers  running  on 
the  Potomac,  and  destroying  the  buoys  marking  the  channel  up  the  Potomac. 
They  also  gave  information  and  personally  assisted  in  the  seizure  of  the 
steamer  Paige,  now  in  possession  of  the  Confederates.  All  the  facts  causing 
this  meeting  can  be  proved  by  a  number  of  reliable  witnesses  now  residing  in 
Alexandria.  All  the  above-named  parties  (except  the  rebel  General  John 
ston)  are  now  confined  at  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

Owing  to  the  recent  arrests,  and  seizure  of  contraband  correspondence, 
but  few  letters  directly  implicating  the  parties  were  found. 

HENRY   PEEL. 

The  following  letter  was  written  to  Henry  Peel  by  his  brother  now  in  Rich 
mond  : — 


132  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

RICHMOND,  November  30,  ISM. 

MY  DEAR  BROTHER — You  can  not  imagine  the  source  of  pleasure  your  letter 
gave  us.  It  was  the  first  line  I  had  received  from  Alexandria  since  I  left. 
The  letter  you  wrote  me  in  answer  to  mine  I  have  never  received,  but  hope  it 
may  come  along  in  time.  Since  I  came  to  Richmond  I  have  been  busily  engaged 
selling  off  the  goods  I  shipped  to  the  country,  and  have  been  operating  in 
other  articles  out  of  my  usual  line,  and  have  succeeded  very  well  so  far.  The 
truth  is,  almost  anything  you  could  buy  can  be  solcf  at  a  profit  and  for  cash. 
Money  is  more  abundant  than  I  ever  knew  in  all  my  business  life.  Richmond 
is  the  center  of  trade;  it  is  the  point  from  which  the  army  draw  most  of  their 
supplies.  The  supplies  are  abundant  and  coining  in  from  every  quarter.  The 
noble  sons  of  the  South  have  just  laid  down  their  all  upon  the  altar  of  patriot 
ism,  determining  to  maintain  their  rights  against  such  a  nation  of  Yankee 
myrmidons,  as  are  in  fact  the  Northern  States.  When  the  South  determined 
to  separate  from  so  vile  a  community,  they  have  to  confess  that  they  did  not 
know  that  they  were  so  much  like  land  pirates  as  they  have  shown  themselves 
to  be  in  their  effort  to  crush  the  Southern  people.  Of  all  civilized  nations 
known,  a  more  brutal,  despicable  crusade  against  the  South  is  not  recorded. 
They  (the  South)  now  fully  know  with  whom  they  are  dealing,  and  will  act 
accordingly — an  eye  for  an  eye — and  all  prepare  to  meet  them  any  and  every 
where.  Whenever  a  contest  has  taken  place,  the  Southern  soldiers  have  proven 
successful.  This  is  true;  their  papers  to  the  contrary.  The  whole  purpose  is 
to  deceive  the  people,  and  their  papers  are  under  such  surveillance  that  they 
can  not  dare  to  give  any  other  report.  The  actual  loss  in  the  Leesburg  fight, 
say  prisoners,  killed,  wounded,  drowned,  and  missing,  was  thirty-three  hun 
dred.  Your  papers  state  no  such  result.  Every  few  days  a  large  batch  of 
prisoners  are  brought  here.  Yesterday,  twenty-three  cavalry  were  brought 
down;  their  horses  and  all  captured.  Sent  off  two  hundred  and  fifty  to 
Alabama  on  Wednesday;  about  fifteen  hundred  still  remain  here.  If  they 
attempt  to  hang  those  taken  as  privateers,  their  rank  will  be  hung  here. 
Already  lots  have  been  drawn,  and  each  unhappy  man  is  confined  in  the  cell 
for  criminals  prepared  for  the  condemned.  In  no  way  can  the  North  got 
ahead  of  the  South.  Plenty  of  stout  hearts,  abundance  of  provisions,  full 
supply  of  ammunition,  army  well  equipped.  The  finest  long-range  rifle  cannon 
and  columbiad,  that  strikes  terror  whenever  fired.  The  whole  South,  with  a 
united  voice  and  solemn  resolve,  have  willed  to  be  free  from  the  North  or 
perish  in  the  effort.  All  feel  hopeful  and  sanguine  of  success,  willing  to  en 
dure  any  and  all  privations,  even  to  life  itself.  If  the  North  could  only  know 
how  vain  their  efforts  to  conquer  the  South,  or  subdue  the  rebels,  they  would 
give  it  up.  If  they  do  know  the  fact,  their  acts  are  only  to  damage  the 
South,  to  gratify  an  intense  hatred  for  losing  so  good  a  customer  as  the  Soutli 
has  been;  but  in  carrying  on  the  war,  every  blow  they  give  strikes  back  with 
redoubled  force,  in  loss  of  life  and  building  up  a  debt  which  they  will  never 
see  paid.  As  for  the  Union  must  be  preserved,  it  is  all  a  farce ;  the  old  Union 
is  broken,  never  again  to  be  united.  This  is  a  fixed  fact.  Every  day  the 
blockade  lusts  only  tends  to  make  the  South  more  independent  of  the  North, 


. 


REBEL  CORRESPONDENCE.  133 

as  every  variety  of  manufacture  is  springing  up.  Just  think  of  it:  a  few- 
months  since  there  was  no  Government  whatever  here;  now  it  is  fully  organ 
ized,  and  every  department  is  in  successful  operation.  A  large  army  has  been, 
organized  and  well  sustained,  and  can  whip  three  times  their  weight  in 
Yankee  flesh  or  foreigners  either.  The  crops  have  been  abundant,  money  is 
plentiful,  and  confidence  between  man  and  man,  all  standing  shoulder  to 
fhoulder,  determined  to  undergo  extermination  before  subjugation.  The 
women  and  children  uniting  in  the  one  common  effort,  besides  the  slaves  all 
at  home  laboring  to  sustain  our  army  with  provisions  to  repel  the  common 
foe  against  us.  To  conquer  such  a  people,  relying  upon  the  God  of  battles 
to  sustain  them,  is  simply  ridiculous.  In  all  our  struggles,  the  hand  of  the 
Almighty  is  plainly  visible  ;  for  our  many  sins  we  may  be  scourged  and  have 
to  suffer  much,  but  putting  our  trust  in  Him,  though  many  be  slain,  yet  He  in 
tends  all  for  our  good.  It  is  a  source  of  no  little  gratification  to  feel  that  God 
is  with  us  in  this  struggle,  and  to  expect  some  reverses  is  natural  enough,  but 
the  result  is  only  a  question  of  time  :  the  longer  we  are  persecuted,  the  greater 
loss  of  life  and  money  the  North  will  sustain,  and  accomplish  nothing  at  last. 
In  one  thing  the  Yankees  have  been  mistaken  :  that  was,  to  incite  the  negroes 
to  insurrection ;  but  be  it  said  to  their  advantage  when  the  struggle  is  over, 
that  where  one  black  face  with  a  true  heart  has  turned  against  us,  ten  white, 
faces  with  black  and  false  hearts  have  done  so ;  and  I  regret  so  many  in 
Alexandria  are  of  that  class,  but  most  of  foreign-born  or  Yankees,  who  never 
had  any  sympathy  with  the  institutions  of  the  South.  Amidst  all  the  horrors 
of  the  war,  Richmond  is  increasing  in  population  and  realizing  great  and  un 
paralleled  prosperity.  Nearly  every  branch  of  business  is  a  success.  Manu 
factories  are  doing  well.  We  have  a  very  large  number  of  Alexandrians  here, 
and  most  of  them  have  profitable  employment.  John  McC.  J.  is  here  in  office 
at  one  thousand  dollars  salary ;  Wells  A.  Lockwood  is  in  a  bank  at  one  thou 
sand  dollars  salary.  I  could  extend  the  list  of  friends  here.  Mr.  E.  K.  Witmer 
and  child  arrived  safely ;  all  of  them  will  keep  house  together.  Tell  H.  P. 
I  received  a  letter  from  his  partner,  S.,  and  he  sent  me  a  letter  for  H.,  which 
I  will  forward  with  this,  hoping  it  may  reach  him,  as  I  trust  all  our  letters, 
safely.  As  you  all  have  both  piano  and  melodeon,  we  would  like  for  Lu.  to 
send  round  and  get  F.'s  piano  and  melodeon  and  take  care  of  it  for  me,  using 
both  as  much  as  they  please.  If  not  inconvenient,  we  would  like  them  to 
send  and  get  them.  I  have  never  heard  one  word  from  Mr.  B.  since  I  left. 
I  hope  he  will  be  able  to  get  along  without  trouble  and  meet  with  no  reverses. 
It  is  a  sad  state  of  things  that  friends  should  thus  be  separated,  and  for  no 
fault  of  ours,  the  fault  being  at  the  door  of  demagogues  arid  politicians.  Awful 
will  be  the  account  to  settle  at  the  Day  of  Judgment  for  so  much  cruelty  wan 
tonly  inflicted  upon  innocent  men,  women,  and  children.  Surely  their  cup  is 
fast  filling  up,  and  vengeance  will  overtake  them.  We  have  been  disappointed 
in  sending  this  as  I  expected,  but  now  have  a  chance  in  a  day  or  two.  Our 
General  Assembly  met  in  Augusta,  Georgia,  last  Wednesday,  to  organize 
anew  for  the  South.  They  expect  to  get  along  without  large  boards  to  man 
age  their  affairs — only  a  small  committee  responsible  to  the  Assembly.  Theresa 


134  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

goes  over  to  Petersburg  next  Thursday,  to  spend  a  week  or  so.  Our  Congress 
and  Legislature  are  in  session.  The  State  Convention  has  adjourned.  We 
have  seen  Lincoln's  message— a  poor  thing.  How  vastly  he  is  mistaken  about 
Tennessee  and  North  Carolina.  He  will  find  both  Kentucky  and  Missouri 
going  with  the  South.  He  may  well  recommend  the  fortifying  of  Northern 
cities,  fearing  European  intervention  or  aid  from  that  quarter.  It  is  all  for 
no  purpose  this  detestable  land-pirate  war  is  carried  on ;  they  never  can  con 
quer  the  South.  We  are  getting  stronger  every  $ay.  Men  enlisting  and 
implements  of  warfare  increasing  weekly.  Some  new  engines  of  warfare  havo 
been  invented  that  will  be  used  in  the  next  battle,  that  will  carry  death  and 
destruction  to  any  army  coming  in  contact  with  it.  Of  this  I  can  not  speak 
further;  but  only  an  opportunity  offer  to  use  them,  and  they  will  rue  the  day 
they  ever  thought  of  subjugating  a  free  and  enlightened  people.  We  all 
unite  in  affectionate  love  to  you  all,  praying  a  merciful  Providence  may  watch 
over  and  keep  you. 

I  am,  affectionately,  your  brother,  S. 

Copy  of  letter  written  by  John  M.  Stearns,  now  in  the  Confederate  Army, 
to  Henry  Peel : 

CAMP  PICKBNB,  June  27,  1961. 

MY  DEAR  PEEL — I  have  just  seen  Brown,  and  was  very  glad  to  hear  that 
jou  were  still  in  the  land  of  the  living.  I  find  a  letter  here  for  Mr.  Peel 
which  I  inclose.  Everything  is  in  such  confusion  here  that  I've  only  time  to 
say  that  we  are  well  and  are  staying  at  Bloomfield.  I  wrote  to  you  from 
Middleburg.  If  you  can  send  a  letter  to  me  here  by  some  one  coming  up, 
directed  to  me  at  Ivy  Depot,  Robinson  will  send  it  to  me.  He  (George  W. 
Robinson)  is  postmaster  here  now.  I  can't  say  anything  about  our  forces 
here,  as  the  letter  might  be  intercepted.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  we  are  pre 
pared  for  any  number  of  men  that  Lincoln  may  send.  Our  men  are  in  fine 
spirits  and  anxious  for  a  fight.  I  often  think  of  you  with  deep  sympathy. 
Love  to  Mr.  Peel.  In  haste,  yours,  truly, 

(Signed)  JOHN  M.  STEVENS. 

I  inclose  two  copies  of  letters  found  at  Peel's  house.  There  are,  however, 
on  file  in  my  office  about  forty  or  fifty  letters  from  officers  and  soldiers  in  the 
Confederate  army,  showing  conclusively  that  he  (Peel)  has  kept  up  a  constant 
correspondence,  which  must  have  passed  through  our  lines.  In  some  of  these 
letters  to  his  brother  he  instructs  him  how  and  when  to  pass  our  pickets. 

JOHN  B.  DANGERFIELD. 

From  the  high  social  position  occupied  by  Mr.  D.  (being  a  man  of  emi 
nence,  wealth,  and  extensive  business  acquaintance  throughout  the  South),  he 
has  done  more  to  keep  alive  an  uncompromising  hostility  to  our  Government 
than  any  other  man  in  Northern  Virginia.  It  appears  from  the  books  of  the 
association,  mentioned  in  this  report,  that  he  has  contributed  more  largely  for 
the  benefit  of  the  rebel  soldiers  than  any  other  individual  whose  name  appears 


CONFEDERATE   CHARITIES  135 

on  the  list  as  a  subscriber.  At  his  house  were  held,  from  time  to  time,  the 
secret  meetings  of  the  organization.  In  March  last,  a  number  of  the  leading 
spirits  in  these  treasonable  operations  assembled  at  the  house  of  Dangerh'eld, 
and  devised  and  wrote  out  a  plan  for  the  capture  of  Washington,  stating 
minutely  the  unprotected,  defenseless  condition  of  this  city,  the  number  of 
our  forces,  &c.  This  communication  or  statement  was  signed  by  Dangerfield, 
and  forwarded  by  General  Johnston  to  Governor  Letcher,  at  Richmond. 
When  called  upon,  I  can  procure  the  witnesses  to  this  transaction. 

Since  the  21st  day  of  June  last,  Dangerfield  has  shipped  from  Alexandria 
to  Baltimore,  and  from  thence  to  Europe,  not  less  than  two  hundred  thou 
sand  dollars'  worth  of  sugar,  cotton,  and  tobacco,  all  the  property  of  mer 
chants  who  had  fled  from  Alexandria  when  our  forces  took  possession  of  that 
place,  in  April  last.  The  proceeds  of  these  sales  have,  from  time  to  timo, 
been  forwarded  to  the  owners  of  the  property,  now  in  arms  against  the  Gov 
ernment.  The  invoices  and  bills  of  lading  are  in  my  possession,  also  letters 
from  the  consignees  in  Baltimore  and  Europe,  clearly  showing  the  whole 
transaction.  By  no  possibility  could  this  property  have  belonged  to  Danger- 
field,  as  he  some  time  since  retired  from  active  business  pursuits,  and  lived  on 
an  income  derived  from  his  large  estates. 

The  following  are  the  proceedings  of  a  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  John 
B.  Dangerfield,  June  21,  1861,  and  written  in  a  book  found  in  DangerfiekTs 
possession : — 

ALEXANDRIA,  VIRGINIA,  June  21,  1861. 

At  a  meeting  of  gentlemen,  held  this  day,  to  devise  means  for  the  further 
support  of  those  needing  assistance,  and  to  provide  for  the  families  of  our 
volunteers,  there  were  present,  Messrs.  J.  B.  Dangerfield,  Robert  S.  Ashly, 
B.  H.  Lambert,  Robert  Jamieson,  W.  Arthur  Taylor,  and  J.  Louis  Kinzer. 
Mr.  Sylvester  Scott  submitted  a  statement  that  the  number  of  families  who  are 
now  receiving  aid  from  the  supply-room  was  upward  of  three  hundred,  em 
bracing  nearly  one  thousand  persons,  and  that  the  expense  amounted  to  about 
two  hundred  dollars  per  week.  He  briefly  explained  the  plan  he  had  adopted 
in  the  distribution  of  provisions,  which  was  approved,  with  entire  confidence 
in  the  management  of  Mr.  Scott.  Mr.  Kinzer  reported  that  he  had  canvassed 
the  city  several  times,  and  that,  while  the  subscriptions  had  been  prompt  and 
liberal,  it  would,  under  existing  circumstances,  be  impossible  to  raise  from 
the  citizens  now  in  town  the  means  necessary  to  continue  the  aid  which  had 
been  afforded,  and  that,  unless  means  could  be  raised  from  other  sources,  the 
support  of  the  families  of  our  volunteers,  as  well  as  the  poor  generally,  must 
be  immediately  abandoned.  The  absence  of  many  of  our  most  liberal  citizens, 
the  immediate  and  pressing  wants  of  the  poor,  and  the  consequent  results 
to  our  houses  and  property,  should  the  supplies  be  cut  off,  and  the  feeling 
of  our  volunteers,  if  informed  that  their  families  were  starving  for  food, 
while  they  were  standing  up  in  defense  of  the  State,  were  duly  considered. 
The  meeting  unanimously  believed  that  our  absent  friends  would  cheerfully 
contribute  if  they  were  here,  and,  relying  on  their  devotion  to  our  common 
cause,  and  their  entire  willingness  to  share  with  their  fellow -citizens  the  bur 
dens  imposed  upon  this  city,  determined,  upon  the  faith  in  the  liberality  of 


136 


UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 


those  who  were  absent,  to  raise  by  loan  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  for  a  month 
or  six  weeks'  supply,  and  to  rely  on  the  liberality  of  the  absent  citizens  to 
make  up  the  amount  by  contributions,  on  their  return.  As  a  means  of  arri 
ving  at  the  amount  which  would  thus  be  contributed,  the  meeting  estimated, 
and  confidently  believed,  that  the  following  persons  would  cheerfully  give  the 
several  amounts  set  opposite  their  names,  as  follows,  viz. : 

As  a  loan • . . . 

Henry  Dangerfield $200  00 

Mr.  Fitzhugh 100  00 

Mr.  Beverley 50  00 

Wm.  N.  McVeigh 100  00 


J.  H.  McVeigh 
Francis  L.  Smith  . . . 
J.  McD.  Goldsboro  . 

F.  B.  Robertson 

D.  F.  Hove 

Rev.  J.  F.  Johnston 


50  00 
50  00 
25  00 
50  00 
50  00 
50  00 


Thirty-one  other  parties 755  00 


Contributions  from  168  parties,  in  different 
amounts,  from  25  cents  up  to  $50 


$1,480  00 
802  35 


Total $2,282  35 


COPT. 


Memorandum  found  in  the  house  of  J.  B.  Dangerfield,  showing  the  names 
of  the  officers  of  the  Ladies'  Relief  Association  : 


MANAGER: 
MES.  J.  B.  DANGERFIELD. 


Miss  Mary  Wilson, 
Mrs.  Louis  Hooff, 

Mrs.  Robert  Jamieson, 
Mr.  II.  Pell, 

Miss  V.  Gordon, 
Mrs.  Dr.  French, 


COMMITTEE: 
1st  Ward. 


Ward. 


Ward. 


4th  Ward. 


Mrs.  George  H.  Smoot, 
Miss  Mary  McKenzie. 

Miss  Mary  Stuart, 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Parrott. 

Miss  Kincaid, 

Mrs.  Monroe  Newton. 


Mrs.  J.  W.  Stewart,  Miss  Vandegrift, 

Miss  Eliza  Dangerfield,  Miss  Hughes. 

Meeting  every  Tuesday  and  Friday,  at  10  o'clock. 


REBEL  CORRESPONDENCE.  137 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  written  by  Henry  Dangerfield,  now  a 
major  in  the  Confederate  army,  to  his  brother,  J.  B.  Dangerfield,  showing 
conclusively,  that  J.  B.  Dangerfield  was  in  constant  correspondence  with  the 
officers  of  the  Confederate  army ;  also  that  he  was  acting  as  agent  for  the 
disposal  of  their  property,  the  proceeds  of  which  were  forwarded  South. 
The  bills  of  lading  for  the  cotton  and  tobacco  spoken  of  are  now  in  my  office 

RICHMOND,  18th  November,  1861. 

DEAR  JOHN — It  has  been  a  long  time  since  I  have  been  able  to  communi 
cate  with  you,  and  have  just  heard  of  a  reliable  opportunity.  You  have  no 
doubt  heard  of  our  crushing  affliction  in  the  death  of  our  lovely  little  Lewis. 
All  the  trials  of  the  war  never  broke  my  spirits;  but  my  head  drooped,  and 
my  heart  sunk  when  the  sad  blow  was  struck.  Oh  !  he  was  too  lovely,  and 
sent  to  be  taken  from  us.  He  was  the  idol  of  the  whole  family.  I  went 
down  to  Bazel's,  where  Mary  was  so  ill,  and  was  under  serious  apprehensions 
you  and  Rebecca  were  to  be  afflicted  as  we  have  been.  She  was  too  ill  for 
me  to  see  her.  I  am  happy  to  know  she  has  recovered,  and  have  reason  to 
believe  that  she  is  now  probably  with  you.  Poor  Willy  was  very  happy  with 
us  at  Charlotteville.  I  have  everything  provided  for  him,  through  Mrs. 
Taylor,  and  paid  all  her  bills,  and  the  advance  to  Mr.  Ambler  for  six  months, 
or  the  entrance  fee,  as  it  is  called.  He  wrote  me,  a  short  time  ago,  for  five 
dollars,  which  I  will  forward  the  first  chance.  You  may  feel  assured  that 
Willy  is  well  placed,  though  he  writes  that  he  would  like  to  be  with  us 
again.  I  feel  very  anxious  to  hear  from  you,  and  if  you  will  inclose  a  letter 
to  Dr.  F.  Donaldson,  34  Franklin  Street,  Baltimore,  requesting  him  to  for 
ward  it  to  me  here,  I  will  probably  receive  it  in  a  few  days.  This  goes  to 
him.  I  sent  you  a  message,  early  in  the  month,  that  another  of  the  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  dollar  interest  notes  was  due  on  the  llth  instant,  and  that  I 
wished  you  to  arrange  it  with  Robert  H.  Miller  to  have  it  paid  through  his 
house  in  St.  Louis,  or  in  some  other  way.  I  have  conversed  with  some  of 
the  most  respectable  and  intelligent  men  of  that  city,  and  they  recommend 
by  all  means  to  have  it  paid,  that  the  property  will  be  valuable,  under  any 
circumstances,  &c.  It  is  Edward  Hale's  note,  payable  to  Evans  Rogers,  due 
llth  instant,  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  (probably  in  Merchants'  Bank). 
Do  tell  me  what  has  happened  at  the  Island  Farm.  What  became  of  the 
wheat,  hay,  corn,  servants,  &c.  ?  I  hope  you  have  the  wheat  and  hay  sold ; 
if  not,  please  do  it.  I  feel  very  anxious  to  hear  from  my  cotton  and  tobacco 
shipments.  Open  any  of  my  letters,  either  in  your  hands  or  Mr.  Marbury's, 
and  tell  me  the  result.  Tobacco  is  as  high  here  as  before  the  blockade. 
New  crop  short  and  inferior.  Do  tell  me  all  about  yourselves,  Lurz  and  all, 
and  those  about  the  Taylor  family.  I  have  felt  deeply  for  them.  I  hope  Mrs. 
Taylor  has  drawn  the  interest  on  Virginia  stock.  You  had  better  authorize 
me  to  collect  the  money  due  you  from  the  railroad  on  account.  The  coupons 
would  all  be  paid  now,  if  you  can  get  them  to  me.  The  road  is  quite  flush. 
May  God  bless  you  all.  With  my  fervent  prayers  for  your  welfare,  and  love 
and  kisses  to  Rebecca,  &c.,  &c.,  I  am,  in  great  haste, 

Your  devoted  brother, 
(Signed)  HENRY. 


138  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Lot  me  hear  from  the  Philliss  McQninn,  or  of  them,  and  the  state  of  things. 
Mrs.  Win  tin  ore  gives  a  favorable  account.  Do  you  hear  of  any  of  my  runa 
ways  from  the  farms  ? 

H.   O.  CLAUGHTON. 

This  individual  is  a  practicing  attorney.  From  the  breaking  out  of  the 
present  rebellion,  Claughton  has,  on  all  occasions,  openly  denounced  the  Gov 
ernment  and  its  policy  toward  the  South.  At  the  time  the  Union  forces  first 
entered  Alexandria,  large  numbers  of  prominent  rebel  merchants  and  others 
took  a  hasty  flight,  leaving  behind  unsettled  business  of  every  kind.  Stores 
were  left  open  and  unprotected ;  bank  accounts  unsettled,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 
Claughton  has  been  acting  as  agent  for  these  traitors,  in  collecting  and  for 
warding  all  moneys  so  collected.  From  letters  found  in  Claughton's  pos 
session,  it  seems  he  has  kept  up  an  uninterrupted  correspondence  with  the 
Confederate  States. 

Copy  of  a  letter  written  by  F.  A.  Reed,  formerly  a  merchant  in  Alexandria, 
now  a  captain  in  the  Second  Virginia  Cavalry,  to  H.  O.  Claughton. 

WASHINGTON,  April  22,  1861. 

H.  0.  CLATJQHTON,  Esq. : — 

DEAR  FRIEND — I  left  Alexandria  this  evening,  very  unexpectedly  to  myself. 
I  was  anxious  to  get  Mrs.  Reed  on,  and  found,  when  I  went  to  dinner,  that  by 
coming  at  half-past  four  I  could  connect  here  in  the  morning  with  the  train  to 
Baltimore.  I  feared  to  delay  longer,  not  knowing  what  a  day  might  bring 
forth.  Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  take  charge  of  my  books  and  papers, 
which  you  will  find  in  the  counting-room.  Please  say  to  Ned,  my  clerk,  that 
I  have  left  money  with  Mr.  Baker,  to  pay  him,  and  am  very  sorry  to  part 
with  him. 

I  thought  best  to  leave  quietly,  as  there  was  such  a  tremendous  excite 
ment  on,  and  I  did  not  know  what  I  might  encounter  if  I  let  it  be  generally 
known.  Please  say  to  old  Mr.  Jamieson  that  I  am  sorry  I  was  so  hurried  I 
could  not  call  upon  him  for  the  letter  I  was  to  take  for  him.  Now,  my  friend, 
do  not  judge  me  harshly,  as  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  do  as  I  have  done.  I  leave 
with  deep  regret,  I  assure,  and  was  it  not  for  my  wife  and  mother,  I  never 
would  have  left  old  Virginia,  but  would  have  thrown  in  my  lot  with  you  for 
better  or  worse.  God  grant,  if  we  never  meet  again  in  this  life,  we  may  meet 
in  that  better  land  where  partings  are  no  more,  and  where  the  evil  passions 
of  men  shall  no  more  disturb  us.  Remember  me  particularly  to  all  my  friends. 
Much  love  to  Mr.  Liftnich.  If  the  mails  are  ever  again  resumed,  you  will  pos 
sibly  hear  from  me.  Much  love  from  Mrs.  R.  and  myself  to  your  wife.  Please 
take  charge  of  the  books  and  papers  for  me.  Ned  will  give  them  to  you.  I 
may  be  back  in  the  course  of  ten  days. 

Yours,  truly,  but  sadly, 
(Signed)  F.  A.  REED. 


REBEL   POETRY.  139 

Copy  of  letter  written  by  R.  B.  Smith,  one  of  the  frightened  rebels,  now 
a  commissary  in  the  Confederate  army : 

May  10,  1861. 

H.  O.  CLAUGHTON,  Esq. : 

DEAR  SIR — I  left  Alexandria  this  day  week,  very  hastily,  in  company  with 
many  Alexandrians,  who  seemed  to  think  only  of  "  Escape  for  thy  life,  look 
not  behind  thee."  A  week's  reflection  has,  however,  enabled  me  to  recollect 
that  starving  would  as  certainly  destroy  me  as  the  Yankees  could,  and,  in 
order  to  prevent  that  contingency,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  me  to  col 
lect  money  due  me  in  your  city.  I  write  now  to  ask  you  if  you  would  act  for 
me  as  agent,  and  attend,  during  my  absence,  to  some  business.  As  there  is 
no  difficulty  about  it,  and  will  not  occupy  much  of  your  time,  I  hope  it  may 
suit  your  convenience  to  attend  to  it.  When  I  hear  from  you,  I  will  state  all 
the  particulars.  At  present,  I  am  writing  in  a  room  full,  and  all  talking 
around  me,  which  will  account  for  my  miserable  writing.  Direct  to  care  of 
Doctor  J.  Gray.  Respectfully, 

(Signed)  R.  B.  SMITH. 

MlDDLEBUKG,   Va. 

Copy  of  a  letter  written  by  H.  0.  Claughton,  in  answer  to  the  preceding 
letter,  addressed  to  the  wife  of  R.  B.  Smith : 

ALEXANDRIA,  VA. 

Mrs.  R.  B.  SMITH: 

RESPECTED  MADAM — I  wrote  you  a  few  days  since,  via  Fortress  Monroe 
I  informed  you  that  Mr.  "W.  BT.  Buckley  declined  to  pay  any  portion  of  the 
rent,  but  that  belonging  to  you,  without  more  explicit  authority  to  me  to  col 
lect.  If  you  have  power  of  attorney  from  your  daughters,  say  so  in  your 
next  letter,  and  authorize  me  to  collect  for  you,  as  their  agent.  If  Hesselino 
wishes  to  have  me  collect  for  him,  let  him  so  instruct  me.  There  is  to  your 
credit,  in  the  Bank  of  the  Old  Dominion,  one  hundred  and  forty-six  dollars 
and  fifty  cents,  in  Virginia  funds.  I  think  Mr.  B.  ought  to  have  paid  in  par 
funds  for  rent  due  since  1st  July.  Your  dwelling-house  is  now  occupied  as  a 
beer  saloon  and  eating-house,  the  front  room  subdivided  as  a  store.  I  do  not 
know  who  is  attending  to  it.  Some  one  informed  me  that  Mr.  R.  G.  Violette 
was.  If  you  desire  me  to  take  charge  of  that  property  also,  state  that  fact 
clearly  in  your  next  letter.  I  must  apologize  for  not  responding  to  your  first 
letter.  It  was  received  when  everything  was  in  the  greatest  excitement,  and 
entirely  overlooked.  I  found  it  among  my  papers  after  the  receipt  of  your 
last,  and  could  but  regret  that  I  had  forgotten  all  about  it.  They  are  trying 
to  ruin  me,  but  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to  ride  the  storm  through. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  H.  O.  CLAUGHTON. 

The  following  is  a  poetic  effusion  by  H.  0.  Claughton,  published  in  the 
Richmond  Enquirer : 


140  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

REBELS. 

"  Rebels !"     'Tis  a  holy  name ! 

The  name  our  fathers  bore 
"When  battling  in  the  cause  of  Right, 
Against  the  tyrant  in  his  might, 

In  the  dark  days  of  yore. 

% 
"Rebels!"     'Tis  our  family  name! 

Our  father,  Washington, 
Was  the  arch  rebel  in  the  fight, 
And  gave  the  name  to  us — a  right 
Of  father  unto  son. 

"  Rebels !"    'Tis  our  given  name ! 

Our  mother,  Liberty, 
Received  the  title  with  her  fame, 
In  days  of  grief,  of  fear,  and  shame, 

When  at  her  breast  were  we. 

"  Rebels !"     'Tis  our  sealed  name ! 

A  baptism  of  blood  ! 
The  war — ay,  and  the  arm  of  strife — 
The  fearful  contest — life  for  life — 
The  mingled  crimson  flood. 

"  Rebels ! "     'Tis  a  patriot's  name  ; 

In  struggles  it  was  given. 
We  bore  it  then  when  tyrants  raved, 
And  though  their  curses,  'twas  engraved 
On  the  doomsday  book  of  heaven. 

"Rebels!"     'Tis  our  dying  name! 

For  although  life  is  dear, 
Yet  freemen  born  and  freemen  bred 
Would  rather  lie  one  freeman  dead, 
Than  live  in  slavish  fear. 

Then  call  us  Rebels  if  you  will — 

We  glory  in  the  name — 
For  bending  under  unjust  laws, 
And  swearing  faith  to  an  unjust  cause, 
We  count  a  greater  shame. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

AN  OFFICIAL  VISIT  TO  MANASSAS— THE  WASTE  OF  WAR. 

The  Evacuation  of  Manassas  by  the  Rebel  Army — The  Order  to  Visit  the  Deserted 
Battle-field — The  Survey  of  it— Report  to  the  Secretary  of  War — Waste  of  Gov 
ernment  Property. 

THE  evacuation  of  Manassas  by  the  rebels  placed  in  pos 
session  of  the  Union  forces  a  large  portion  of  northern  Vir 
ginia.  The  abandonment  of  this  region,  the  hasty  flight  of 
the  troops,  and  the  limited  facilities  for  transportation,  com 
pelled  these  rebel  legions  of  the  "Old  Dominion "  to  leave 
behind  them  a  great  amount  of  valuable  property.  The 
torch  lighting  the  scene  of  desolation  at  night,  as  before 
stated,  was  the  large  warehouse  in  flames.  In  the  lurid 
glare  that  fell  upon  the  track  of  ruthless  war,  lay  army 
wagons,  cars,  and  all  the  variety  of  the  materiel  of  war, 
with  the  implements  and  products  of  agriculture,  scattered 
over  the  ground  on  every  hand. 

March  12th,  by  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  I 
went  to  Mauassas  to  survey  the  field  of  desolation,  and  of 
military  occupation  by  the  Union  forces.  The  result  of  my 
examination  of  this  interesting  and  important  theater  of  the 
conflict,  is  stated  in  a  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War : — 

WASHINGTON,  March  17,  1862. 

To  the  Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War  :— 

DEAR  SIR — In  compliance  with  your  order  of  the  12th  instant,  I  went  to 
Centreville  and  Manassas,  and  other  points  in  its  immediate  vicinity.  I 
arrived  at  Centreville  on  the  morning  of  the  13th.  After  a  general  survey  of 
the  enemy's  deserted  posts  at  that  point,  I  proceeded  to  Manassas  Junction. 
None  of  our  forces  had  arrived  at  2  p.  M.,  except  a  large  number  of  straggling 
soldiers  belonging  to  General  Simmer's  division,  then  encamped  at  Union 
Mills,  four  miles  from  Manassas  Junction,  on  the  Orange  and  Alexandria 
Railroad.  These  troops  were  engaged  in  searching  the  smoking  ruins  for 


142  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

relics  and  such  abandoned  property  as  had  not  been  destroyed  by  the  retreat 
ing  rebels. 

At  4  P.  M.  General  French  arrived,  with  portions  of  four  regiments,  and 
took  possession  of  the  enemy's  deserted  quarters,  some  distance  from  the  rail 
road  junction. 

At  6  P.  M.  General  Stoneman  arrived,  with  two  regiments  of  cavalry  and 
one  of  infantry,  and  encamped  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  General  French's 
brigade.  *  :^x 

On  the  14th  I  made  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  rebel  fortifications  and 
intrenchments,  a  map  of  which  accompanies  this  report. 

I  have  ascertained  the  following  facts  from  a  Mr.  Crockett,  now  lying 
sick  at  his  father-iri-law's  house,  near  Manassas  Junction. 

Mr.  Crockett  was  an  engineer  on  the  road  from  Manassas  to  Richmond, 
and  under  his  supervision  was  conveyed  nearly  all  the  troops,  guns,  and  muni 
tions  of  war. 

He  informs  me  that  the  first  intimation  he  had  of  the  intended  evacuation, 
was  on  or  about  the  27th  of  February,  when  he  was  ordered  to  concentrate 
at  Manassas  Junction  as  many  cars  as  possible,  which  he  at  once  proceeded 
to  do. 

On  Friday,  the  8th  of  March,  he  arrived  from  Richmond  at  about  four 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  was  informed  that  he  must  return  immediately  to  Rich 
mond,  with  his  train,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  troops.  From  the  8th 
until  the  following  Sunday  evening,  the  10th,  every  locomotive  and  car  was 
brought  into  requisition. 

But  few  troops  left  Manassas  by  railroad,  as  it  required  nearly  all  the 
transportation  for  conveying  commissary  stores,  ammunition,  &c. 

After  the  most  careful  and  thorough  inquiries  as  to  the  enemy's  forces  at 
Centreville  and  Manassas,  I  learned  the  following  facts.  Previous  to  Decem 
ber  2,  1861,  their  total  numbers  were  as  follows:  Virginia  had  sixty-seven 
regiments  in  the  field,  numbering  in  all,  including  privates,  teamsters,  and 
officers,  about  forty-two  thousand  men.  South  Carolina  had  twenty-three 
regiments  (about  one-half  of  which  were  full),  numbering  in  all  about  eighteen 
thousand  men.  North  Carolina  had  fifty-seven  regiments  (most  of  which 
were  full),  numbering  about  fifty-two  thousand  men.  Georgia  had  twenty- 
eight  regiments  (nearly  all  full),  numbering  about  twenty-six  thousand  men. 
Louisiana  had  twenty-two  regiments  (not  all  full),  numbering  about  nineteen 
thousand  men,  including  officers  and  teamsters.  Mississippi  had  thirty-one  regi 
ments  (nearly  full)  and  seven  independent  companies,  numbering  in  all  about 
twenty-nine  thousand  men.  Alabama  had  nineteen  regiments  (nearly  full), 
numbering  about  eighteen  thousand  men.  Tennessee  had  eight  regiments 
(not  full),  in  all  about  six  thousand  nine  hundred  men.  Kentucky  had  eleven 
regiments  (nearly  full),  numbering  in  all  about  seven  thousand  four  hundred 
men.  Maryland  had  eight  regiments  and  two  battalions  of  artillery,  amount 
ing  in  all  to  about  seven  thousand  men.  Arkansas  had  five  regiments,  of 
about  four  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty  men.  These  statistics  have  been 
gathered  from  various  sources.  A  partial  list  of  these  regiments  was  found 
among  documents  at  Manassas.  In  addition  to  these  I  have  obtained,  what 


REBEL  FORCE  AT  MANASSAS.  143 

in  my  opinion  is  very  reliable  information,  from  persons  residing  at  Manassas 
and  other  points  now  deserted  by  the  rebel  army. 

This  estimate  includes  the  entire  Confederate  force,  which  I  think  is  as 
near  correct  as  can  possibly  be  arrived  at  without  an  official  list.  From  the 
muster-rolls  I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  following  statement  as  to  the  enemy's 
force  at  Centreville,  Manassas,  and  vicinity.  During  the  months  of  August, 
September,  October,  and  November,  from  the  best  information  I  can  gather, 
there  were  encamped  at  Centreville  and  immediate  vicinity  seventeen  regi 
ments,  viz. :  Virginia,  four,  with  four  full  batteries  of  eight  guns  each  ;  North 
Carolina,  three ;  South  Carolina,  three ;  Alabama,  two,  with  one  field  bat 
tery  ;  Maryland,  one,  and  one  battery  of  four  field-pieces ;  Georgia,  two ; 
Mississippi,  one ;  and  Tennessee,  one. 

The  forts,  fortifications,  and  intrenchments  at  Centreville  were  of  the  most 
extensive  and  defensible  character,  the  main  defenses  being  situated  on  an 
eminence,  from  which  nearly  every  foot  of  ground  within  one  mile,  at  least, 
can  be  seen.  On  this  ridge  or  high  land,  stretching  to  the  right  of  the  Little 
River  or  Warrenton  Turnpike,  a  distance  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  yards, 
is  an  intrenchment,  thrown  up  for  the  protection  of  infantry  and  field  artil 
lery.  To  the  left,  and  lying  directly  on  the  turnpike,  is  a  fortification  in 
tended  to  mount  eight  guns,  well  protected  on  the  north  by  a  high  embank 
ment,  evidently  anticipating  an  attack  from  that  direction.  In  this  fort  was 
found  the  Quaker  or  wooden  gun.  To  the  left  of  the  road,  distant  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  is  situated  another  fortification,  of  inferior  dimensions,  con 
structed  for  four  guns.  All  the  quarters  at  this  point  were  well  constructed, 
being  made  of  logs,  and  mudded  in  and  out.  To  the  left  of  the  road,  leading 
to  Bull  Run  or  Manassas  Junction,  about  two  miles  from  Centreville,  were 
located  houses  sufficient  to  quarter  about  three  thousand  men.  These  were 
occupied  by  two  Virginia  regiments  and  a  portion  of  a  regiment  from  North 
Carolina,  under  command  of  General  Bonham.  After  crossing  Bull  Run,  to 
the  left  of  the  main  road  or  turnpike  are  very  extensive  quarters,  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  which  was  General  Beauregard's  headquarters.  Here  were  encamped 
most  of  the  extreme  Southern  troops,  consisting  of  regiments  from  Alabama, 
Mississippi,  and  Georgia.  From  the  most  reliable  information  I  could  obtain, 
there  were  about  fourteen  regiments,  of  about  eight  or  nine  hundred  men 
each — probably  twelve  to  thirteen  thousand  men,  with  but  few  pieces  of  artil 
lery,  and  no  forts,  fortifications,  or  intrenchments. 

From  this  point,  on  the  road  leading  to  Manassas  Junction,  I  found  some 
quarters,  but  no  forts  or  intrenchments  of  any  kind.  At  the  Junction  the 
defenses  were  of  a  very  inferior  character.  One  large  fort,  situated  on  the 
left  of  the  railroad,  was  formidable  and  well  constructed,  but  no  guns  had 
ever  been  placed  in  position,  it  having  but  very  recently  been  completed. 

After  making  thorough  and  careful  inquiries  from  persons  living  at  this 
place,  I  learn  that  only  about  eighteen  pieces  of  heavy  ordnance  were  at  any 
time  in  position  at  Manassas  Junction,  which,  when  added  to  the  eight  in  the 
large  fort  at  Centreville,  makes  twenty-six.  This  comprises  the  sum  total  of 
all  the  heavy  forts  or  large  guns  of  the  entire  Confederate  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  except  those  at  Leesburg  and  on  the  Lower  Potomac.  For  a  better 


144  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

description,  as  to  the  strength  and  location  of  these  works,  I  respectfully  refer 
to  a  map  accompanying  this  report.  To  the  left  of  the  Orange  and  Alexan 
dria  Railroad,  between  the  Junction  and  Union  Mills,  are  a  very  large  num 
ber  of  log  quarters,  sufficient  to  hold,  conveniently,  not  less  than  fifteen  thou 
sand  troops.  I  learned,  however,  that  only  about  twelve  thousand  troops 
occupied  these  quarters,  comprising  regiments  from  Virginia,  Tennessee, 
North  Carolina,  and  Mississippi,  with  four  batteries  of  light  artillery. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Union  Mills,  four  miles  from  Manassas,  lying  directly  on 
the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad,  were  encamped  three  or  four  regiments. 
This  comprises,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  all  the  encampments  at  Centreville, 
Manassas,  and  vicinity.  I  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  number  and 
location  of  the  Confederate  forces  on  their  extreme  right  or  left.  It  is  said, 
however,  to  have  been  large.  It  is  evident,  from  the  great  destruction  of 
commissary  stores,  gun-carriages,  tents,  and  other  property  at  Manassas  Junc 
tion,  that  the  rebels  did  not  intend  to  abandon  their  position  entirely  for 
some  days.  Many  of  the  few  remaining  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  Manas- 
8as»  are  Northern  people,  professing  the  strongest  attachment  to  the  Union. 
Had  the  military  authorities  acted  with  promptness,  on  their  arrival  at 
Manassas,  a  large  amount  of  military  stores  and  provisions  could  have  been 
saved.  The  conduct  of  our  own  troops  is  a  disgrace  to  the  cause  for  which 
they  are  fighting.  Hundreds  from  General  Sumner's  division  were  allowed 
to  roam  around  among  the  defenseless  inhabitants.  The  most  gross  and  dis 
graceful  acts  were  committed  by  these  soldiers.  They  entered  private  dwell 
ings,  insulted  ladies,  killed  and  carried  off  chickens,  turkeys,  pigs,  and 
searched  for  valuables,  &c.  In  justice,  however,  to  Brigadier-General  French, 
I  would  state  that,  as  far  as  I  could  learn,  no  depredations  were  committed  by 
soldiers  under  his  command.  General  F.  rendered  me  every  assistance  in  his 
power  for  the  successful  prosecution  of  my  duties,  while  General  Stoneman 
entirely  ignored  and  Set  aside  the  order  furnished  me  by  the  honorable  Secre 
tary  of  War,  refusing  to  furnish  an  escort,  or  even  rations  for  the  few  men 
under  my  command. 

I  succeeded  in  securing  some  valuable  documents,  viz. :  official  reports 
and  orders  from  brigade  and  division  commanders  to  General  Beauregard, 
and  letters  from  individuals,  many  of  which  have  thrown  much  light  upon 
the  number,  location,  and  condition  of  the  rebel  army.  All  of  which  were 
handed  over  to  the  honorable  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War. 

In  closing  this  report,  I  beg  leave  to  state  that  I  have  not  attempted  to 
give  the  number  of  the  entire  rebel  force  opposite  Washington ;  indeed  this 
would  be  impossible  without  an  official  list,  obtained  from  their  muster  and 
pay-rolls. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Detective  Agent  War  Department. 


Unsolicited  on  my  part,  a  few  days  later,  I  received  the 
following  order : — 


GOVERNMENT  PROPERTY   AT   MANASSAS.  145 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  March  30, 1862. 

Ordered,  That  L.  C.  Baker  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  appointed  Special  Agent 
of  this  Department  to  take  possession  of  all  abandoned  rebel  property  in  tho 
territory  lately  occupied  by  the  rebel  forces  arcand  Washington,  and  that  he 
take  an  account  thereof  and  safely  keep  the  same  and  turn  it  over  to  the  Com 
missary  or  Quartermaster's  Department,  taking  a  receipt  for  the  same  from 
the -officer  to  whom  it  is  turned  over  and  filing  it  in  this  Department.  All 
officers  and  persons  in  the  Government  service  are  directed  to  afford  him 
necessary  assistance  and  protection,  and  all  persons  in  the  Quartermaster  or 
Commissary  Department  are  directed  to  afford  him  necessary  transportation. 
He  is  directed  to  make  special  report  of  his  proceedings  from  time  to  time*  to 
this  Department. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War : 

(Signed)  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant-General. 

It  will  always  be  an  historical  fact,  over  which  the  loyal 
heart  will  sadly  wonder,  that,  while  the  cause  of  treason  was 
rarely  betrayed  by  its  professed  friends,  the  most  threaten 
ing  danger  at  the  North  was  the  treachery  of  those  who  lived 
under  and  and  even  hurrahed  for  the  old  flag. 

No  future  historian  of  the  civil  war  will  probably  ever 
attempt,  nor  will  the  records  of  the  quartermasters'  de 
partment  ever  show  the  vast  amount  of  public  stores  and 
other  property  wantonly  abandoned  and  destroyed  by  its 
faithless  servants. 

All  over  the  boundless  arena  of  conflict  were  scattered 
the  best  materiel  of  war — its  most  abundant  supplies — in 
fragments  and  decaying  masses ;  a  spectacle  not  beheld,  and 
therefore  unappreciated,  by  the  people  at  home. 

It  is,  however,  no  new  thing  under  the  sun,  and  peculiar 
to  no  party  in  power. 

The  Mexican  war  was,  perhaps,  never  surpassed  in  this 
aspect  of  national  conflicts.  The  speculations  were  so  re 
mote  from  the  great  commercial  centers  of  the  country,  the 
people  knew  but  little  of  the  manifold  and  lawless  specula 
tions. 

The  late  war  offered  opportunities  of  every  possible  sort 
for  unprincipled  traffic  ;  some  of  them  lawful,  and  many 
more  unmitigated  robbery.  " Uncle  Sam"  was  the  victim 
of  this  sharp  practice,  and  therefore  it  flourished  with  the 
air  of  respectability  and  comparative  impunity. 

In  one  instance,  a  telegraph  operator  retained  important 

official  messages,  and  even  charged  for  Government  dis- 
10 


146  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

patches.  Death  itself  has  no  barrier  to  the  mercenary  trade. 
The  embalming  of  the  dead,  and  the  transportation  of  the 
bodies  to  friends  at  a  distance,  were  occasions  for  unblush 
ing  extortion. 

As  we  have  suggested,  the  atmosphere  of  war  is  petrify 
ing  to  the  moral  sensibilities  of  men  who  yield  to  its  de 
moralizing  influence,  and  they  will  do  creeds  in  the  presence 
of  death,  and  with  their  own  threatened  every  moment, 
which,  in  the  purer,  calmer  air  of  their  domestic  and  social 
life,  would  be  utterly  repulsive  and  unthought  of  by  them. 


CHAPTER    X. 

FRAUDS  BY  GOVERNMENT  EMPLOYEES   AND   OTHERS. 

False  Returns — Restitution — Attempts  to  escape  Arrest — Threats  to  intimidate  in 
the  Performance  of  Official  Duty — Prison  Life  a  Recommendation  to  Special 
Favor — Removal  of  a  Subordinate. 

CLERKS  and  employees  of  the  Government,  whose  business 
it  was  to  make  returns  of  the  amount  of  forage  and  supplies 
received  from  the  contractors,  it  was  found  were  bribed  by 
the  latter  to  make  false  entries,  and  thus  increase  the  weight 
fraudulently,  to  a  greater  or  less  figure.  My  investigation 
of  the  transactions  disclosed  the  astounding  fact  that  these 
employees  had  increased  the  amount  of  supplies  furnished  by 
sixteen  contractors  to  the  amount  in  money  of  over  two  hun 
dred  thousand  dollars  ;  which,  in  compliance  with  my  sugges 
tion,  was  deducted  from  the  sum  to  be  paid  the  contractors, 
on  their  final  settlement  with  the  Government. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MAKSIIAL  WAR  DRPAKTMEXT,  ( 
WASHINGTON,  November  30,  1S62.  j 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTOX,  Secretary  of  War:— 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  transmit  the  names  of  contractors  who 
have  sworn  to  having  paid  at  different  times  sums  of  money,  from  tea  to  two 
thousand  dollars  each,  to  clerks  and  employees  of  the  Government.  These 
sworn  statements  of  contractors  are  fully  corroborated  by  the  voluntary 
sworn  depositions  of  the  clerks  themselves.  These  amounts  were  in  nearly 
every  instance  paid  to  employees,  with  the  express  understanding  and  agree 
ment,  between  contractors  and  employees,  that  they,  the  employees,  should 
make  false  and  fraudulent  entries  to  the  Government  of  the  amount  of  forage 
or  other  property  being  delivered  by  said  contractors  to  the  Government.  I 
find  these  facts  fully  sustained  by  the  investigations  now  being  made  in  tho 
different  departments  in  which  the  clerks  referred  to  have  been  employed. 

I  would  respectfully  suggest,  that  the  assistant  quartermasters  at  Washing 
ton  and  Baltimore  be  at  once  notified  and  instructed  to  withhold  the  payment 
of  any  and  all  amounts  that  may  now  be  due  to  the  list  of  contractors  whose 
names  are  given  below.  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKKR, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


148  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

All  means  were  resorted  to,  by  men  who  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  bureau,  to  escape  arrest.  When  bribery  and 
coaxing  failed,  threats  were  used,  to  secure  their  immunity 
from  merited  exposure  and  punishment.  I  was  not  unfre- 
quently  cautioned  by  a  member  of  the  Cabinet,  against  ex 
posure  to  personal  violence  and  even  assassination.  The 
letter  copied  below  refers  to  a  communication  of  an  attorney. 
A  German,  named  Yolk,  who  had  in  Bis  possession  a  large 
number  of  horses,  nearly  all  of  which  belonged  to  the  Gov 
ernment,  was  arrested,  and  the  horses  taken  from  him.  As 
usual  in  similar  cases,  Yolk  employed  an  attorney.  After  a 
full  and  patient  hearing  of  the  case,  I  returned  to  Yolk  nine 
of  the  horses,  which  could  not  be  proved  to  belong  to  the 
Government.  The  attorney,  after  exhausting  legal  argument 
to  get  the  rest  of  the  animals,  wrote  a  letter,  in  which  he  in 
timated  that  he  had  possession  of  certain  papers  reflecting 
unfavorably  upon  my  private  and  official  character,  and  that 
their  presentation  to  the  President  would  make  my  immediate 
dismissal  from  the  service  certain.  But,  if  I  would  recom 
mend  the  Quartermaster-General  to  restore  the  horses,  and 
appoint  a  friend  of  his  on  my  police  force,  he  would  forward 
me  the  papers,  and  spare  me  the  disgraceful  exposure  by 
Mr.  Lincoln.  In  reply,  I  wrote  as  follows  :— 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT^ 
WASHINGTON,  December  15,  1562.  \ 

To  F.  B.,  Attorney  and  Counselor  at  Law, 
Washington,  D.  C.  :— 

Siu — Your  note  of  this  date  is  received.  Previous  to  my  giving  you  any 
order  for  the  payment  of  the  nine  horses,  I  took  much  pains  in  investigating 
the  case,  and  satisfied  myself  that  Volk  was  entitled  to  the  pay  for  the  said 
nine  horses,  and  no  more.  I  have,  as  yet,  seen  no  proof  or  facts  that  would 
warrant  me  in  recommending  the  Quartermaster's  Department  to  pay  fur 
any  more  horses  on  Volk's  account. 

If  you  can  produce  any  satisfactory  proof  that  any  person  or  persons  in 
my  employ  extorted  money  from  Volk,  I  will  not  only  cause  the  amount  to 
be  refunded,  but  will  immediately  discharge  and  arrest  such  person  or  per 
sons.  In  relation  to  certain  papers  you  refer  to,  which  you  say  you  will  fur 
nish  me  with,  that  might  be  used  greatly  to  my  annoyance,  I  beg  leave  to 
reply,  that  I  am  not  in  the  market  as  a  purchaser  of  any  such  documents. 

The  parties  you  speak  of  as  being  on  my  track,  and  whom  you  say  you 
will  exercise  your  skill  to  keep  off,  I  have  no  fears  of;  therefore  you  are  at 
liberty  (so  far  as  I  am  concerned)  to  let  them  loose  as  soon  as  you  may  think 
proper. 


REBEL  BRUTALITY   TO   SLAVES.  149 

If,  nftei  conversing  with  your  friend  Maloney,  I  find  him  a  capable  and 
trustworthy  man  in  every  respect,  I  may  employ  him. 

Respectfully  yours, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1862,  I  was  sent  for  by  Mr.  Lincoln 
to  make  an  investigation  respecting  the  brutal  treatment  of 
slaves  in  Lower  Maryland.  This  whole  section  had  been 
visited  by  the  Union  troops,  and,  as  a  natural  consequence, 
the  slaves  were  escaping.  There  seemed  to  be  something  so 
fascinating  to  the  ignorant  bondmen,  that  they  would  follow 
them,  as  if  charmed  by  the  glittering  bayonet  and  blue 
uniform,  which  never  failed  to  awaken  a  strange  longing  for 
liberty.  It  is  not  military  ambition,  but  an  inspiration, 
which  seizes  them.  They  are  ready  to  fall  in  and  keep  step 
to  the  martial  airs  of  freedom. 

An  illustration  of  the  interesting  peculiarity  of  the  race 
came  under  my  observation  during  one  of  the  well-known 
raids  by  General  Kurtz,  from  Suffolk,  on  the  Weldon  rail 
road.  The  First  District  Cavalry,  a  regiment  I  had  raised, 
and  of  which  further  mention  will  be  made,  was  divided 
into  front  and  rear  guard.  The  advance  of  the  forces  was 
the  first  appearance  of  Union  troops  among  these  patient 
" servants"  of  the  region.  To  be  informed  that  we  were 
"Yankees,"  was  enough,  without  the  slightest  hint  of  our 
plans  or  destination,  to  stir  the  most  stupid  toiler  like  a 
trumpet-call.  The  hoe  was  dropped,  the  plow  and  cart 
abandoned.  Even  the  women,  moved  by  the  same  wild 
impulse,  deserted  their  cabins,  and  all  together  rushed  to 
the  rear  of  the  army,  and  stepped  to  the  music  of  the  march 
for  days,  and  sometimes  for  weeks.  They  dreaded  more 
than  death  the  return  to  their  owners,  or  recapture  by  them. 

When  it  became  necessary  to  leave  several  hundred  at 
Reams' s  Station,  in  our  hurried  movement  backward,  they 
lingered  about  instead  of  going  forward,  and  their  frantic 
agony  was  heart-rending. 

A  very  cruel  instance  of  the  welcome  given  to  a  recap 
tured  slave,  occurs  to  me  in  this  connection.  One  Carpenter, 
a  notorious  secessionist,  was  a  ruffian  and  a  terror  to  all 
Union  men.  To  frighten  the  slaves,  and  prevent  them  from 


150  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

running  away,  he  tied  a  captured  man  to  a  tree,  in  a  nude 
condition,  whipped  him  with  a  board  till  exhausted,  then 
set  his  slaves  at  work.  When  this  master  arid  h'end  was 
rested,  he  returned  to  the  beating,  until  death  closed  the 
scene.  There  was  a  formal  arrest,  but  the  majority  of  his 
"felloAV-citizens"  were  in  sympathy  with  him,  and  he  was 
soon  at  liberty.  Subsequently,  however,  he  was  arrested 
for  treason,  and  confined  in  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

It  is  a  matter  of  history,  that  at  this  period  of  the  National 
struggle  for  existence,  the  cause  of  the  war  was  ignored  by 
the  North.  Not  so  with  the  South;  there,  the  "corner 
stone"  was  brought  forth  to  the  world's  admiring  view,  and 
the  flag  of  treason  waved  proudly  over  it.  There  was  then 
some  excuse  for  England's  sneer  at  our  unbroken  loyalty  to 
the  South  in  her  defense  of  the  aristocratic  claim  of  superi 
ority  over  all  other  American  races. 

I  have  never  had  the  honor  of  being  called  a  reformer, 
or  an  " abolitionist"  but  I  do  not  deny  that  my  sense  of 
justice,  and  my  sympathies,  have  been  with  the  injured 
and  oppressed,  irrespective  of  color,  or  position  in  society. 
I  have,  therefore,  during  the  entire  period  my  bureau  has 
served  the  loyal  cause,  unhesitatingly  given  the  whole 
power  of  the  department  to  the  protection  of  the  defense 
less  negro,  whenever  he  was  the  victim  of  prejudice  or 
passion. 

In  common  with  thousands  who  were  brought  to  face 
the  practical  effect  of  the  slave  system  during  the  war,  I 
have  seen  the  soul  of  tyranny  in  it,  whose  lust  of  power 
spared  not  the  blood-bought  Union,  but  longed  to  crack 
the  whip  over  the  hated  "  Yankee." 

Necessarily  "behind  the  scenes,"  I  saw  the  demon  dis 
guised  by  the  bland  expression  of  the  "chivalry,"  and 
learned  that  the  "kind,  Christian  masters"  were  so  in  spite 
of  the  system  which  they  sustained — they  were  naturally 
magnanimous  men,  or  governed  by  genuine  religious  prin 
ciple,  modified  by  a  wrong  education  to  the  approval  of 
gigantic  wrong. 

I  could  fill  pages  with  the  narratives  of  fiendish  scorn 
of  the  "nigger,"  while  he  was  docile  and  unresisting  as 
the  lamb  led  to  the  slaughter.  Nor  has  the  spirit  of  the 


FEARS  FOR  THE  FUTURE.  151 

peculiar  institution  died  with  the  formal  existence  of  slavery 
and  the  defeat  of  its  sworn  friends — a  fact  the  country  may 
realize  when  the  retributive  storm  evoked  by  the  countless 
mounds  of  starved  prisoners  of  the  loyal  North,  and  the 
nameless  graves  of  the  murdered  bondmen,  shall  again, 
though  in  a  new.  aspect,  bewilder  with  darkest  fears  our 
wisest  statesmen. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

STEALING— SMUGGLING  LIQUORS  INTO  THE  ABMY. 

Q 

Horso-Stealing — Why  many  Officers  disliked  tho  Detective  Bureau — The-  Spirit  of 
War  in  Timo  of  Peace — The  Soldiers'  Thirst  for  Strong  Driuk. 

ALLUSION  has  been  made  to  the  effect  of  war  in  weaken 
ing  the  sense  of  honor  and  right ;  no  one  development  of 
this  is  more  striking  than  the  small  importance  attached  to 
offenses  against  the  Government  in  the  various  forms  of 
fraudulent  speculations.  It  was  scarcely  a  disgrace  to  spend 
a  few  days,  or  weeks,  or  months  even,  in  the  Old  Capitol ; 
indeed,  this  fact  was  sometimes  the  occasion  of  special  effort 
by  friends  to  secure  an  appointment  to  a  former,  or  a  new 
official  position. 

A  very  clear  instance  we  cite.  The  man  referred  to 
was  caught  in  the  act  of  committing  the  crime.  He  was 
superintendent  of  a  Government  corral,  and  as  such  had  the 
authority  to  take  to  the  hospital  any  of  the  animals  which 
were  sick.  I  suspected  he  was  speculating,  and  sent  an 
assistant  to  test  his  honesty.  For  six  nights  in  succession, 
the  detective  purchased  a  horse  taken  from  the  corral,  ap 
parently  for  the  hospital,  but  to  sell,  while  the  Superinten 
dent  pocketed  the  money  received. 

OFFICE  PP.OVOST-MAIISITAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ( 
WASHINGTON,  January  20,  1S&3.  j 

C.  II.  Sxow,  Superintendent  of  Transportation  : — 

SIR — Mr.  A.  W.  J.  has  called  on  me  for  a  certificate  or  letter  to  you, 
requesting  that  lie  (J.)  be  reinstated  in  his  former  position.  After  cure- 
fully  reading  his  statement,  or  confession,  I  must  respectfully  decline  giving 
such  certificate.  From  conversation  had  with  him  (J.),  since  his  release, 
I  am  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  he  would  not  repeat  his  former  acts.  He 
seems  to  feel  his  present  unpleasant  position  keenly.  It  is  not  my  j)rovincet 
however,  to  recommend  any  man  to  a  position  that  he  has  once  dishonored. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  '  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


A  DETECTIVE  IN  TROUBLE.  153 

Aware  of  the  suspicion  abroad,  too  well  founded,  in 
regard  to  many  who  have  been  employed  as  detectives,  both 
in  time  of  peace  and  war,  it  was  my  purpose  to  establish  a 
character  above  just  reproach  in  the  National  department 
of  this  service.  In  this,  I  was  favored  by  the  fact  that  my 
assistants  were  generally  recommended  to  my  notice  by 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  Congressmen,  or  other  prominent 
citizens.  I  was  not,  however,  beyond  imposition  in  this 
matter,  as  will  appear  in  the  communication  which  follows  : — 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSTIAT,  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  January  2G,  1SC3.  J 

GILBERT  LOWE  : — 

SIR — Positive  and  reliable  information  has  been  received  at  this  office  that 
on  Friday  evening  last  you  entered  a  gambling  house  in  this  city  without 
orders ;  that  you  engaged  in  the  game  then  being  played,  and  won  fifty  dol 
lars. 

Having  confidence  in  your  integrity  and  ability,  and  the  recommendation 
brought  by  you  from  the  Hon.  Simeon  Draper,  I  was  induced  to  appoint  yon. 

Inasmuch  as  you  have  admitted  the  charges  to  be  true,  no  further  investi 
gations  are  necessary.  You  are  therefore  discharged  from  this  Department. 
You  will  deliver  your  badge  and  pistol  to  Deputy  Assistant  Quartermaster 
Lawrence. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


Although  some  explanation  has  been  made  of  the  un 
willingness  of  military  officers  to  have  detectives  come 
within  their  respective  commands,  the  narrative  of  army 
frauds  which  will  now  be  given  will  not  only  shed  further 
light  on  this  matter,  but  be  a  full  and  unpleasant  disclosure 
of  the  corruption  which  festered  under  cover  of  a  "little 
brief  authority."  And  whatever  may  have  been  the  honor 
able  purpose  of  upright  officers,  the  trial  and  conviction  of 
an  offender  in  any  of  the  departments  of  service  in  the  field 
almost  never  occurred.  Such  was  the  indifference,  if  not 
connivance,  in  respect  to  the  petty  robberies  and  specula 
tions,  common  as  the  camp  and  march,  and  more  so  than  the 
battle,  throughout  the  war.  Officers  did  feel  jealous  of  their 
rights  in  the  field,  and  many  of  them  intended  to  mete  out 
justice  ;  but  more  were  too  deeply  interested  in  dishonorable 
transactions  to  consent  to  a  thorough  investigation. 


154  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

An  additional  consideration  on  this  point,  is  the  disgrace 
ful  but  well-known  prevalence  of  intemperance  in  the  army. 
Many  officers,  whose  bravery  and  achievements  have  won 
the  admiring  plaudits  of  the  people,  have  dimmed  and  almost 
eclipsed  with  total  darkness  the  glory  of  their  military  career 
by  the  thirst  for  strong  drink.  There  is  nothing  a  soldier, 
who  has  learned  to  love  the  intoxicating  bowl,  will  not 
sacrifice  for  its  excitement.  I  have  seefl  him  barter  to  the 
sutler  a  whole  month's  pay  for  a  pint  of  whisky.  I  have 
seen  him  sell  his  last  shirt  to  a  comrade  to  obtain  money 
with  which  to  buy  a  single  glass. 

Could  the  people  have  seen  what  I  have  known,  that 
important  battles  have  been  lost  to  the  Union  cause,  and 
ranks  of  heroic  men  slain,  through  the  maddening  or  stupefy 
ing  effect  of  liquors,  they  would  cease  to  wonder  that  defeat 
not  unfrequently  saddened  their  hearts,  when  victory  was 
confidently  and  justly  anticipated.  On  fields  covered  with 
our  slain,  might  have  been  thrown  out  the  black  flag  of  in 
temperance,  the  single  sign  of  the  useless  slaughter.  To 
mention  the  names  of  some,  who  were  conquered  by  the 
rebels  because  first  overcome  by  the  demon  who  enslaves 
soul  and  body,  would  thrill  and  grieve  every  loyal  heart. 

Nothing  in  the  conduct  of  the  war  pained  more  deeply, 
even  to  tears,  our  departed  President,  than  this  very  prac 
tice.  He  once  remarked,  in  my  hearing,  to  the  Secretary  of 

War,  of  a  great  commander:   "Of  General ,  I  have 

but  a  single  fear.  I  look  upon  him  as  the  best  fighting  officer 
we  have  in  the  army  to-day.  If  he  can  restrain  his  appetite 
for  intoxicating  drinks,  he  is  bound  to  succeed."  We  could 
fill  pages  upon  this  melancholy  topic. 

To  no  member  of  the  Cabinet  was  this  condition  of  things 
better  known  and  understood  than  to  the  Secretary  of  War  ; 
and  no  single  subject  in  his  department  received  more  care 
ful  thought,  to  reach  the  evil,  and  the  adoption  of  some  plan 
to  prevent  the  shipment  of  the  fire-water  to  the  army. 

In  his  official  orders,  the  severest  penalties  were  imposed 
on  their  violation.  Notwithstanding,  the  great  demand  for 
liquors  in  the  army,  and  their  high  prices,  were  a  powerful 
inducement  for  the  traffic. 

The   position  of  sutler  or  purveyor  at  headquarters  is 


ALCOHOL  THE   ARMY   CURSE.  1H5 

one  of  peculiar  influence  with  the  officers.  He  caters  to 
their  appetites,  and  supplies  all  their  wants  ;  placing  them 
under  obligations  which  they  do  not  refuse  to  recognize. 

It  will,  therefore,  be  readily  understood,  that  any  en 
deavor  to  interfere  with  the  itinerant  saloon  or  bar  of  the 
sutler  would  awaken  the  hostility  of  every  drinking  officer 
in  the  army.  I  made  the  attempt,  however,  to  suppress  the 
enormous  traffic,  by  seizing  all  liquors  not  conveyed  in 
accordance  with  orders.  I  was  not  disappointed,  conse 
quently,  in  receiving  the  following  protest,  in  which,  as  in 
all  the  army  communications,  the  phrases  "private  property" 
and  "  private  stores,"  that  are  used,  mean  simply  whisky, 
or  other  liquors.  Let  this  be  distinctly  borne  in  mind  when 
perusing  the  indignant  effusions  of  the  inj  ured  parties. 

HEADQUARTERS  3n  BRIG  APE,  2o  DIVISION*,  SD  CORPS,  I 
CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTII,  VA.,  January  8, 1863.       j 

COLONEL — On  the  28th  ultimo,  some  cases  containing  liquors  and  wines 
for  my  private  use,  marked  to  the  address  of  Brigadier-General  Revere,  and 
in  charge  of  our  private  steward,  furnished  with  your  pass,  were  taken  from 
him,  at  the  office  of  the  Government  steamer,  foot  of  Seventh  Street,  Wash 
ington,  seized  and  "confiscated,"  by  one  Captain  Robinson,  or  his  subordin 
ates.  As  said  steward  was  bringing  these  stores  to  us,  in  violation  of  no 
order,  that  I  am  aware  of,  attempting  no  confcealment  or  disguise,  I  certain 
ly  look  upon  it  as  an  outrage,  and  an  invasion  of  my  rights  as  a  general 
officer. 

I  respectfully  request  that  said  steward  may  be  furnished  with  such  a 
pass  as  will  enable  him  to  recover  said  property,  and  that  he  may  not  meet 
with  the  same  difficulty  again. 

Excuse  me  for  troubling  you  with  private  grievances,  but  I  know  of  no 
other  method  of  removing  them  than  an  appeal  to  the  Major-General  com 
manding. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  G.  MOTT, 

Brigadier-General,  U.  S.  V. 
To  Lieutenant-Colonel  DICKINSON,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTH,  VA.,  January  19,  1863. 

Official:  LEWIS  RICHMOND,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

HEADQUARTERS  EXCEI.BIOR  BEIGAPE.  2o  DIVISION,  8n  CORPS,  \ 
CAMP  NKAR  FALMOUTH,  VA.,  January  1, 1863.         f 

COLONEL — On  the  28th  ultimo,  some  cases,  containing  liquors  and  wines 
for  my  private  use,  marked  with  my  official  address  to  this  camp,  and  in 
charge  of  my  private  steward,  who  was  furnished  with  your  pass,  were  prob- 


156  UNITED   STATES    SECRET  SERVICE. 

ably  taken  from  him  at  the  office  of  the  Government  steamer,  foot  of  Seventh 
Street,  Washington,  seized  and  "  confiscated  "  by  one  Captain  Robinson,  or  his 
subordinates.  As  my  steward  was  bringing  these  stores  to  me,  together  with 
others,  in  violation  of  no  general  (or  other)  order,  that  I  am  aware  of,  without 
concealment  or  disguise,  I  can  not  help  looking  upon  it  as  a  high-handed  out 
rage  and  unwarrantable  invasion  of  my  rights,  and,  in  fact,  a  theft  of  my 
property. 

I  have  also  respectfully  to  say,  that  it  has  been  reported  to  me  that  the 
employees  of  the  transportation  service  are  in  the  ha^it  of  charging  lees  and 
taking  bribes  from  officers  who  have  goods  and  stores  to  bring  down  with 
them;  and  this  evil  is  so  great  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  carry  stores  to 
this  army,  even  in  charge  of  a  commissioned  officer,  without  submitting  to 
their  extortions. 

I  would  respectfully  request  that  my  steward  may  be  furnished  with  such 
a  pass  and  order  from  the  proper  authority,  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  receive 
my  property,  and  that  the  person  who  took  it  may  be  punished. 

I  regret,  Colonel,  to  be  obliged  to  trouble  you  with  private  grievances,  but 
in  this  case  there  seems  to  be  no  other  mode  of  obtaining  redress,  save  in  a 
respectful  appeal  to  the  Major-General  commanding,  who  I  doubt  not  will 
grant  it,  and  also  resent  an  indignity  offered  to  a  general  officer  of  his  com 
mand.  I  am,  Colonel,  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  W.  II.  REVERE, 

Brigadier-General  Commanding. 
HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTII,  January  19,  18G3. 

Official :  LEWIS  RICHMOND,  Assistant  Adjutant-Generai. 

HEAPQUAUTKKS  FIRST  CAVALRY  MASSACHUSETTS  VOLS.,  ) 

FIRST  CAVALRY  BKIGADK,  C.  G.  D.,  A.  OF  P.,  > 

POTOMAC  CHEEK,  January  11,  1SC3.     ) 

Colonel  LEWIS  RICHMOND,  Assistant  Adjutant-General, 

Headquarters  Army  U.  S. : — 

COLONEL — It  is  stated  that,  by  a  general  order,  provost-marshals  are  em 
powered  to  examine  the  private  luggage  of  officers  and  remove  certain  articles. 
It  is  certain  that  many  packages  addressed  to  officers  do  not  reach  their 
owners,  and  others  bear  evidence  of  the  roughest  hands. 

I  have  the  honor  to  ask  the  favor  of  an  official  copy  of  this  order,  if  it  ex 
ists;  and  I  would  also  beg  permission  to  inquire  if  any  channel  of  transmission, 
safe  from  this  unscrupulous  scrutiny,  would  be  permitted,  upon  any  certificate 
of  character,  to  a  commissioned  officer  intrusted  with  the  command  of  a  cav 
alry  regiment.  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

very  respectfully,  Colonel, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  HORACE  BINNEY  SARGENT, 

Colonel  First  Cavalry,  Mass.  Vol. 
HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTII,  VA.,  January  19,  18G3. 

Official:  LEWIS  RICHMOND,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 


OFFICIAL   CORRESPONDENCE.  157 

,1 


ASSISTANT  QTTARTKHMASTF.R'S  OFFICE, 

SIXTH  STREKT  WHARF, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C..  January  14,  1SC3. 


Colonel  D.  IT.  RUCKER,  Quartermaster,  U.  S.  A.. :  — 

COLONEL — I  have  received  and  read  the  communications  relative  to  the 
seizures  of  liquors  from  Brigadier-General  M.  R.  Patrick,  Provost-Marshal  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and,  in  answer,  can  only  say,  that  no  liquors  have  ever  been 
seized  by  me,  or  by  my  order,  at  any  time  since  I  have  been  in  charge  of 
transportation  at  this  wharf. 

The  seizures,  if  any,  have  been  made  by  the  "  Provost-Marshal's  Detective 
force,"  under  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker,  and  over  whom  I  have  no  control. 

As  to  the  charge,  "  that  employees  of  the  transportation  service  are  in  the 
habit  of  charging  fees,"  &c.,  I  know  of  but  one  instance  which  has  any  rela 
tion  to  the  subject,  and  this  was,  that  one  of  my  laborers  asked  an  officer  to 
pay  him  for  carrying  his  trunk  from  the  carriage  to  the  boat,  and  as  soon  as 
it  reached  my  ears  I  immediately  discharged  him,  and  have  notified  all  the 
remaining  employees  that  they  will  be  similarly  disposed  of  if  it  again  occurs. 

I  hate  refused  to  give  transportation  for  liquors,  according  to  your  instruc 
tions. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  J.  M.  ROBINSON, 

Captain  and  Assistant  Quartermaster. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTII,  January  19,  1863. 

Official:  LEWIS  RICHMOND,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  TFIK  POTOMAC,  \ 
January  19,  1863.  j 

Brigadier-General  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant-General  U.  S.  Army, 

Washington,  D.  C. : — 

GENERAL — By  direction  of  the  Commanding  General,  I  have  the  honor  to 
forward  for  your  information  copies  of  a  correspondence  in  relation  to  the 
seizures  of  officers'  private  stores,  and  to  respectfully  request  that  these  head 
quarters  be  furnished  with  a  copy  of  the  order  under  which  these  seizures  are 
made. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

LEWIS   RICHMOND, 
Assistant  Adj  utant-General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,      | 

OFFICE  OF  THE  PKOVOST-MARSIIAL-GENKBAL,  > 

January  23,  1SC3.  ) 

SIR— On  the  16th  instant,  I  forwarded,  through  the  headquarters  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  certain  papers  relating  to  seizures  of  property  belonging  to 
officers  of  this  army,  en  route  from  Washington. 

It  is  believed  to  have  been  taken  by  persons  claiming  to  have  authority 
from  the  War  Department;  but,  from  information  received  through  Major 


158  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Haller,  Seventh  U.  S.  Infantry,  attached  to  these  headquarters,  it  appears 
probable  that  the  seizures  were  made  without  any  proper  authority  whatever. 

As  there  is  a  great  deal  of  ill  feeling  throughout  this  army,  in  consequence 
of  the  confiscation  of  officers'  property,  I  respectfully  urge  upon  the  Depart 
ment  an  investigation  of  the  whole  matter  of  seizures  at  the  wharf  in  Wash 
ington,  and  on  the  boats  by  detectives. 

On  the  19th  instant,  some  two  or  three  of  these  detectives  were  arrested, 
to  be  held  until  some  action  is  had  in  these  cases.  An  attempt  was  made  by 
these  persons  to  exercise  authority  at  the  landings  occupied  by  this  army, 
where  officers  of  my  own  department  have  charge,  and  who  have  instructions 
to  allow  no  such  persons  to  land  or  exercise  any  authority  whatever,  at  any 
place  within  the  lines  of  this  army. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

M.  R.  PATRICK, 
Provost-Marshal-General. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  MCKEEVER,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

The  above  communications,  having  been  forwarded  to  the 
War  Department  in  the  form  of  complaints  and  charges 
against  my  bureau,  were  referred  to  me  for  a  reply. 

It  may  be  proper  to  add,  that  General  Patrick  took  occa 
sion  in  some  of  his  communications  to  attack  my  private 
character,  the  object  of  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  show  in 
the  progress  of  these  annals.  The  answer  to  the  attacks 
upon  my  service  here  in  question  follows  :— 

OFFICE  Pnovosr  MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
"WASHINGTON,  January  2S,  IsGo.  j 

Brigadier-General  M.  C.  MEIGS,  Quartermaster-General  U.  S.  A. : — 

SIR — The  communication  addressed  to  Colonel  Kufus  Ingalls,  Chief  Quar 
termaster  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  hy  Captain  F.  E.  Hall,  quartermaster 
at  Aquia  Creek,  referring  to  the  arrest  of  Captain  Hall's  agents  by  my  order, 
and  the  reference  made  thereon  by  Colonel  Ingalls  to  the  Quartermaster- 
General,  and  by  the  Quartermaster-General  referred  to  me,  is  received. 
In  reply,  I  beg  leave  respectfully  to  submit  the  following  statement: — 
About  the  first  of  December  last,  complaints  and  charges  were  brought  to 
this  office  by  numerous  persons,  that  large  sums  of  money  were  being  paid 
by  sutlers  to  certain  officials  at  Aquia  Creek  for  ferrying  such  sutlers,  with 
their  goods,  across  the  Potomac,  from  Liverpool  Point  to  Aquia  Creek,  on 
Government  transports. 

So  notorious  and  universal  had  this  practice  become,  that  I  deemed  an  in 
vestigation  necessary,  in  order  to  determine  by  whose  authority  these  things 
were  being  done.  When  my  investigations  proceeded  sufficiently  far  to 
prove,  beyond  a  possibility  of  doubt,  that  certain  persons  then  in  the  employ 
of  Quartermaster  Hall  had  been  guilty,  for  weeks  and  months,  of  receiving 
from  these  sutlers  various  sums  of  money,  of  which  no  return  or  account  had 
been  made  to  any  one,  I  applied  to  the  Secretary  of  War  as  to  what  course 


OFFICIAL  CORRESPONDENCE:  159 

it  was  best  to  pursue;  under  the  circumstances,  he  directed  mo  to  make  a 
thorough  and  impartial  investigation  into  the  matter  at  once. 

In  pursuance  with  these  instructions,  I  applied  to  Captain  C.  B.  Fergerson, 
who  furnished  me  the  steam-tug  Sawtell.  I  immediately  dispatched  on  board, 
this  tug  four  of  my  detectives,  with  written  instructions  to  bring  to  this  city 
the  following-named  persons,  who  I  was  positive  could  give  the  desired  in 
formation  concerning  the  transportation  of  sutlers,  &c.,  Messrs.  B.,  M., 
E.,  and  C.,  the  latter  being  harbor-master  at  Aquia  Creek ;  all  but  E. 
were  found  at  the  Creek,  and  were  put  on  board  the  tug  and  brought  to 
Washington. 

The  detectives  learning  that  E.  was  at  Mill  Point,  one  of  them  (Mr. 
William  Speer)  went  to  that  place,  and,  on  the  following  morning,  found  him 
(E.),  and  returned  to  the  Creek,  intending  to  take  the  morning  boat  for 
this  city;  but,  on  going  on  board  with  E.,  the  provost-marshal  at  Aquia 
Creek  arrested  both  the  detective  and  E.,  and  put  them  on  board  the 
prison-ship  in  the  harbor. 

E.  is  still  there,  Mr.  Speer  was  released  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of 
War  on  the  25th  instant. 

On  the  arrival  of  M.,  0.,  and  B.,  at  my  office,  I  immediately  examined 
them,  as  to  what  they  knew  concerning  sutlers  crossing  the  Potomac;  their 
statements  were  taken  in  writing,  and  were  in  my  opinion  important,  partic 
ularly  that  of  C.,  in  which  he  admitted,  under  oath,  of  having  received  large 
sums  of  money  from  sutlers  and  others  as  bribes,  while  acting  as  harbor 
master,  under  Captain  Hall's  orders. 

On  submitting  these  sworn  statements  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  he  com 
mitted  C.  to  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

Colonel  Ingalls,  in  referring  Captain  Hall's  communication  to  you,  state* 
that  he  certainly  feels  competent  and  willing  to  detect  and  punish  aH  em 
ployees  for  any  neglect  of  duty  or  abuse  of  regulations.  We  had  the  ma 
chinery  of  military  government  perfect  here,  and  I  claim  that  the  persons- 
should  be  tried  here.  If  any  one  had  discovered  collusion  between  quarter 
masters'  agents  and  sutlers,  he  should  have  reported  the  matter  to  Captain 
Hall,  the  assistant  quartermaster,  or  to  Captain  Forsyth,  the  provost-marshal, 
or  to  me. 

In  reply  to  the  above  remarks  of  Colonel  Ingalls,  claiming  that  he  is  com 
petent  and  willing  to  ferret  out  and  punish  the  class  of  persons  referred  to,  I 
would  respectfully  state,  that  the  most  glaring  and  outrageous  practices  have 
been  resorted  to  by  persons  employed  in  the  quartermaster's  department  con 
nected  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  receiving  bribes  from  sutlers  and 
others,  granting  permits  to  sell  goods  at  Aquia  Creek,  allowing  seized  or 
stolen  property  to  pass  to  this  city  on  Government  transports,  allowing,  and 
even  granting,  permits  to  persons  (riot  sutlers)  to  bring  to  Aquia  Creek  large 
quantities  of  merchandise,  to  be  hawked  and  sold  to  soldiers  and  persons  in 
the  employ  of  the  Government. 

These  facts,  no  doubt,  never  came  directly  to  the  notice  of  the  Chief- 
Quartermaster  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  or  I  am  satisfied  this  evil  would 
have  been  remedied  at  once. 


160  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

From  the  laborious  and  incessant  duties  devolving  upon  Colonel  Ingalls, 
I  am  convinced  that  he  could  not  give  the  matter  the  personal  attention  that 
it  demands,  hence  I  must  conclude  that  Colonel  Ingalls  overestimates  his 
ability  in  this  particular  branch  of  business,  viz.,  catching  rogues. 

I  will  further  state,  that  in  arresting  and  bringing  to  justice  persons  en 
gaged  in  defrauding  the  Government,  as  well  as  discharging  my  various  other 
duties,  I  would  appreciate  and  most  gladly  Teceive  the  co-operation  of  the 
military  authorities. 

The  peculiar  nature  of  my  duties  often  makes  if  impracticable  to  make 
known  to  the  employees,  subordinate  officers,  and  soldiers  of  the  army,  ray 
real  business  and  intentions,  particularly  when  I  am  making  investigation* 
concerning  these  very  officers,  soldiers,  and  employees. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSH AL.  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  \ 
WASHINGTON,  February  S,  1863.  f 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War:— 

Snt — In  compliance  with  your  order  of  the  5th  instant,  directing  me  to 
furnish  reports  in  relation  to  seizure  of  liquors,  alleged  to  be  the  private 
property  of  officers  attached  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  I  beg  leave  to  sub 
mit  the  following:  — 

Accompanying  the  order  from  the  War  Department  directing  me  to  re 
port,  etc.,  are  eight  communications,  written  by  officers,  who  represent  that 
the  detectives  attached  to  and  acting  under  the  orders  of  the  Provost-Mar 
shal  of  the  War  Department  have,  without  authority,  seized,  stolen,  and 
confiscated  the  private  property  of  officers  attached  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac. 

In  the  prosecution  of  ray  various  duties,  I  have  repeatedly  called  the 
attention  of  the  proper  authorities  to  the  large  amount  of  liquors  and  other 
contraband  property  being  transported  on  Government  transports. 

Immediately  after  the  steamers  Nelly  Baker  and  Wilson  iSmall  were  char 
tered  by  the  Government  to  run  between  this  city  and  Aquia  Creek,  I  re 
ceived  instructions  from  Colonel  D.  F.  Rucker  to  place  on  board  these  boats 
detective  officers,  for  the  pnrpose  of  preventing  the  passage  to  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  of  all  liquors  not  being  transported  in  accordance  with  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  the  quartermaster's  department.  I  next  applied  to  the 
Quartermaster-General  for  information  as  to  what  passes  or  orders  for  trans 
portation  of  liquors  were  to  be  respected.  He  (the  Q.  M.  G.)  informed  me 
that  no  permits  to  carry  liquor  were  granted  by  his  authority. 

Subsequently,  however,  orders  were  given  by  the  military  governor  and 
Major-General  Heintzelman.  to  recognize  the  orders  of  all  commissioned 
officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

About  this  time,  Colonel  Rucker  instructed  Captain  Robinson,  assistant 
quartermaster,  at  Sixth  Street  wharf,  to  give  transportation  on  the  orders  of 
these  commanding  officers.  In  consequence  of  the  issuing  of  these  orders,  I 
deemed  it  advisable  to  take  the  detectives  from  the  Government  transports 


OFFICIAL   CORRESPONDENCE.  161 

and  wharf,  for  the  reason  that  it  was  impossible,  under  these  orders,  to  pro- 
vent  the  indiscriminate  and  wholesale  shipment  of  liquors.  Immediately  on 
the  withdrawal  of  the  detectives  from  the  transports  and  wharf,  I  addressed 
a  communication  to  the  Quartermaster-General,  briefly  stating  the  difficulty 
under  which  I  labored,  and  asking  that  my  letter  be  referred  to  the  Secretary 
of  War.  To  this  communication  I  received  the  following  reply  : — 

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  December  26,  1SC2.     J 

Respectfully  referred  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  detectives  detect  and  prevent  much  abuse 
which  officers  would  not  be  able  to  control. 

The  followers  of  an  army  are  ingenious,  enterprising,  often  unscrupulous, 
and  it  requires  police  officers  of  much  experience  to  detect  attempts  to  smug 
gle  improper  articles  and  persons  within  the  lines. 

(Signed)  M.  C.  MEIGS,  Quartermaster-General. 

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  I 
WASHINGTON,  January  12,  1SC3.     f 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  Provost-Marshal  War  Department : — 

COLONEL — Your  letter  of  5th  of  January  is  received.  Your  letter  of  22d 
December  was  referred  to  the  War  Department,  with  the  above  indorsement. 

I  shall  regret  the  removal  of  the  detectives  from  the  Government  trans 
ports  between  this  city  and  Aquia  Creek,  for  I  believe  that  they  can  much 
more  effectually  put  a  stop  to  contraband  trade  than  any  inspection  which  it 
is  possible  for  the  overburdened  officers  of  the  assistant  quartermaster's 
department  to  enforce.  The  detective  policemen,  however,  are  not  subject 
to  the  orders  of  the  quartermaster's  department,  nor  does  the  quartermas 
ter's  department  decide  what  may  or  may  not  be  carried  as  legitimate  or 
contraband. 

This  is  decided  by  the  regulations  concerning  trade  with  the  disloyal 
territory,  issued  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by  the  general  and  special 
orders  of  the  War  Department,  and  of  the  commanders  of  troops  and  of  dis- 
tricts  or  departments,  and  by  the  laws  and  regulations  governing  the  sutlers' 
trade. 

Wines  and  liquors,  private  stores  for  officers,  are  much  desired  by  th« 
officers,  and  instructions  have  been  given  to  the  Chief  Quartermaster  at  thit 
post  to  permit  such  private  stores,  really  the  property  of  the  officers  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  to  go  down  upon  the  transports,  upon  proper  passei 
from  the  provost  marshal,  or  other  sufficient  authority. 

If  your  detectives  are  withdrawn,  I  fear  that  the  passage  of  improper 
persons  to  Aquia  Creek,  which  was  so  great  an  evil  last  spring,  will  be  again 
resumed,  and  I  advise,  therefore,  that  you  apply  to  the  officer  of  the  War 
Department,  under  whose  directions  you  act,  for  instructions. 

I  sent  a  copy  of  this  letter  to  the  War  Department,  with  your  letter  of  the 
5th  of  January,  in  order  to  make  my  views  known  to  the  authorities. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  M.  C.  MEIGS,  Quartermaster-General 

11 


162  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

In  compliance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  Quarter 
master-General,  the  Secretary  of  War  directed  me  to  put 
detectives  on  board  all  Government  transports  plying  be 
tween  this  city  and  Aquia  Creek  ;  also,  to  continue  the  ser 
vices  of  the  detectives  stationed  at  Sixth  Street  wharf. 

I  detailed  the  detectives,  as  ordered.     The  following  is  a 

copy  of  the  written  instructions  from  me  :  — 

4) 

OFFICE  PHOVOST-MARSIIAI,  T^AR  DEPARTMENT,  I 
WASHINGTON,  January  17,  Is63.  f 

To  J  J.  CAMP-— 

SIR  —  On  receipt  of  this,  you  will  go  on  board  the  Government  transport 
Zrphyr,  running  between  this  city  and  Aquia  Creek,  for  the  purpose  of  pre 
venting  the  passage  to  and  from  of  all  persons  not  furnished  with  proper  passes 
and  transportation.  You  will  also  thoroughly  inform  yourself  as  to  what 
passes  and  orders  are  to  be  respected  on  board  your  boat. 

In  the  exercise  of  your  duties,  you  will  observe  the  strictest  decorum  and 
politeness  toward  all  officers  and  citizens  with  whom  you  may  be  brought  in 
CHI  tact.  You  will  report  to  this  office  daily. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

These  detectives  were  only  allowed  to  discharge  their 
duties  for  a  few  days,  when  they  were  arrested,  by  order  of 
General  Patrick,  and  placed  on  board  the  prison-  ship  at 
Aquia  Creek. 

In  order  to  show  that  my  detectives  were  authorized  by 
the  Quartermaster-General  to  inspect  what  officers  call  their 
private  stores,  I  submit  the  copy  of  a  letter  forwarded  to  me 
by  Colonel  D.  H.  Rucker  :  — 


) 

WASHINGTON,  December  20,  1862.    ) 

Colonel  D.  II.  RUCKER,  Chief  Quartermaster  and  A.  D.  C.  :— 

COLONEL  —  This  department,  at  your  request,  repeats  in  writing  an  author 
ity  heretofore  verbally  given  to  you,  to  allow  transportation  upon  the  public 
transports  between  this  place  and  Aquia  Creek  for  proper  private  stores,  the 
property  of  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  so  far  as  it  can 
be  done  without  interfering  with  the  public  service  and  delaying  the  supplies 
of  the  army. 

All  such  supplies  should  be  open  to  the  inspection  of  the  agent  of  the 
provost-marshal,  to  prevent  improper  or  contraband  articles  going  forward 
without  your  knowledge. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  M.  C.  MEIGS,  Quartermastor-General. 


OFFICIAL  CORRESPONDENCE.  163 

In  reply  to  the  communication  of  Captain  A.  G.  Morrison, 
assistant  quartermaster,  addressed  to  General  Patrick,  con 
cerning  the  seizure  of  his  hand-trunk,  I  beg  leave  to  report, 
that  I  was  on  Sixth  Street  wharf  on  the  morning  of  Decem 
ber  28th,  and  took  from  a  Mr.  Wheeler  (mail  agent)  a  small, 
new  hand-trunk  containing  twenty-four  bottles  of  whisky. 
Said  trunk  was  not  marked  or  addressed  to  any  one. 
Wheeler  did  not  inform  me  that  it  belonged  to  an  officer 
attached  to  General  Burnside's  staff.  There  was  neither  a 
pass  or  transportation  for  said  trunk  ;  neither  has  there  ever 
been  an  application  made  to  me  for  said  trunk  or  whisky, 
both  of  which  are  now  stored  in  the  Government  warehouse, 
on  F  Street,  under  the  superintendence  of  Captain  E.  L. 
Hartz,  assistant  quartermaster. 

The  following  is  from  my  report  in  answer  to  the  com 
munication  addressed  to  Colonel  D.  H.  Rucker,  by  Briga 
dier-General  G.  Mott,  concerning  the  seizure  of  private 
stores  or  supplies  alleged  to  have  been  seized  by  order  of 
Captain  Robinson,  at  Sixth  Street  wharf : — 

"In  order  to  enable  the  detective,  whose  duty  it  was  to  examine  the  con 
tents  of  the  package  going  on  board  the  transports,  I  requested  Captain  Rob 
inson,  who  had  charge  of  the  wharf,  to  post  up  notices  requiring  officers  and 
others  to  bring  their  freight  to  the  wharf  one  day  previous  to  the  sailing  of 
the  steamers,  in  order  that  said  freight  might  be  examined.  This  suggestion 
was  made  to  prevent  confusion  on  the  wharf  on  the  morning  of  the  sailing  of 
the  steamers. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  December,  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  be 
fore  the  steamer  left  the  wharf,  a  person  not  dressed  in  uniform  applied  with  a 
pass  (for  himself  only),  stating  that  he  wished  to  take  those  boxes  down,  at 
the  same  time  pointing  them  out.  I  asked  him  to  show  his  pass  and  trans 
portation  for  the  boxes.  He  replied  that  he  would  do  so  ;  that  his  friend  had 
them,  and  that  he  would  get  them.  The  boat  left  the  wharf  in  a  few  mo 
ments,  and  I  have  never  seen  the  person  since.  I  arn  satisfied  that  it  was  an 
attempt  to  smuggle  the  liquors  on  board  the  boat,  and  accordingly  ordered 
them  sent  to  the  warehouse. 

il  It  is  proper  to  remark  that  there  was  no  address  or  direction  on  these 
boxes,  which  were  all  filled  with  liquors,  except  one  which  was  marked,  to 
General  Mott's  headquarters. 

"  In  answer  to  the  charge  made  by  Brigadier-General  Reeve,  concerning  the 
seizure  of  some  cases  of  liquors,  which  he  alleges  were  being  forwarded  to  his 
address,  I  can  only  say  that  no  passes  or  transportation,  as  required  by  the 
orders  of  the  military  governor  of  this  District,  or  Colonel  Rncker,  who  alone 
was  authorized  to  give  transportation,  was  ever  presented  to  me  or  my  detect- 


164  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

ives,  so  far  as  I  have  any  knowledge  of  the  matter.  I  am  informed,  however, 
by  Detective  Lee  and  Captain  Robinson's  clerk,  that  some  boxes  or  cases, 
marked  as  General  Reeve  states,  were  brought  to  the  wharf  by  some  person 
to  them  unknown,  and  desired  to  have  said  boxes  forwarded;  but  as  no  trans 
portation  for  the  liquors  had  been  obtained,  the  detective,  of  course,  refused 
to  allow  them  to  go  on  board.  The  person  who  brought  these  boxes  to  the 
wharf  did  not  call  for  them,  and  on  the  following  day  they  were  sent  to  the 
Government  warehouse,  no  application  having  been  made  to  me  for  them. 

44 The  above  are  all  the  cases  referred  to  in  the  communications  forwarded 
to  me  on  the  5th  instant.  The  liquors  or  goods  seized  by  detectives  acting 
under  my  orders  are  turned  over  to  Captain  E.  L.  Hartz,  assistant  quarter 
master,  whose  receipts  for  the  same  are  now  on  file  in  my  office." 

The  unjust  and  unkind  charges  preferred  against  me,  by 
General  Patrick  and.  Colonel  Ingalls,  compelled  me,  from 
regard  to  personal  honor  and  self-respect,  to  add  the  follow 
ing,  to  the  Secretary  of  War  : — 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  March  2,  1863.  ( 

Honorable  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — Feeling  that  I  cannot  longer,  in  justice  to  myself  and  friends,  rest 
quietly  under  the  serious  charges  made  against  me  by  Brigadier-General 
Patrick,  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  I  beg  leave 
respectfully  to  submit  the  following: — 

In  my  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the  8th  ultimo,  I  did  not 
seek  to  vindicate  my  personal  character  against  the  charges  made  by  General 
Patrick  and  other  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  but  simply  endeavored 
to  explain  where  certain  property  had  been  seized,  why  seized,  and  the  dispo 
sition  made  of  it. 

It  cannot  be  possible  that  General  Patrick  could  place  so  low  an  estimate 
upon  the  intelligence  and  business  sagacity  of  the  Secretary  and  Assistant 
Secretary  of  War  as  to  think,  for  one  moment,  that,  with  a  knowledge  of  the 
fact,  they  would  employ,  or  even  tolerate,  an  officer  whose  character  and  an 
tecedents  are  what  General  Patrick  represents  mine  to  be.  In  looking  for  a 
cause  or  reason  why  these  unfounded  charges  have  been  made  against  me,  I 
am  compelled  to  believe  that  they  were  instigated  and  represented  as  true  to 
high  officers  in  the  army,  by  others  who  feared  exposure  of  certain  delinquen 
cies,  thefts,  and  frauds,  practiced  by  men  wearing  the  uniform,  and  calling 
themselves  officers  of  the  United  States  army. 

In  an  official  communication,  written  by  General  Patrick  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  he  (General  Patrick)  asserts  most  positively  that  he  has  made  a  thor 
ough  investigation  concerning  the  seizure  of  certain  private  property  belong 
ing  to  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  could  not  trace  said  property 
beyond  the  detectives  who  seized  it.  I  beg  leave  to  state — 

First — That  General  Patrick,  neither  verbally  nor  in  writing,  has  at  any 
time  made  application  to  me  for  the  return  of  any  property  whatever,  seized 


PILLAGE  OF  PRIVATE  PROPERTY.  165 

by  my  order;  and  that,  if  he  had  done  so,  all  proper  information  would  have 
been  afforded  him. 

Second — I  ain  not  informed  that  General  Patrick  has,  either  verbally  or  in 
writing,  ever  applied  for  or  made  application  to  any  proper  officer,  or  made 
any  investigations  whatever,  concerning  the  losses  of  what  he  terms  the  private 
property  of  officers,  other  than  such  inquiries  as  he  might  have  made  from  the 
officers  themselves. 

It  would  be  but  an  act  of  justice  to  me  to  require  General  Patrick  to  state 
officially  who  made  the  investigations  referred  to,  and  to  what  department  or 
office  application  was  made  for  information,  so  far  as  it  has  a  bearing  upon 
my  official  conduct,  in  order  to  determine  whether  his  statements  are  justifia 
ble  on  the  evidence  before  him. 

I  informed  General  Patrick,  myself,  while  he  was  acting  provost-marshal 
at  Fredericksburg  (I  think  in  August  last),  that  I  was  acting  under  the  direct 
orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  exhibited  to  him  my  authority. 

If,  in  General  Patrick's  opinion,  I  was  guilty,  as  is  alleged  by  him,  of 
stealing  private  property,  his  duty  was  to  have  reported  the  facts  to  the  Sec 
retary  of  War  forthwith.  This  was  not  done  until  .some  time  after  his  alleged 
investigation  concerning  the  seizure  of  property  by  my  detectives,  and  afte** 
my  investigations  into  the  frauds  at  Aquia  had  begun. 

As  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  General  Patrick 
is  at  the  head  of  the  police  department  of  the  army,  and  many  of  his  in 
spectors  and  other  staff  officers  are  detective  police  officers  under  another 
name,  and  there  certainly  never  was  a  wider  field  for  the  display  of  detective 
ability  than  that  of  his  operations. 

Not  having  succeeded  in  preventing  the  wholesale  plunder  and  pillage  of 
private  houses,  of  the  poor,  defenseless,  an'd  panic-stricken  inhabitants  of 
Fredericksburg,  he  ought  not  to  harass  or  embarrass  me  in  the  performance 
of  the  duty  assigned  to  me  by  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  information  was  received  at 
this  office  that  a  large  quantity  of  pillaged  or  stolen  property  was  being  sent  for 
ward  by  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Array  of  the  Potomac,  to  their  families  and 
friends  residing  in  the  North.  Acting  upon  this  information,  I  detailed  two 
detective  officers  to  remain  at  the  express  offices,  for  the  purpose  of  intercept 
ing  this  plunder.  It  is  shown,  by  my  monthly  property  return  to  the  Quar 
termaster-General,  that  no  household  family  property  or  relic  was  exempt  or 
safe  from  the  sacrilegious  hands  of  these  ruthless  army  thieves.  Ladies' 
wearing  apparel,  such  as  silk  dresses,  velvet  cloaks,  toilet  articles,  silver  and 
china-ware,  surgical  and  dental  instruments,  sheets,  pillow-cases,  bed-spreads, 
damask  window-curtains  (torn  from  their  fastenings),  portions  of  the  library 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  ladies'  bonnets,  medical  and  liter 
ary  works  of  great  value,  knives  and  forks,  silver  spoons  with  the  initials  of 
the  owners  marked  on  them,  a  large  bronze  horse,  weighing  nearly  two  hun 
dred  pounds,  arid  a  great  variety  of  other  property  pillaged  or  stolen  from 
Fredericksburg. 

General  Patrick  and  Colonel  Ingalls  assert  and  maintain  they  have 
the  machinery  of  military  law  in  complete  working  order  in  the  Army  of 


166  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

the  Potomac,  and  that  they  are  fully  competent  to  arrest  and   punish  aL. 
offenders. 

It  is  due  alike  to  their  own  honor  and  that  of  the  Government,  whose 
commissions  they  hold,  that  they  should  explain  why  it  is  that  pillage  and 
rohhery  so  extensive  have  been  permitted  by  them,  and  what  honorable  or 
justifiable  motive  has  led  them  to  interpose  all  manner  of  obstacles  to  my 
ferreting  out  and  exposing  that  and  other  villanies. 

During  the  past  six  months,  I  have  repeatedly  called  the  attention  of  the 
Quartermaster-General,  in  official  communications,  to*the  fact  that  the  most 
gross  and  outrageous  frauds  are  being  perpetrated  by  the  employees  of  tho 
quartermaster's  department  at  Aquia  Creek.  So  public  and  notorious  had 
these  facts  become,  that  I  determined,  if  possible,  to  break  it  up.  I  accord 
ingly  sent  an  able,  honest,  and  faithful  officer,  William  Speer,  to  Aquia  Creek, 
with  instructions  to  bring  to  this  city  a  number  of  witnesses,  who,  as  I  had 
been  reliably  informed,  would  give  important  information. 

The  officer  found  two  of  the  witnesses,  and  forwarded  them  to  this  city ; 
and  went  after  another,  a  Mr.  Evans.  While  the  officer  was  about  going  on 
board  the  steamer  for  this,  city,  accompanied  hy  Mr.  Evans,  they  were  both 
arrested  by  order  of  General  Patrick,  treated  with  great  indignity,  and  sent 
on  board  the  prison-ship  lying  in  the  harbor,  and  confined  below  decks. 
Mr.  Speer  remained  on  board  five  days,  when  he  was  released  by  order  of  thq 
Secretary  cf  War.  Mr.  Evans  remained  over  a  month,  and  was  released,  as  I 
am  informed,  by  order  of  General  Patrick. 

It  seems  impossible  to  conceive  this  act  to  be  any  thing  else  than  a  pre 
meditated  and  deliberate  attempt  to  stifle  an  investigation  already  begun  by 
me,  which  was  likely  to  result  in  the  detection  of  fraudulent  practices;  and 
the  disgrace  of  high  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Votornac. 

At  Aquia  Creek,  on  the  day  previous  to  the  arrest  of  William  Speer, 
J£r.  J.  J.  Camp — another  of  my  detectives,  detailed  by  order  of  the  Secretary 
of  War  to  make  daily  trips  from  this  city  to  Aquia  Creek,  on  board  the  Gov 
ernment  transport — was  arrested  by  order  of  General  Patrick,  placed  on 
board  the  prison-ship,  with  the  officer  first  mentioned.  On  the  day  after  tho 
arrest  of  Mr.  Camp,  Thomas  C.  Speers  was  arrested  while  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duties  at  Aquia  Creek.  He  also  was  placed  on  the  prison-ship,  where  ho 
remained  live  days,  confined  in  the  hold,  and  not  allowed  even  the  necessaries 
of  life. 

From  the  fact  that  these  detectives,  acting  under  my  orders,  had,  owing 
to  certain  investigations  which  they  were  then  making,  incurred  the  displeas 
ure  of  certain  officers  connected  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  quarter 
master  department  at  Aquia  Creek,  and  in  consequence  of  an  anticipated 
exposure  of  the  frauds  and  peculations,  my  detectives  were  arrested,  thrown 
into  a  loathsome  den,  with  negroes  and  rebels,  by  the  order  of  General 
Patrick.  If  such  treatment  would  not  stifle  and  put  an  end  to  investigation 
.into  frauds,  nothing  short  of  taking  our  lives  could  do  so. 

Whatever  odium  or  discredit  may  have  been  cast  upon  me,  my  officers,  01 
my  position,  by  General  Patrick  in  his  official  communications,  those  who 
have  known  me  through  life,  I  am  confident,  will  bear  me  out  in  asserting, 


DEMORALIZING  INFLUENCES  OF  WAR.  167 

that  I  am  unstained  by  crime,  and  neither  in  morality  nor  honor,  nor  in.  any 
thing  save  military  rank,  inferior  to  General  Patrick. 

In  closing  this  communication,  I  must  respectfully,  but  earnestly,  require 
that  Brigadier-General  Patrick  and  Colonel  Ingalls  be  called  upon  officially 
by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  furnish  proofs  of  the  various  charges  made 
against  myself  and  officers  acting  under  my  orders,  or  to  retract  those  charges, 
and  thus  relieve  rae  from  accusations  as  cruel  as  they  are  unfounded. 
I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add,  that  such  impeachment  was 
not  attempted  ;  but  the  matter  was  very  quietly  dropped  by 
those  who  began  the  attack  upon  my  own  official  character, 
and  that  of  my  assistants. 

The  alarming  increase  of  intemperance,  the  stupendous 
frauds  and  bank  robberies  of  late,  never  so  bold  and  start 
ling  in  this  country  as  since  the  rebellion,  are  a  legitimate 
outgrowth  in  time  of  peace  of  those  loose  principles  and 
practices  which,  during  the  conflict,  were  common  in  the 
highest  places  of  power  and  responsibility ;  and  were  to  a 
great  extent,  as  already  intimated,  the  natural  effects  of  the 
demoralizing  influences  of  war. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

CARDS— TREASURES— FEMALE  SPY. 

Colonel  Stuart's  Contraband  Trade — Corrupt  Literature  and  Art — Captured  Treasure 
— Miss  A.  F. — Cavalry  Stuart's  Commission — The  Arrest  and  Imprisonment. 

WE  have  seen  that  whisky  was  a  great  staple  in  our 
army,  and  it  was  no  less  so  in  the  rebel  field.  Next  to  it, 
playing-cards  were  in  demand,  and  afforded  to  the  importers 
from  the  North  large  profit,  and  were  consequently  an  article 
of  extensive  blockade-running  transportation.  The  demor 
alizing  effect  of  gaming  will  appear  in  another  connection. 

The  case  of  Colonel  Stuart,  reported  here,  will  afford  an 
interesting  view  of  this  traffic,  and  present  some  new  aspects 
of  disloyalty  in  official  quarters.  The  rebel  trader,  when 
taken  to  my  office,  sang  a  secession  song  in  defiance  of  the 
Government  and  its  officers. 

February  16, 1363. 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War  :— 

SIR — On  the  18th  instant,  two  of  my  detectives  arrested  a  Colonel  W.  A. 
8.,  on  the  Little  River  Turnpike,  between  Alexandria  and  Fairfax  Court- 
House,  on  his  way  to  Warrenton,  having  in  his  possession  four  large  trunks, 
containing  four  thousand  packs  of  playing-cards ;  one  box,  containing  tea, 
sugar,  coffee,  boots  and  shoes,  dress  goods,  &c. 

It  appears  that  Colonel  S.  came  to  Alexandria  about  one  week  since,  and, 
with  the  postmaster  at  Alexandria,  went  to  New  York,  purchased  the  goods, 
returned  on  Friday  last,  and  applied  to  Colonel  Tate,  provost-marshal,  for  a 
pass  to  take  his  goods  to  his  house.  Colonel  Tate  made  the  examination, 
and  gave  S.  the  necessary  passes,  certifying  that  the  articles  were  not  contra 
band,  and  permitting  them  to  pass.  In  S.'s  pockets  were  found  a  large  number 
of  letters  addressed  to  persons  in  Charlottesville,  Culpepper,  Richmond,  and 
various  other  points  in  the  Confederate  States.  From  these  letters  it  appears 
that  S.  has  recently  come  from  Richmond,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  these 
identical  goods.  Colonel  Tate  could  not  certainly  have  given  this  pass  inno 
cently,  as  he  examined  the  goods  in  person.  So  large  an  amount  of  playing- 
cards  purchased,  and  being  transported  at  one  time  through  our  lines,  would 
be,  in  my  opinion,  a  very  suspicious  circumstance. 


VINDICATION  OF  THE  DETECTIVE  BUREAU.  109 

Colonel  S.  informed  the  detectives  that,  had  he  succeeded  in  getting 
through  the  lines  with  his  contraband  articles,  he  could  have  made  five  thou 
sand  dollars  easily  by  the  operation. 

In  view  of  certain  facts  recently  brought  to  my  notice,  concerning  the 
transportation  of  large  quantities  of  contraband  goods  from  Alexandria 
through  our  lines,  I  am  satisfied  that  there  is  collusion  in  this  matter  between 
the  military  authorities  and  the  blockade-runners,  and  would  respectfully  ask 
that  some  stringent  order  be  issued  to  put  a  stop  to  this  illegal  traffic. 

Colonel  S.  is  in  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  and  his  goods  are  in  my  pos 
session.  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

I  shall  introduce  here  statements  made  at  this,  date,  in 
defense  of  the  Detective  Bureau  against  unjust  suspicions  of 
dishonesty,  arising  from  the  very  secrecy  and  consequent 
mystery  of  its  movements.  Because  publicity  was  not  and 
could  not  be  given  to  all  its  operations,  there  were  many 
persons  who  were  sure  that  darkness  was  preferred  to  light, 
because  its  deeds  were  evil.  Especially  was  this  true  re 
specting  the  disposal  of  captured  money  and  other  valuable 
property,  in  regard  to  which  it  was  more  than  hinted  that 
these  had  strangely  disappeared.  Without  selecting  a  rare 
and  solitary  case,  I  shall  present  one  of  many  reports  on 
such  reprisals,  which  will  vindicate  the  fidelity  of  the  bureau 
to  its  trust. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSH  AT,  WAP.  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  March  4,  1S63.  j 

Hon.  E.  M.  STAXTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

Sin — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  facts  and  pro 
ceedings  relative  to  the  arrest  and  detention  of  the  following-named  persons, 
charged  with  being  blockade-runner*,  viz. :  Solomon  Adler,  Jacorna  BaHgtupe, 
Reuben  Simon,  Joel  Mann,  August  J.  Erir.kson,  A.  J.  M.  Tiller,  M.  Witholtz, 
Ange  Apere,  Jaroma  Cnttabona,  Charles  Maureback,  Leon.  Bersey,  M.  Wolfe. 
All  of  these  persons  were  arresr,ed  near  Leesburg,  Va.,  on  the  18th,  19th,  and 
20th  days  of  February,  18G3,  by  Officers  Sherman,  Trail,  and  J.  L.  Baker.  The 
property  found  on  the  persons  and  in  the  possession  of  these  men  consisted 
of  the  following  items,  viz. : — 

Southern  bank  notes $8,088  00 

United  States  Treasury  notes 4(50  00 

Maryland  and  Eastern  bank  notes 183  00 

Confederate  notes   4.5SO  00 

Gold 4.859  HO 

Silver..  211  05 


$18,989  05 


170  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Three  gold  watches,  a  small  package,  containing  silk  handkerchiefs,  knives, 
spool  cotton,  &c. 

Passes,  issued  by  the  Confederate  authorities  at  Richmond,  were  found  in 
the  possession  of  each  of  the  prisoners  above  named,  and,  in  addition  to  this 
conclusive  evidence  of  guilt,  I  may  add  that  several  of  these  parties  are  known 
to  the  military  authorities  at  Berlin  as  active  and  successful  participants  in 
the  business  of  smuggling  goods  and  property  through  our  lines.  From  tha 
character  of  the  arrested  parties,  and  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  property,  <fecM 
found  in  their  possession,  I  would  not  entertain  a  doubt  as  to  the  fact  of  their 
being  engaged  in  an  unlawful  and  treasonable  attempt  to  smuggle  property 
and  goods  through  our  lines. 

I  have,  therefore,  ordered  the  goods  and  property  above  described  to  be 
detained,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  have  placed  the 
parties  arrested  in  confinement  in  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

Fairfax  Court-House  was  for  two  years  within  our  lines, 
and  occupied  as  an  outpost  by  our  army.  Here  lived  a 
citizen  by  the  name  of  F.,  with  whom  boarded  several  of 
the  staff  officers.  His  daughter,  Miss  F.,  was  a  young 
and  decidedly  good-looking  woman,  with  pleasing,  insinua 
ting  manners.  She  discoursed  fluently,  and  with  enthu 
siasm,  of  the  Union  cause,  impressing  her  admiring  guests 
with  her  loyalty  and  intelligence.  Meanwhile,  she  carried 
her  commission  as  a  rebel  spy.  This  document,  in  its  original 
form,  was  found  through  the  confidence  reposed  by  Miss 
F.  in  a  female  subordinate  in  my  bureau,  who  played  the 
part  of  a  Southern  lady  going  to  her  friends.  Miss  F.  opened 
her  heart  to  the  young  adventurer,  and  also  her  bed,  in  which, 
between  the  mattress  and  its  nether  companion,  was  con 
cealed  the  prized  and  useful  paper.  It  was  found  then 
when  the  fair  spy  was  arrested  by  my  order. 

The  public  have  not  forgotten  the  capture  of  General 
Stoughton  and  staff,  at  Fairfax  Court-House,  by  Moseby, 
which  drew  from  Mr.  Lincoln  the  remark,  when  he  was 
told  that  a  hundred  horses  were  captured  with  the  officer : 
"Well,  I  am  sorry  for  that — for  I  can  make  brigadier-gen 
erals,  but  can't  make  horses." 

It  turned  out  that  Miss  F.  was  accustomed  to  go  out 
at  night  and  meet  Moseby,  the  famous  guerrilla,  and  im 
part  whatever  information  might  be  of  service  to  the  enemy. 


MISS  A.  J.  F.  171 

Indeed,  one  day  she  was  invited  by  a  staff  officer  to  take  a 
horseback  ride  into  the  country,  and  met  Moseby,  whom  she 
introduced  to  her  escort  under  an  assumed  name,  and  passed 
along,  with  loyal  words  upon  her  traitorous  lips. 

The  story  of  her  career,  until  safely  lodged  in  the  Old 
Capitol,  is  related  in  my  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  f 
WASHINGTON,  March  IT,  1S63.  j 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIB — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  relative  to  the  arrest 
of  Miss  F.,  on  the  charge  that,  while  holding  a  commission  in  the  Con 
federate  army,  and  performing  active  service  under  such  commission  as  un 
aid-de-camp  to  Brigadier-General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  now  commanding  a 
brigade  in  said  army,  the  said  Miss  F.  came  within  the  Union  lines  as  a  spy, 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  and  communicating  to  officers  in  the  Confederate 
army  information  of  the  movements,  localities,  and  purposes  of  the  Union 
forces,  and  that  the  said  Miss  F.  did  secretly  and  perfidiously  obtain  such 
information  and  treasonably  communicate  the  same  to  officers  and  others  irk 
the  Confederate  service. 

In  order  more  clearly  to  indicate  the  character  and  purposes  of  the  said 
Miss  F.,  and  the  positive  commission  by  her  of  the  treasonable  acts  with 
which  she  is  charged,  I  am  compelled  to  refer  to  certain  military  events  of 
recent  occurrence  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Fairfax  Court-House,  Vu.  On 
the  night  of  the  10th  instant,  the  pickets  and  outposts  of  the  United  States 
forces  stationed  at  Fairfax  Court  House  were  disgracefully  surprised  and 
captured  by  an  attacking  party  of  Confederate  cavalry,  under  command  of 
Captain  Moseby;  following  up  this  success,  the  rebel  force  penetrated  our 
lines,  surprised  and  captured  the  commanding  officer,  Colonel  Stoughton,  in 
his  quarters,  and  succeeded  in  carrying  away  with  them  a  large  amount  of 
valuable  Government  property,  including  over  one  hundred  horses.  Tho 
time,  circumstances,  and  mode  of  this  attack  and  surprise,  the  positive  and 
accurate  knowledge  in  possession  of  the  rebel  loader,  of  the  numbers  and 
position  of  our  forces,  of  the  exact  localities  of  officers'  quarters,  and  depots 
of  Government  property,  all  pointed  unmistakably  to  the  existence  of  traitors 
mid  spies  within  our  lines,  and  their  recent  communication  with  Confederate 
officers. 

Acting  upon  this  conclusion,  I  ordered  a  female  detective  belonging  to 
this  office,  in  whose  discretion  and  abilities  I  had  great  confidence,  to  proceed 
at  once  to  Fairfax  Court-House,  and,  under  color  of  attachment  to  the  seces 
sion  cause,  place  herself  in  contact  with  and  obtain  the  confidence  of  the 
person  suspected. 

In  compliance  with  such  order,  the  detective  mentioned  visited  Fairfax 
Court-House,  and  in  the  assumed  character  of  a  friend  and  agent  of  the  Con 
federates,  asking  advice  and  assistance  in  efforts  to  reach  Warrenton  and 
find  a  refuge  within  the  Confederate  lines,  met  with  a  warm  reception,  and 


172  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

was  rewarded  for  her  pretended  devotion  to  secession  by  confidential  dis 
closures  not  less  valuable  then  interesting. 

The  person  visited  by  my  detective,  and  to  whom  suspicion  had  already 
pointed  as  an  active  and  unscrupulous  Confederate  agent,  was  Miss  F.  In 
the  exercise  of  a  credulous  simplicity  and  sympathy  scarcely  to  be  expected 
from  a  staff  officer  of  the  rebel  army,  Miss  F.  displayed  to  the  anxious  gazo 
of  the  detective  a  military  commission,  of  which  tbe  following  is  a  copy  : — 

To   ALL   WHOM   IT   MAT    CONCERN  :  — 

KNOW  YE  :  That  reposing  special  confidence  in  the  patriotism,  fidelity, 
and  ability  of  Miss  F.,  I,  James  E.  B.  Stuart,  by  virtue  of  the  power 
vested  in  me,  as  brigadier-general  in  the  Provisional  Army  of  the  Confede 
rate  States  of  America,  do  hereby  appoint  and  commission  her  my  honorary 
aid-de-camp,  to  rank  as  such  from  this  date. 

She  will  be  obeyed,  respected,  and  admired  by  all  the  lovers  of  a  noble 
nature. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  at  the  headquarters  Cavalry  Brigade,  at 
Camp  Beverly,  the  seventh  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1861,  and  the  first  year  of 
our  independence. 

(Signed)  J.  E.  B.  STUART.       [SEAL.] 

By  the  General:  L.  TIEMAN,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

This  document,  undoubtedly  authentic,  and  bearing  the  genuine  signature 
and  private  seal  of  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  is  in  my  possession,  and  is  of  itself 
strong  evidence  of  the  appreciation  in  which  Miss  F.'s  treasonable  services, 
as  a  spy  and  informer,  were  held  by  her  rebel  employers,  The  proof  of  Miss 
F.'s  former  employment  in  the  rebel  service  maybe  considered  indisputable; 
that  of  her  more  recent  services,  and  especially  in  connection  with  the  late 
attack  upon  our  outposts  at  Fairfax  Court-House,  is  not  less  conclusive:  that 
proof  consists  in  the  voluntary  acknowledgment  and  declaration  by  Miss  F. 
that  she  made  herself  acquainted,  while  a  resident  within  our  lines  at  Fairfax 
Court-House,  of  all  the  particulars  relating  to  the  number  of  our  forces  there 
and  in  the  neighborhood,  the  location  of  our  camps,  the  places  where  officers' 
quarters  were  established,  the  precise  points  where  our  pickets  were  stationed, 
the  strength  of  the  outposts,  the  names  of  officers  in  command,  the  nature  of 
general  orders,  and  all  other  information  valuable  to  the  rebel  leaders; 
that  such  information  had  been  communicated  by  her  to  Captain  Moseby, 
of  the  Confederate  army,  immediately  before  the  attack  on  our  outposts  be 
fore  mentioned;  and  that  it  was  in  consequence  of  the  precision  and  correct 
ness  of  such  information  that  Captain  Mosebyhad  been  enabled  successfully  to 
attack  and  surprise  the  pickets  and  outposts  of  our  forces,  to  find  without  de 
lay  or  difficulty  the  quarters  of  Colonel  Stoughton  and  other  United  States 
officers,  to  capture  that  officer  and  a  large  amount  of  Government  property, 
and  effect  a  safe  return  within  the  Confederate  lines. 

Miss  F.  also  stated  to  my  informant  that  Captain  Moseby  had,  but  a  short 
time  before  the  rebel  raid  at  Fairfax,  visited  and  been  a  guest  at  her  (Miss 
F.'s)  house  at  that  place ;  that  he  had  remained  there  three  days  and  throe 


MISS  F.'S  PERSONAL  EFFECTS.  173 

nights,  disguised  in  citizen's  dress,  and  that  during  such  visit  she  had  given  to 
him  (Moseby)  all  the  information  and  details  which  afterward  enabled  him 
successfully  to  attack  our  force. 

Miss  F.  also  stated,  that  on  an  occasion  while  she  was  taking  a  ride  on 
horseback,  accompanied  by  a  member  of  Colonel  Stoughtori's  staff,  they  were 
met  by  Captain  Moseby,  also  on  horseback,  but  in  citizen's  dress,  and  that  she 
(Miss  F.)  and  Captain  Moseby  recognized  and  saluted  each  other. 

The  suspicions  which  had  heretofore  attached  to  Miss  F.  being  fully 
confirmed  by  her  voluntary  statements,  she  was  forthwith  arrested  by  Officer 
Odell,  of  my  force,  and  conveyed  to  this  city.  Upon  the  person  and  in  the 
possession  of  Miss  F.  were  found  a  number  of  private  letters  from  officers 
and  others  in  the  rebel  service,  eighty-seven  dollars  in  Southern  bank-bills  and 
Confederate  notes,  and  Miss  F.'s  commission  as  aid-de-camp  to  General 
Stuart.  Officer  Odell  also  discovered  and  seized  at  the  same  time,  at  the  resi 
dence  of  Miss  F.  at  Fairfax  Court-House,  a  large  quantity  of  Southern  and 
Confederate  money  and  evidences  of  debt,  amounting  in  the  whole  to  the  sum 
of  five  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars.  The  property  so  seized 
I  hold  in  my  possession,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

I  have  ordered  Miss  F.  to  be  placed  in  confinement  in  the  Old  Capitol 
prison. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


CHAPTER  XWI. 

THE  BUREAU  IN  CANADA— IN  THE  ARMY. 

Tricks  of  False  Correspondence — Mr.  Delisle  and  the  "Secret  Secession  Legation 

— Disreputable  Women  in  the  Army — Collision  with  Major-General  on 

their  Account. 

THE  operations  of  the  bureau  were  embarrassed  unavoida 
bly  by  the  transmission  of  false  intelligence  through  unrelia 
ble  persons  for  mercenary  ends,  of  the  gravest  importance  to 
this  or  some  other  department  of  the  Government.  Bogus 
correspondence  was  sometimes  thrown  into  my  hands  to  mis 
lead  me,  and  secure  to  the  writers  some  personal  advantages. 

For  illustration :  Early  in  1863,  a  man,  who  signed  him 
self  "C.  M.  Delisle,"  wrote  to  the  State  Department,  ex 
pressing  an  earnest  desire  to  forward  important  information, 
dating  from  Prescott,  Canada  East,  but  post-marked  at  Og 
densburg,  New  York.  Delisle  claimed  to  be  the  agent  of 
the  "Secret  Secession  Legation,  Canada,",  through  Avhose 
hands  passed  all  the  correspondence  between  the  province 
and  Richmond.  The  letter  below  is  from  this  gentleman  : — 

OGDEXSBURG,  May  4, 1SCO. 

To  the  Honorable  W.  II.  SEWAED,  Secretary  of  State,  Washington: — 

SIR — Certain  facts  having  of  late  come  to  my  knowledge,  of  the  existence 
of  a  secret  Southern  society,  the  object  of  which  is  most  detrimental  to  the 
Federal  Government  of  the  United  States ;  and  although  a  British  subject, 
and  residing  in  the  States  but  for  a  few  months,  I  deem  it  my  duty  to  inform 
you  of  the  fact.  Having  myself  been  engaged,  in  1837  and  '38,  in  quelling 
the  Canadian  rebellion,  when  I  had  the  honor  of  holding  a  commission  in  a 
British  troop  of  cavalry,  besides  having  since  held  several  commissions  and 
appointments  under  the  Canadian  Government,  I  can  understand  the  very  great 
injury  caused  by  it  to  a  well-constituted  Government  as  yours.  However,  I 
am  one  of  those  who  are  strongly  in  favor  of  the  Union,  and  would  consider 
it  a  very  great  misfortune  if  such  a  promising  republic  should  ever  be  broken 
up.  Being  unwilling  that  it  should  be  known  that  I  have  addressed  you  on 
this  subject,  I  trust  that  the  confidence  reposed  by  me  in  you  will  be  strictly 


SECRET  SECESSION  LEGATION.  175 

private  and  confidential;  and  should  your  Government  think  proper  to  fur 
nish  me  the  means  of  going  to  Washington,  I  shall  then  be  most  happy  to 
substantiate  my  assertions  by  undeniable  evidence.  Had  I  had  the  means  at 
my  disposal,  I  should  certainly  have  lost  no  time  in  seeing  you  personally. 
As  to  my  character,  it  is  beyond  censure,  and  with  regard  to  my  family  Con 
nections,  they  are  of  the  highest  standing  in  Canada,  where  I  was  born  and 
brought  up.  As  it  might  occur  to  you  that  this  is  a  ruse  to  obtain  money,  I 
car.  assure  you  that  it  is  not  so;  and  I  am  confident  that  when  I  shall  have 
made  you  acquainted  with  the  whole  of  the  facts  connected  with  my  infor 
mation,  it  will  put  you  in  a  position  to  discover  and  reap  invaluable  informa 
tion  for  the  good  of  your  Government.  I  may  also  state  that  I  shall  have  no 
objections  in  offering  my  services  in  bringing  the  whole  thing  to  light,  as  some 
one  would  have  to  be  employed  by  you  on  the  frontiers  and  in  Canada,  every 
inch  of  which  is  most  familiar  to  me. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  obedient,  &c.. 

C.  M.  DELISLE. 

Four  or  five  letters  more,  of  a  similar  character,  were  for 
warded  to  me  by  Mr.  Seward,  with  the  indorsement  that 
lie  believed  much  valuable  information  could  be  procured 
from  Delisle  respecting  persons  in  connection  with  whom  he 
professed  to  be  acquainted. 

Accordingly  I  met  him,  when  he  unfolded  to  me  one  of 
the  grandest  and  most  skillfully  arranged  plans  ever  devised, 
the  great  importance  of  which  had  rendered  it  necessary 
that  an  organization  should  be  formed,  with  the  sounding 
title  already  quoted,  whose  secretary  was  "Win.  Sibbald." 
So  completely  had  these  villains  made  out  their  programme, 
the  single  object  of  which  was  to  obtain  large  sums  of 
money,  that  it  was  with  much  difficulty  that  their  plot  was 
finally  discovered.  The  letters  which  follow  were  well  cal 
culated  to  deceive  the  most  vigilant  servants  of  the  Govern 
ment  : —  v 

MONTREAL,  April  27,  1863. 

SIP. — The  president  of  the  "Secret  Secession  Legation  in  Canada,"  being 
desirous  to  appoint  an  agent  on  the  border  of  the  United  States  and  Canada 
for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  the  conveyance  of  the  secret  mails,  &c.,  from 
Richmond,  Va.,  to  Europe  via  Canada,  and  your  name  having  been  transmit 
ted  to  him  by  a  friend  of  yours  in  the  United  States,  as  a  person  in  whom  all 
confidence  can  be  placed,  for  your  intelligence,  integrity,  and  forbearance,  I 
therefore,  sir,  beg,  at  his  request,  to  make  you  the  following  offer,  for  your 
acceptance  or  refusal,  viz. : — 

Firstf.  That  you  will  consent  to  become  "Secret  Agent"  in  the  United 
States  for  the  above  Legation. 


176  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Second.  That  you  will  endeavor,  by  secret  means,  to  forward  in  packages, 
so  made  up  and  of  such  size  as  to  avoid  detection  at  the  hands  of  the  United 
States  Government,  all  the  letters,  &c.,  delivered  to  you  monthly  by  persons 
from  Richmond,  Va.,  and  who  will  have  been  previously  instructed  in  New- 
York  of  the  nature  of  their  mission  toward  you. 

You  will  also  give  them  any  information  they  may  require  to  make  a 
silent  and  secret  entrance  in  Canada,  by  indicating  to  them  the.  roads  by 
which  the  crossing  of  the  boundary  lines  can  be  more  easily  effected  and  with 
less  danger. 

It  Avill  also  be  your  duty  to  deliver  to  them,  on  their  making  themselves 
known  to  you  by  means  of  countersigns,  which  in  all  cases  will  be  given  to 
you  in  time  by  the  Legation  in  Canada,  any  letters,  papers,  money,  &c.,  that 
will  have  been  secretly  given  to  yon  for  them,  either  from  here  or  from  other 
secret  agents  serving  in  Canada  or  the  United  States. 

Also,  that  you  will  find  means  to  carefully  conceal  any  documents,  &c., 
from  the  vigilance  of  the  United  States  Government  police,  till  such  docu 
ments,  &c.,  are  safely  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  "emissary"  it  may 
please  our  worthy  President,  Mr.  Jefferson  Davis,  to  send  to  us. 

Third.  That  you  will  be  willing  and  ready  to  move  from  one  place  to  the 
other,  at  six  hours'  notice  from  the  Legation  here,  at  any  time  the  said  Lega 
tion  may  order  such  a  move,  and  everywhere  act  as  secret  agent  to  them, 
seeking  and  gathering  any  information  they  may  require,  and  then  faithfully 
transmitting  the  same  to  the  President  here. 

Should  this  offer  meet  your  approbation,  your  remuneration  will  be  as 
follows,  viz. :  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  for  every  letter,  paper,  &c.,  not 
bearing  an  official  stamp;  ten  dollars  for  any  document,  letter,  paper,  &c., 
bearing  our  official  Government  stamp,  and  which  in  both  cases  you  will 
succeed  in  forwarding  safely  to  the  Legation  in  Canada. 

On  the  other  hand,  should  you  be  ordered  to  move  from  one  city  to 
another,  twenty-five  cents  per  mile  will  be  allowed  you  on  journeys  per 
formed  by  rail  or  by  boat;  and  fifty  cents  per  mile  for  distances  crossed  in 
vehicles  drawn  by  horses — all  payments  to  be  made  to  you  in  gold.  In  con 
clusion,  I  hope,  sir,  that  the  confidence  the  President  of  the  Legation  here 
has  placed  in  you,  based  upon  the  recommendation  of  your  recommender, 
will  never  be  betrayed,  and  the  strictest  secrecy  will  be  kept  by  you,  should 
you  accept  or  reject  this  proposition. 

Awaiting  your  early  reply,  which,  sir,  please  address  to  Wm.  Sillald,  sim 
ply,  General  Post,  Montreal, 

I  remain,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

WM.    SlBBALD, 

Secretary  to  the  Secret  Secession  Legation,  Canada. 
To  C.  M.  DELISLE,  Esq.,  Ogdensburg,  New  York. 

MONTREAL,  May  1, 18GS. 

SIR — I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  answer  to  my  communica 
tion  of  the  27th  ultimo,  and  I  avail  myself  of  this  opportunity  to  tender  you 
the  thanks  of  our  President. 


"LEGATION"  SCHEMES.  177 

I  am  aware  that  the  Agency,  should  yon  accept  it,  might  become  a  little 
annoying  in  case  of  detection ;  but  no  such  accident  can  happen,  if  secrecy 
be  your  course  of  conduct,  and  much  will  depend  upon  yourself  whether  the 
police  agents  of  the  United  States  seize  the  dispatches. 

The  character  your  benefactor  in  the  United  States,  who  has  desired  us  to 
suppress  his  name,  has  given  you,  has  induced  us  to  broach  such  a  subject  to 
you.  Suffice  to  say,  that  his  motive  is  one  prompted  by  the  personal  esteem 
he  entertains  for  you,  and  also  to  have  the  felicity  of  withdrawing  you  from 
your  present  embarrassifig  position. 

The  post  cannot  of  <$>urse  be  one  except  of  great  lucrativeness,  as  the 
arrangements  made  here  are  very  complete,  and  on  a  large  scale,  although 
ttrictly  ignored  ty  any  stranger  to  the  "  Legation" 

To  state  positively  what  you  might  derive  monthly  from  the  agency,  is  a 
mere  impossibility,  as  no  one  here  is  aware  of  the  number  of  packages  the 
"emissary"  maybe  able  to  convey;  but  you  can  rest  assured  that  a  very 
large  income  must  unavoidably  be  drawn  from  it. 

The  letters  and  official  dispatches  will  be  in  all  cases  written  upon  the 
thinnest  paper  manufactured,  to  make  concealment  easier,  and  in  many  case* 
will  be  mere  press  copies. 

Your  remuneration  will  be  paid  you  by  the  "emissary"  himself,  on  de- 
livery  of  the  documents,  by  draft  on  New  York,  to  an  amount  equal  to  gold, 
or,  if  more  convenient  and  suited  to  you,  in  specie. 

When  ordered  to  move,  sufficient  money  will  be  sent  you  from  here,  with 
the  orders  to  take  you,  all  expenses  paid,  to  any  place  chosen  and  back  to 
Ogdensburg,  as  the  latter  place  will  be  your  headquarters,  except  you  think 
another  spot  would  facilitate  the  entrance  of  mails  in  Canada:  this  point, 
however,  is  entirely  left  to  your  suggestion. 

The  President,  in  thanking  you,  wishes  me  to  say  that  he  is  well  pleased 
with  the  character  he  has  of  you,  and  that  no  person  is  better  suited  than 
you  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  object ;  and  that,  from  your  honesty,  genteel  and 
gentlemanlike  bearing,  you  will  manage  to  initiate  yourself  into  the  Ameri 
can  agents'  favors,  and  acquire  from  them  valuable  information  regarding 
the  "lookout  parties"  on  the  frontier  and  outlets  around  Richmond. 
I  remain,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  SIBBALD, 

Secretary  to  th.e  Secret  Secession  Legation  in  Canada. 
To  C.  M.  DKLISLE,  Esq.,  Ogdensburg,  New  York. 

I  will  be  glad  to  hear  your  answer  on  receipt  of  this,  whether  the  proposi 
tion  is  accepted  or  rejected. 

No  pains  were  spared  by  these  conspirators  to  impress 
the  officers  of  the  Government  with  the  reality  of  their  lying 
scheme  to  rob  its  Treasury.  In  harmony  with  this  cool  pur 
pose  and  policy,  communications  were  forwarded  to  individu 
als  anticipating  that  they  would  ultimately  reach  my  hands. 
On  this  point  I  shall  quote  certain  correspondence  with 

12 


178  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Captain  H.  B.  Todd,   provost-marshal  of  the  District  of 
Columbia : — 

HEADQUARTERS  PROVOST-MARSHAL'S  OFFICE,  | 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  20, 1863.  \ 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER  :— 

I  am  credibly  informed  that  one  Charles  Michael  Delisle,  now  living  in 
Ogdensburg,  New  York,  has  made  arrangements  ^ith  the  Secret  Secession 
Legation,  in  Montreal,  Canada,  or  with  their  secretary,  William  Sibbald,  to 
convey  the  rebel  mails  and  dispatches  into  Canada,  as  soon  as  the  emissaries 
from  Richmond  deliver  them  to  him. 

Delisle  is  paid  by  this  Secret  Legation,  and  now  stops  at  Johnson's  Hotel, 
Ogdensburg;  of  late  he  has  entered  his  name  as  F.  A.  Delisle,  instead  of  0. 
M.  My  informant  has  seen  his  correspondence  with  said  Legation,  and  read 
his  (Delisle's)  proposition. 

He  has  already  sent  dispatches  to  Montreal,  undetected,  which  have  been 
forwarded  to  Messrs.  Mason  and  Slidell,  through  the  mails  of  the  Montreal 
Ocean  Steamship  Company,  and  others  are  very  soon  expected  to  go  through. 
I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

HENRY  B.  TODD, 
Captain  and  Provost-Marshal 


It  is  only  necessary  to  add  that,  on  the  arrest  of  Delisle,  he 
confessed  that  there  was  no  ''Secret  Secession  Legation"  in 
Canada,  so  far  as  he  knew,  but  that  the  design  of  the  parties 
engaged  in  the  transaction  was  simply  to  defraud  the  United 
States  Government ;  and,  had  it  not  been  defeated  by  tho 
vigilance  of  this  bureau,  it  would  have  proved,  of  course,  a 
very  handsome  speculation  for  them. 

There  is  a  more  delicate  and  humiliating  violation  of  law 
and  social  order,  I  feel  it  necessary  to  record,  that  the  unsus 
pecting  people  may  exercise  the  vigilance  demanded  pre 
eminently  in  a  republic,  over  the  virtue  of  its  public  men, 
which  a  knowledge  of  the  facts  detailed  must,  to  some 
extent,  awaken.  I  refer  to  the  presence  of  disreputable 
women  at  the  headquarters  of  the  army  officers  during  the 
war.  While  the  wives  of  sick  soldiers  could  not  get  passes 
over  the  lines,  because  of  the  standing  order  that  no  females 
should  be  allowed  to  enter  the  battle-field,  presuming  they 
would  be  in  the  way  of  military  movements,  these  fancy 
ladies  could  telegraph  their  arrival  at  Washington  ;  an  order 
would  be  the  response,  giving  them  a  pass  and  free  transpor 
tation  to  the  designated  headquarters  of  the  favored  officers. 


FEMALES  WITH  THE  ARMY.  179 

The  subjoined  communication  will  indicate  the  nature  of 
the  unpleasant  business  on  my  hands : — 

Omen  PKOVOST-MABSHAL  WAR  DEPABTMBNT,  i 
WASHINGTON,  June  1,  1863.  J 

Honorable  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  "War : — 

SIR — I  deem  it  my  duty  to  inform  the  "War  Department  that,  notwithstand 
ing  the  very  stringent  and  almost  prohibitory  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
concerning  the  granting  of  passes  for  ladies  to  visit  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
large  numbers  are  still  passing  on  Government  transports. 

These  passes  are  furnished  by  the  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and,  I  am  reliably  informed,  are  frequently  forwarded  by 
mail  or  private  hands  to  persons  who  have  been  repeatedly  refused  by  the 
officer  detailed  to  issue  citizens'  passes  in  this  city. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department, 

Some  days  previous  to  the  battle  at  Chancellorsville,  a 
woman  applied  to  me  for  a  pass  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
It  required  but  a  hasty  glance  to  read  her  character  and 
object.  I  called  her  attention  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary 
of  War,  already  referred  to,  and  asked  her  what  was  her 
business.  She  simply  replied  that  she  desired  to  visit  a 
distinguished  general  of  the  army.  I  objected  to  her  going. 

"  I  will  have  a  pass,  in  spite  of  you !"  she  added. 

She  then  went  to  the  telegraph  office,  and  transmitted  the 
following  message : — 

"  I  have  just  arrived  ;  send  me  an  order  to  come  down." 

She  did  not  pretend  to  be  the  wife,  mother,  or  sister  of 
any  one  in  the  army ;  neither  did  she  profess  to  have  any 
business,  other  than  a  pleasure  trip  to  the  field.  In  less 
than  an  hour  she  showed  me  a  telegram,  which  read  : — 

"You  will  permit  the  bearer,  Mrs.-  — ,  to  visit  the 

Army  of  the  Potomac.  By  order  of ,  Commanding 

General." 

I  informed  her  that  I  should  entirely  disregard  the  order. 
My  orders  were  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  I  should 
"obey  them  .to  the  letter."  I  instructed  the  guard  not  to 
accept  the  military  order. 

Eefused  admission  on  board  of  the  steamer,  she  applied 
to  Mr.  Stanton,  who  assured  her  that  no  exception  could  be 
made  in  her  case.  In  three  days,  I  received,  through  the  War 


180  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Department,  a  passionate  and  insulting  letter,  saying: — "I 
am  sorry  that  you  are  not  in  my  jurisdiction.  If  you  were, 
I  would  soon  teach  you  the  respect  due  to  a  superior  officer. 
Your  whole  course  has  been  marked  by  a  recklessness  and 
intermeddling  with  officers,  which  would  not  be  tolerated 
in  any  other  officer  under  the  Government." 

To  such  an  extent  had  this  granting  of  passes  to  unprin 
cipled  women  been  carried,  that,  on  a  single  boat,  on  one 
day,  I  counted  no  less  than  twenty-three  on  their  way  to 
the  army,  with  no  legitimate  object,  whose  only  vocation 
was  prostitution. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

WEALTHY  TRAITORS— FRUITLESS  SCHEMES. 

John  H.  "Waring — His  Operations — An  Efficient  Tool — Walter  Bowie — A  Wild  Career 
— Rebel  Mail — Contrabands — Extracts  from  the  Private  Journals  of  Rebel  Spies. 

THE  insane  treason  of  the  Marylanders  revealed  itself 
very  strikingly  in  an  incident  which  now  occurred. 

Mr.  John  H.  Waring,  a  wealthy  and  respectable  planter, 
residing  on  the  banks  of  the  Patuxent  River,  had  long  been 
suspected  of  assisting  the  enemy,  and  devoting  his  dwelling 
to  the  secret  service  of  the  blockade-runners,  spies,  and 
mail-carriers  of  the  Confederacy.  His  family  had  ever  been 
known  as  the  most  scornful  haters  of  the  Federal  Govern 
ment,  outspoken,  and  fearless.  The  female  members  of  it, 
by  their  connection  with  disloyal  friends  of  high  standing 
in  Baltimore,  had  special  facilities  for  communicating  wjth 
the  South.  He,  individually,  did  not  enter  into  the  bitter 
denunciations  of  the  Government,  owing  partly  to  his  ad 
vanced  age,  and  partly  to  his  occupation  of  time  on  the 
plantation. 

Walter  Bowie,  whose  family  resided  in  Maryland,  and 
whose  uncle  gave  the  name  to  the  favorite  weapon  of  the 
chivalry,  had  early  in  the  struggle  cast  in  his  lot  with  the 
traitors. 

A  reckless,  unprincipled,  and  daring  young  man,  with 
considerable  culture,  he  was  selected  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  act  as  a  spy.  Born  and  brought  up  in  Lower 
Maryland,  he  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  country. 

To  him  are  many  families  there  indebted  for  the  loss  of 
fathers  and  sons.  He  raised,  at  different  times,  squads  for 
the  rebel  service,  ran  across  the  Potomac  and  sold  on  specu 
lation  ;  now  with  Moseby'  s  guerrillas,  then  with  the  authori 
ties  at  Richmond,  and  soon,  perhaps,  in  Washington.  I 
decided,  if  it  were  possible,  to  capture  him.  Aware  that  he 


182  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

was  assisted  and  concealed  by  the  Waring  ladies,  I  directed 
my  attention  to  that  quarter.  Sending  four  detectives  to  the 
house,  I  ord^ed  them  to  surround  it  on  a  certain  night. 
They  secreted  themselves  accordingly,  waiting  for  the  dawn, 
the  usual  way  of  detour  movements.  The  proximity  of  the 
men  somehow  became  known  to  the  inmates  of  the  house, 
but  every  precaution  had  been  taken  to  prevent  escape. 

As  the  light  of  day  appeared,  an  aged  negro  servant  left 
the  dwelling  with  a  washtub  upon  her  head,  and  walked 
toward  a  spring  near  by  for  water.  Upon  her  approach,  an 
officer  stopped  her,  and  inquired  about  the  family.  She 
could  give  no  information,  and  was  allowed  to  pass.  When 
sufficient  time  had  elapsed  for  her  return,  the  detective  sus 
pected  that  he  had  been  deceived,  and  taking  the  path  to  the 
spring,  discovered  the  tub,  and  just  beyond  a  horse  saddled 
and  bridled,  tied  to  a  tree.  The  whole  ruse  at  once  flashed 
upon  his  mind.  The  venerable  negress  was  no  other  than 
Walter  Bowie.  He  saw  that  the  horse  was  watched,  and 
went  on  afoot. 

Chagrined  at  the  defeat  of  his  plan,  the  officer  returned  to 
the  house,  and  found,  on  searching  it,  the  spy's  uniform, 
sagh,  and  sabre.  It  was  ascertained  later  that  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  W.,  Mrs.  Ducket,  had  blackened  and  dressed  Bowie 
for  the  occasion.  A  more  careful  examination  of  the  prem 
ises  led  to  the  discovery  of  several  suits  of  rebel  uniform. 

From  this  time  till  autumn  he  was  successfully  engaged 
in  raids  upon  defenseless  sutlers  and  unarmed  citizens,  until 
at  last,  crossing  the  Potomac  with  a  company  of  his  asso 
ciates,  went  to  Sandy  Hill,  broke  open  a  store,  and  pillaged 
it.  I  dispatched  a  squad  in  pursuit,  and  surrounded  his 
camp  next  morning  at  Booneville.  A  skirmish  ensued,  and 
Bowie  was  shot  with  a  double  charge,  and  instantly  killed. 

The  following  episode  in  the  darkly  romantic  history 
flings  a  lurid  light  into  the  " habitations  of  cruelty"  which 
have  been  protected  by  the  "  starry  flag  "  of  freedom,  reveal 
ing  their  domestic  scenes  : — 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARBITAT.  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  | 
WASHINGTON,  July  9, 1868.  j 

Honorable  E.  M.  ST ANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — I  respectfully  submit  the  following  statement,  and  request  further 
directions  in  the  matter. 


CRUELTY  TO  NEGROES.  183 

On  Monday  last,  having  received  information  that  Walter  Bowie,  a  noto 
rious  rebel  and  spy,  had  been  on  a  recent  visit  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Lizzie 
Bowie,  in  Prince  George  County,  Maryland,  and  also,  that  subsequent  to  said 
visit,  on  Sunday  night  last,  a  loaded  wagon  containing  clothing  had  been  sent 
from  Mrs.  Bowie's  house  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Worthington,  near  the  Poto 
mac,  for  transmission  to  Virginia,  I  detailed  a  force  from  this  office  to  inves 
tigate  the  matter,  and  arrest  the  said  Walter  Bowie  and  any  other  parties  en 
gaged  in  disloyal  practices. 

Walter  Bowie  succeeded  in  evading  the  search  made  for  him,  but  it  was 
ascertained  that  on  Sunday  night  a  two-horse  wagon  was  sent  from  Mrs. 
Bowie's  house,  driven  by  a  colored  man  named  Daniel  Grant,  and  in  charge 
of  Mr.  Contee  Warren  ;  that  two  large  trunks  were  in  said  wagon,  and  that 
the  same  were  taken  some  miles  from  Mrs.  Bowie's,  and  then  taken  from  the 
•wagon  and  deposited  by  the  side  of  the  road,  and  there  left,  the  driver, 
Daniel  Grant,  stating  to  the  said  officers  that  he  understood  that  said  trunks 
contained  clothing,  &c.,  and  were  intended  for  Walter  Bowie.  My  officers 
then  visited  the  house  of  Mr.  Worthington,  charged  with  forwarding  clothing, 
goods,  &c.,  from  Mrs.  Bowie's  into  Virginia.  A  full  examination  of  his  house 
and  premises  was  made,  but  nothing  found  of  a  contraband  nature.  In  the 
process  of  such  examination,  my  officers,  on  reaching  the  garret  of  Mr.  Wor- 
thington's  house,  found  the  entrance  closed  and  fastened  with  a  padlock. 
Upon  being  refused  admission,  the  door  was  forced  open,  and,  to  their  surprise 
and  horror,  found  there  two  almost  naked  negro  girls,  chained  together  by  the 
wrists,  and  exhibiting  upon  their  persons  evidences  of  a  most  brutal  and 
bloody  punishment.  Their  backs  were  covered  with  blood,  and  gashed,  as 
with  a  sharp  knife,  from  the  shoulders  to  the  loins,  presenting  a  spectacle  of 
horrid  cruelty  and  suffering  which  words  cannot  describe. 

One  of  these  girls  was  owned  by  Mrs.  Lizzie  Bowie,  and  the  other  by  Mrs. 
Worthington;  and  it  is  understood  that  they  had  been  beaten  with  a  trace 
chain  by  three  men,  namely,  Mr.  Worthington,  Contee  Warren,  and  Mr.  Hall, 
overseer  of  Mrs.  Bowie,  and  that  Mrs.  Bo-wie  had  ordered  the  punishment  on 
the  girl,  who  was  her  slave.  I  do  not  understand  that  any  law,  human  or  di 
vine,  confers  the  right  to  inflict  upon  helpless  women,  black  or  white,  the 
frightful  torture  borne  by  these  poor  and  defenseless  negro  girls.  Moved  by 
pity,  and  the  hope  that  speedy  justice  from  the  strong  arm  of  the  Government 
would  be  visited  upon  the  cowardly  miscreants  who  have  dared  to  commit  so 
infamous  a  crime,  my  officers  arrested  Mr.  Worthington  and  Contee  War 
ren,  and  brought  them  to  this  city,  and  they  are  now  in  the  custody  of  this 
office  until  further  orders  of  the  War  Department  are  received.  I  regret  to 
Bay  that  the  officers,  not  feeling  authorized  to  act  as  liberators,  left  the  negro 
girls  chained  and  bleeding  in  the  garret  of  Worthington's  house. 
Respectfully  yours, 

L.  C.  BAKEB, 
Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department. 

The  captives  were  released,  and,  with  an  expression  of 
the  deepest  gratitude  npon  their  sad  faces,  they  crawled  out 


184  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  the  garret,  in  which  they  had  not  room  to  stand  erect, 
only  to  suffer  again.  I  was  informed  that  one  of  them  was 
soon  afterward  found  in  the  woods,  dead,  with  marks  of  the 
terrible  scourge  upon  her  body.  The  only  crime  of  the  poor 
girls  was,  obeying  the  instinctive  love  of  freedom,  fired  into 
an  irresistible  impulse  at  the  sight  of  th£  "boys  in  blue." 

A  large  rebel  mail  was  found  between  the  beds  of  Mrs. 
Ducket's  room,  and  specimen  packages  of  blockade  goods 
in  transitu  from  Europe  were  secreted  in  different  parts  of 
the  house.  Opening  the  mail,  we  ascertained  that  Mr. 
Waring' s  mansion  had  long  been  the  rendezvous  of  all  who 
served  the  Southern  cause,  and  a  post-office  for  their  cor 
respondence. 

Waring  was  conveyed  to  Washington,  and  tried  by 
military  commission,  and  sentenced  to  two  years  in  Fort 
Delaware.  On  his  trial  it  was  shown,  that  for  months  he 
had  used  his  horses  and  wagons  to  carry  rebel  recruits  to 
the  Potomac  ;  and,  even  the  very  ilight  of  his  arrest,  he  had 
brought  Bowie,  in  his  Confederate  dress,  to  his  house  for 
concealment.  After  his  conviction,  the  Secretary  of  War 
directed  that  all  of  his  animals  and  other  property  should 
be  confiscated  and  sent  to  Washington.  Accordingly,  I 
repaired  to  the  plantation,  and  found  one  hundred  and  ten 
slaves,  impatient  to  be  free.  Unwilling  to  act  without  in 
structions,  no  proclamation  of  emancipation  having  then 
appeared  in  behalf  of  the  millions  in  bondage,  and  in  sym 
pathy  with  our  cause,  upon  appealing  to  Mr.  Lincoln,  with 
a  detailed  account  of  the  case,  and  saying  to  him,  "  I  did  not 
like  to  assume  the  responsibility  of  their  liberation,"  he  char 
acteristically  replied  :  "  Baker,  let  them  alone,  and  they  will 
free  themselves!"  I  took  the  hint,  and  returned  to  the 
plantation,  whither  I  had  sent  forty  Government  wagons  to 
transport  to  the  capital  the  confiscated  property. 

The  more  intelligent  slaves  appointed  a  committee  to 
wait  on  me,  to  inquire  what  action  I  intended  to  take  in 
their  case.  I  reported  my  interview  with  "Massa  Linkum," 
as  they  always  called  him,  and  his  significant  remark.  It 
was  quite  sufficient  for  them. 

The  next  morning,  with  my  train,  I  started,  but  refused 
to  recognize  their  escape  by  aifording  Government  convey- 


WAKING'S  ARREST.  185 

ance ;  when,  in  a  surprisingly  brief  time,  each  family  was 
seen  with  the  humble  stock  of  domestic  furniture  packed, 
and  ready  to  follow  the  wagons  of  "Massa  Linkum." 

Such  patient  endurance  of  fatigue,  and  uncomplaining 
toil,  to  secure  the  coveted  boon  of  liberty,  I  never  before 
saw;  patience  in  the  pursuit  of  freedom  did  "its  perfect 
work." 

It  was  soon  known  to  the  neighbors  of  Waring  that  his 
" servants"  were  en  route  to  Washington,  who  gathered 
in  large  numbers,  and,  fully  armed,  demanded  from  me  the 
return  of  the  caravan  of  laden  fugitives.  I,  of  course,  re 
fused  to  do  it.  The  conviction  of  Waring,  and  the  taking  of 
his  property,  in  my  opinion,  released  the  slaves — morally,  if 
not  legally. 

They  then  threatened  violence,  and  even  attempted  to 
stop  the  train.  The  arrest  of  the  ringleaders  quieted  the 
mob,  and  the  refugees  arrived  safely  in  Washington. 

Waring' s  arrest,  and  the  consequences  to  him,  have  been 
much  criticised,  and  regarded  by  the  South  as  an  arbitrary 
act ;  but  when  we  consider  that  he,  with  his  entire  family, 
were  engaged  directly  in  the  rebel  service,  the  evidence  of 
which  was  overwhelming,  it  must  appear  to  all  loyal  minds 
that  the  proceeding  was  justifiable,  and  even  necessary. 

I  copy  extracts  from  the  pages  of  a  private  journal  of 
the  rebel  spies  captured  on  the  Potomac,  which  afford  a 
glimpse  of  life  in  such  adventurous  service,  that  will  interest, 
I  am  sure,  many  of  my  readers : — 

JAMES  R.  MILBURN. 

July  23d,  1863.  Crossed  the  Potomac  River,  from  Md.  to  Va. 

24th.  Virginia  House,  Heatharville,  Northumberland  County,  Va. ;  arrived 
at  Union  Wharf,  Rap  River,  8  p.  M. 

25th.  Miller's  Hotel,  south  side  of  Rapidan ;  started  for  Richmond  in  com 
pany  with  Captain  Cox,  of  North  Va. ;  walked  to  Princes,  thirty-five  miles 
from  Rap. 

26th.  Breakfasted  at  Old  Church.  Arrived  in  Richmond  4  p.  M.,  Pow- 
hatan  Hotel ;  wrote  home. 

27th.  Called  on  Mr.  Barton. 

28th.  In  Richmond.     "  Disconsolate." 

29th.  Richmond. 

30th.  Left  Richmond  for  Buffalo  Springs,  Mecklenburg  County,  Va. ;  passed 
through  Petersburg,  Va.,  and  Weldon,  N.  C. 


186  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

31st.  Buffalo  Springs,  2  p.  M.     Room  49,  Rowdy  Row. 

August  1st.  First  impressions  of  Springs  not  very  pleasing. 

2d.  Formed  the  acquaintance  of  several  pleasant  gentlemen. 

3d.  Found  more  agreeable  company. 

4th.  Took  a  long  walk  in  company  with  Mr.  Frank  Hobbs,  of  Md. ;  talked 
of  dear  old  Maryland. 

5th.  Large  arrivals ;  unlimited  scope  for  the  sfudy  of  human  nature;  to 
me  a  look,  word,  or  mere  motion  of  body,  hand,  or  head,  will  often  analyze  a 
person's  character;  tirst  impressions  are  often  lasting,  and  generally  correct. 

6th.  Each  trying  to  outwit  the  other.     Grouping  of  nature. 

7th.  Wrote  to  Captain  Carlisle,  Moseby's  Cavalry,  and  to  my  friend  E.  N. 
Spiller,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

8th.  Introduced  to  Mrs.  Paxon,  wife  of  the  proprietor  of  Springs.  I  have 
closely  observed  her;  think  she  is  well  suited  to  make  married  life — yes — 
painfully  disagreeable.  Some  talk  of  the  freedom  and  bliss  of  persons  before 
marriage.  If  this  be  true,  what  is  the  state  of  one  coupled  to  a  disagreeable 
person  ;  concentrated  hell  surely. 

9th.  Tried  to  meditate  on  a  portion  of  the  Bible  ;  mind  unsettled  ;  thoughts 
like  chaff  before  the  wind.  Left  cottage  for  a  walk  to  compose  myself. 

10th.  Drinking  the  oozings  of  human  nature. 

llth.  Nothing  to  do  ;  yet  not  like  Miss  Flora  McFlimsey,  nothing  to  wear. 

12th.  Enjoyed  myself  by  dancing ;  find  very  little  intellectual  conversation  ; 
thus  far  during  my  visit  have  not  heard  a  solid  subject  discussed. 

13th.  Like  a  butterfly  on  the  wing,  pursuing  pleasure. 

14th.  How  various  are  the  classifications  of  the  mind;  some  appear  to  be 
guided  by  reason,  others  by  a  species  of  brutal  instinct. 

15th.  As  a  general  thing  the  visitors  seem  to  be  friendly. 

16th.  Ladies  very  agreeable ;  endeavor  to  repay  their  kindness. 

19th.  Modesty  is  a  polite  accomplishment,  and  often  an  attendant  upon 
merit ;  it  wins  the  hearts  of  all.  None  are  more  disgusting  in  company  than 
the  impudent  and  presuming. 

20th.  "What  a  line  place  to  show  a  person's  breeding.  Train  up  a  child, 
&c.,  &c. 

21st.  This  day  to  me  is  a  memorial  one,  no  one  can  tell  my  feelings,  perhaps 
the  thoughts  of  another  one  the  same;  whether  it  is  a  day  of  folly  or  happi 
ness,  the  future  will  show.  My  intention  was  honest,  howsoever  this  affair  may 
terminate  ;  perhaps  sympathy  was  the  cause  of  my  action  and  words.  I  must 
say,  I  do  not  understand  myself  in  this  case.  Wrote  a  long  letter  to  my  friend 
Spiller. 

22d.  Miss  Lucy  A.  Merritt,  of  Brunswick  County,  Va.,  returned  to  Buffalo ; 
a  long  walk  and  confidential  talk  with  her.  Having  noticed  my  letter  to  Mr. 
Spiller,  asked  to  see  it.  Miss  Merritt  had  no  evil  intentions  when  she  made 
this  request,  this  I  firmly  believe;  I  complied  with  her  wish,  as  it  seemed  to 
be  a  test  of  friendship. 

23d.  Placid  as  a  lake,  nothing  unusual  transpired. 

24th.  In  some  young  people  the  milk  of  human  kindness  seems  long  since 
to  have  curdled;  I  would  advise  a  little  soda  to  correct  the  acidity  of  their 


J.  R.  MILBURN'S  JOURNAL.  187 

nature.  A  lady  should  at  all  times  command  her  tongue,  especially  in  a  public 
assembly,  where  a  word  is  an  index  to  intellect  and  character. 

25th.  Nothing  extraordinary  to-day. 

26th.  Preparing  to  leave  Buffalo  Springs. 

27th.  Good-bye,  all  friends.     Confusion  to  my  enemies,  if  any. 

28th.  Left  Buffalo  for  Richmond,  Va. ;  at  Linwood  House. 

29th  to  31st.  Richmond,  Va. 

September  1st.  Enlisted  in  the  Confederate  States  Navy. 

2d.  Left  Richmond,  with  Captain  John  W.  Hebb,  of  Louisiana,  for  a  cruise 
on  the  Chesapeake  and  its  tributaries.  Left  the  cars  at Milford  Station;  dined 
at  Lloyd's,  Caroline  County,  Virginia;  camped  at  Central  Point,  Caroline 
County. 

3d.  Camped  on  the  Rapidan  River,  at  Mr.  Warren's;  one  meal  at  11  p.  M. 

4th.  Lighton's  Ferry,  Essex  County ;  breakfast,  dinner,  supper,  9  p.  M. 

6th.  Crossed  the  Rap.  3£  P.  M.  ;  one  meal,  9  P.  M.  ;  camped  in  the  woods. 
Camp  Rust,  Westmoreland  County,  five  miles  from  Rap.  River. 

6th.  Camp  Rust ;  two  meals. 

7th.  Received  a  new  supply  of  arms  from  Richmond  ;  visited  Miss  Rust ; 
two  meals. 

8th.  Detailed  to  go  on  special  duty;  arrested  William  Hammond,  a  half- 
breed  Indian,  for  boating  Confederate  deserters  across  the  Potomac.  In  camp, 
11  P.  M.,  tired  and  hungry. 

9th.  Camp  Rust. 

10th.  Broke  camp,  10  A.  M.,  for  Nomoni  River,  twenty-five  miles  ;  dined 
in  the  road ;  camped  in  Richmond  County. 

llth.  Marched  all  day;  camped,  9  A.  M.  ;  one  meal. 

12th.  Dined  at  8  p.  M.  ;  rained  all  night,  half  drowned  next  morning. 

13th.  Roasted  corn  early  this  morning;  went  out  gunning  for  something 
to  eat,  hog,  calf,  or  any  thing ;  nothing  procured. 

15th.  Went  to  Nomoni  Ferry,  5  p.  M.  ;  duck,  crab,  corn  bread,  butter,  and 
milk. 

16th.  Dined  with  Miss  Arnest. 

17th.  Fight  between  Manning  and  Fitzgerald  ;  drew  my  pistol  to  shoot 
Fitzgerald,  who  threatened  to  strike  me,  while  in  charge  of  camp,  with  a  sword. 
I  wisely  desisted  from  the  intended  blow.  Nothing  to  eat.' 

18th.  No  provisions;  sent  out  a  party  to  forage,  no  success. 

19th.  Killed  a  hog  early  this  morning. 

20th.  All  quiet ;  truly  a  placid  state.  Strolled  about  the  woods  as  if  I  had 
no  home.  Home  is  the  dearest  place  on  earth,  especially  when  it  is  impossible 
to  be  there. 

21st.  Killed  another  hog. 

22d.  On  picket,  fork  of  road. 

23d.  About  to  break  camp. 

24th.  Yanks  attacked  our  forces,  at  Mathias  Point,  with  infantry  and  gun 
boats  ;  shelled  us  out. 

25th.  Moved  camp. 

26th.  Sick  all  day. 


188  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

27th.  On  Nomoni  again ;  off  on  an  expedition. 

28th.  Unwell. 

29th.  Feel  better. 

30th.  Sick. 

October  1st.  Still  sick. 

2d.  Headache. 

3d.  In  hospital  at  Bethel  M.  E.  Church.  • 

4th  and  5th.  Chill. 

6th  to  llth.  Sick  at  Mr.  Ames's. 

12th.  Colonel  Black  well's,  on  Potomac. 

13th.  Crossed  to  St.  Mary's  County,  last  night. 

14th.  Patuxent  River. 

15th  to  17th.  Calvert  County,  Maryland. 

18th.  Sharp's  Island. 

19th  to  28th.  Tilligman's  Island. 

31st.  Chills. 

November  1st.  Tilligman's  Island. 

3d.  Tilligman's  Island.     Captain  Hebb  captured  last  night. 

4th.  Yankee  cavalry  crossed  the  bay  to  Fair  Haven,  A.  A.  County. 

80th.  Cove  Point.     Cast  away. 

December  1st.  Cove  Point.     Boat  repaired. 

2d.  On  the  way  to  the  Confederate  States. 

22d.  Calvert  County.     Slept  in  an  unoccupied  house. 

23d.  do.  do.  do.  Nothing  to  eat. 

29th.  St.  Mary's  County.  Went  to  Rob.  Thompson's,  cold  and  hungry  ; 
would  not  let  me  warm  myself,  or  give  me  any  thing  to  eat.  Slept  near  Poinf, 
No-point. 

30th.  Took  to  the  woods;  afraid  of  the  Yanks. 

31st.  In  a  hogpen;  wet  and  cold. 

January  1st,  1864.  Live  in  hope  that  I  may  safely  reach  my  destination, 
confident  of  ultimate  success,  though  every  thing  seems  to  oppose. 

12th.  Pasquith's.     Yankee  raid  from  Point  Lookout. 

14th.        do.  Yankees  gone. 

17th.  Corinth  Church. 

18th  and  19th.  Heathsville.     (18th.  Boat  stolen.) 

25th.  Heathsville.     Went  to  Machota  Creek,  in  woods. 

February  1st  and  2d.  Heathsville.     Yankees  about. 

12th.  Attempted  to  cross  the  Potomac  last  night  in  company  with  two 
ladies  and  Charley ;  wind  fair  from  S.  W.,  but  too  heavy ;  compelled  to  turn 
back.  Slept  at  Mr.  Bailey  G.  Haynie's. 

13th.  Wind  S.S.E. ;  at  B.  G.  Haynie's  ;  crossed  the  Potomac;  rowed  from 
Precher's  Creek,  Va.,  to  Point  Lookout ;  sailed  to  Patuxent  River ;  landed 
ladies,  7  A.  M.  Sunday,  14th. 

15th.  Plum  Point,  Calvert  County,  Md.  Slept  in  an  unoccupied  house  on 
shore. 


0.  W.  MILBURN'S  JOURNAL.  189 

CHARLES  W.  MILBURN. 

July  23d,  1863.  Rail  the  blockade  across  the  Potomac ;  a  little  cloudy  ; 
landed  at  Cone  River ;  slept  on  the  beach  the  remainder  of  the  night ;  mos 
quitoes  very  thick,  and  large  enough  to  bite  through  my  coat. 

24th.  Arrived  at  Heathsville ;  dined  at  Virginia  House ;  started  at  3  p.  M. 
for  Union  Wharf,  on  the  Rap.  River ;  arrived  too  late  to  get  across  the  river ; 
remained  all  night. 

25th.  Crossed  the  river ;  started  for  Bowler's ;  procured  conveyance  from 
the  ferryman  to  Millar's ;  dined  at  Brown's  Hotel ;  impossible  to  obtain  con 
veyance  to  Richmond;  after  finding  a  berth  in  a  market-wagon  for  my  bag 
gage,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  to  walk ;  started  at  4  p.  M.  ;  walked  to  Mr. 
Princess's,  seventeen  miles ;  remained  all  night. 

26th.  Started  at  daybreak  for  Old  Church,  10  miles;  arrived  at  8.30  A.  M.  ; 
breakfasted ;  arrived  at  Richmond,  4  p.  M.  ;  Powhatan  Hotel ;  wrote  home. 

27th.  Obtained  a  pass  from  General  Winder,  to  pass  unmolested  in  the  city 
for  thirty  days ;  called  to  see  Mr.  Barton. 

30th.  Left  Richmond  for  Buffalo  Springs,  Mecklenburg  County,  Va. ; 
passed  through  Petersburg,  Va.,  and  Weldon,  N.  C.,  and  arrived  at  my  desti 
nation,  31st,  at  2  P.  M. 

31st.  Occupying  room  No.  49 ;  prospect  very  pleasing. 

August  7th.  Still  at  Buffalo,  enjoying  myself  wonderfully ;  wrote  to  Cap 
tain  Carlisle,  C.  S.  A.,  and  Mr.  Spiller. 

22d.  Wrote  to  Mr.  Spiller,  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Miss  Lucy  A.  Merritt  returned 
to  Buffalo,  stayed  till  Sunday ;  had  a  very  pleasant  time  during  her  visit. 

31st.  A  beautiful  day.  Received  orders  from  Captain  H.  to  prepare  to 
leave  Richmond  to-morrow  morning,  under  command  of  Captain  Walter 
Bowie,  C.  S.  N. 

September  1st.  After  arriving  at  the  depot,  received  another  order,  to 
-wait  until  Wednesday.  Went  to  new  R.  Theatre ;  a  splendid  plot,  though  not 
well  acted. 

2d.  Left  Richmond  on  the  Fred,  train,  with  Captain  Walter  Bowie, 
twenty-two  men  in  all ;  dined  at  Lloyd's  in  Caroline  County,  Va. ;  encamped 
at  Center  Point,  Caroline  County,  Va. 

3d.  Got  something  to  eat  at  Sparta,  about  11  p.  M.  ;  camped  on  the  Rap- 
pahannock  River,  at  Mr.  Warren's. 

4th.  Camped  at  Leighton's  Ferry,  Essex  Co.,  Rappahannock  River ;  got 
some  cabbage  and  bacon  about  9  A.  M. 

5th.  Acting  cook  under  difficulties;  crossed  the  Rap.  River,  3.30P.M.; 
supped  in  Westmoreland  County,  9  p.  M.  ;  camped  in  the  woods,  on  Mr.  Rust's 
plantation,  five  miles  from  Rap.  River. 

6th.  Breakfasted  about  9 ;  corn  bread  and  crackers,  commonly  called 
u  short  cakes ;"  amused  myself  by  gathering  fox-grapes  near  the  camp ;  con 
structed  a  chebang  in  the  new  camp.  Captain  Hebb  arrived  with  arms  and  a 
guard  of  eight  men ;  went  to  sleep  at  9  o'clock. 

7th.  Breakfast  sent  to  me  by  Miss  Lizzie  Rust ;  accepted  an  invitation  to 
dine  at  Mr.  Rust's ;  had  quite  a  pleasant  time  with  ladies. 


190  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

8th.  Jim,  with  thirteei:  others,  detailed,  at  3  A.  M.,  to  go  from  camp  on 
special  duty;  they  arrived  in  camp  about  11  P.  M.,  with  one  prisoner,  named 
William  Hammond,  who  seemed  to  be  very  uneasy ;  on  guard  from  12  P.  M. 
to  2  o'clock.  Beautiful  night. 

9th.  Left  camp  with  Captain  Bowie,  to  make  a  reconnoissance;  break 
fasted  in  camp;  returned  to  camp,  about  11  p.  M.,  tired  and  hungry;  "scene 
on  the  road."  • 

10th.  H.  II.,  a  prisoner,  started  for  Richmond  in  charge  of  Private  Rusloe ; 
broke  up  camp  at  10  A.  M.  ;  started  with  Captain  Bowie  for  banks  of  Poto- 
-mac,  Mathias  Point;  another  party,  under  Captain  II.,  started  for  Nornoni 
River ;  marched  all  day,  without  any  thing  to  eat ;  slept  at  Mr.  McClanna- 
han's,  Machota  Creek. 

llth.  Marched  till  about  4  P.  M.  ;  slept  at  Dr.  Hooes' ;  Captain  Band  and 
myself  had  quite  a  pleasant  time  with  the  ladies. 

12th.  Captain  B.  sent  me  to  Waterloo,  and  orders  to  Lieutenant  K., 
0.  S.  S.  C. ;  started  from  W.  about  dusk,  for  Mathias  Point. 

12th.  Raining  very  hdrd;  slept  in  rain  all  night  without  a  blanket. 

13th.  Capt.  B.  left  about  dark,  with  eight  men,  for  Maryland  (beautiful  nig^it 
for  crossing),  leaving  me  in  charge  of  camp. 

14th.  Nothing  unusual  transpired ;  short  of  rations ;  mosquitoes  a  great 
plague;  no  sleeping  for  them. 

15th.  Sent  out  a  foraging  party ;  nothing  procured. 

16th.  Impossible  to  get  provisions ;  prepared  to  go  into  Maryland  after 
some. 

17th.  Wind  high  ;  no  prospect  of  crossing  to-night ;  dined  with  Mr.  Wash 
ington  ;  sent  Phil.  Key  out  to  get  something  to  eat ;  obtained  very  little. 

18th.  A  slight  supper  last  night ;  nothing  since,  except  some  green 
corn. 

19th.  All  quiet  on  the  Potomac  ;  nothing  to  eat;  8  p.  M.  crossed  the  Poto 
mac  (men  in  full  uniform  and  arms) ;  landed  in  Charles  County,  Md. 

20th.  Went,  in  company  with  P.  K.,  to  visit  Dr.  C. ;  kindly  treated.  How 
glad  I  am  to  be  once  more  in  old  Maryland. 

21st.  This  morning  two  men  missing  ;  supposed  to  have  deserted. 

22d.  Heard  from  Captain  B. ;  a  slight  skirmish  with  the  Yanks ;  prepare 
to  return  to  Virginia. 

23d.  Two  Confederate  prisoners  escaped  from  Point  Lookout  and  came  to 
us  to-day.  Having  procured  what  we  desired,  we  returned  to  Virginia. 
Wrote  home  before  leaving  Maryland. 

November  20th.  Left  Baltimore,  1  A.  M.,  on  the  steamer  John  Pentz,  for 
West  River. 

21st.  Fair  Haven,  Herring  Bay,  A.  A.  County,  Md.,  Medley  House. 

22d.  Fair  Haven.     Set  out  on  my  journey. 

23d.  Plum  Point,  Calvert  County,  Md.  Breakfasted  at  a  negro  hut;  slept 
at  S.  Y.  Dorsey's ;  rained  all  night. 

29th.  Mr.  Bowers.  Started  for  Virginia  at  dark ;  wind  overblew  me ; 
forced  to  beach  my  boat  near  Cove  Point;  slept  in  woods. 

30th.  Cove  Point,  Calvert  County,  Md. 


LETTER  TO  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN.  191 

I  will  close  this  chapter  of  treason  and  oppression's 
crimes,  with  a  letter  to  the  President,  which,  I  need  not  say, 
elicited  all  the  sympathy  and  aid  the  great  heart  and  high 
position  of  the  President  could  extend : — 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMKHT,  > 
WASHINGTON,  September  SO,  1S63.  j 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  President  of  the  United  States : — • 

SIR — I  beg  leave  respectfully  to  call  your  attention  to  the  facts  set  forth 
below. 

The  colored  people,  slave  and  free,  of  this  District  and  the  adjoining  coun 
ties  of  Maryland,  are  daily  subjected  to  a  more  ferocious  despotism,  and  more 
flagrant  and  shameless  outrages,  than  were  ever  before  tolerated  by  any  Gov 
ernment  claiming  to  be  either  wise  or  humane. 

It  is  well  known  to  you,  sir,  that  large  numbers,  owned  in  Maryland,  actua 
ted  by  a  supreme  desire  to  participate  in  the  blessings  of  freedom  enjoyed 
by  their  fellows  in  this  District,  are  daily,  almost  hourly,  making  attempts  to 
escape  from  their  masters,  and  fly  to  this  city. 

The  slave-owners  of  Maryland,  whose  plantations  are  becoming  desolate 
by  this  constant  exodus  of  their  chattels,  no  longer  relying  on  the  protection 
of  their  own  laws  and  legally  constituted  authorities,  have,  in  many  cases, 
formed  themselves  into  armed  bands  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  and  recap 
turing  escaped  slaves. 

Parties  of  slaves,  men,  women,  and  children,  have  been  pursued  within 
the  bounds  of  this  District,  have  been  fiercely  assailed  arid  shot  down,  or  re 
morselessly  beaten,  and  the  survivors  shut  up  in  prison,  or  conveyed  across 
the  Potomac,  within  the  protecting  arms  of  the  rebel  Confederacy. 

Not  less  than  forty  slaves  (human  beings),  by  these  lawless  encounters, 
were  killed ;  and  I  have  information,  that  no  less  than  three  dead  bodies  of 
slaves,  thus  cruelly  slaughtered,  are  now  lying  in  the  woods  almost  within 
sight  of  your  own  homes. 

Not  a  month  since,  an  armed  band  of  Maryland  slave-owners  surrounded 
the  house  of  a  free  negro  woman,  less  than  three  miles  from  the  Capitol,  broke 
open  the  door,  presented  loaded  pistols  to  the  heads  of  its  frightened  inmates, 
and,  after  exercising  all  their  powers  of  abuse  and  insult,  took  away  by  vio 
lence  three  free  negroes. 

Visiting  this  city,  and  protected  by  the  assumed  authority  of  Mr.  Commis 
sioner  Cox,  these  depredators  break  into  the  houses  of  colored  citizens,  thrust 
loaded  pistols  into  the  faces  of  terrified  women  and  screaming  children,  and, 
protected  ly  legal  papers,  bear  off  their  victims  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
lash  and  prison,  or  the  hopeless  martyrdom  of  Southern  slavery. 

Along  the  borders  of  the  Potomac,  below  this  city,  male  slaves  are  now 
being  mustered  in  gangs,  and  sent  to  Virginia,  as  contributions  by  their  mas 
ters  to  the  cause  of  rebellion ;  and  if  these  men  make  an  effort  to  escape,  they 
are  pursued  and  shot  down  by  their  unmerciful  owners. 

There  is  now  in  Marlborough  jail,  a  negro  man,  whose  eyes  have  been  ut 
terly  destroyed  by  a  charge  of  shot  fired  wantonly  into  his  face ;  and,  not  long 


192  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

since,  two  colored  girls  were  found  chained  in  the  garret  of  a  private  house, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  this  city,  who,  after  having  been  cruelly  beaten  by 
three  men,  one  of  them  using  a  trace  chain  to  inflict  the  blows,  were  left,  with 
their  backs  one  mass  of  festering  wounds,  to  the  further  horrors  of  chains  and 
darkness. 

An  instance  has  just  come  to  my  knowledge,  of  a  negro  woman  and  three 
daughters,  owned  by  a  citizen  of  this  city  still  resiclent  here,  who  were  sent  to 
Baltimore  a  few  days  before  the  late  Emancipation  Act  was  passed,  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  evading  its  provisions.  One  of  these  daughters,  an  intelligent 
woman,  has  succeeded  in  returning  to  Washington,  and  is  now  claimed  as  a 
slave  and  threatened  with  seizure  through  the  agency  of  Mr.  Commissioner 
Cox's  summary  and  illegal  writs. 

It  can  not  be  that  such  atrocities  will  be  longer  permitted,  and  that  men, 
whose  every  sympathy  is  with  slavery,  and  its  legitimate  offspring,  treason, 
Bhall  be  longer  suffered  to  visit  upon  the  poor  slave  the  hatred  they  feel  to 
freedom  and  the  Union. 

I  respectfully  ask  for  such  instructions  as  shall  enable  me  effectually  to 
protect  the  now  helpless  victims  of  the  slave-masters'  vengeance,  and  the  per 
jured  oaths  of  their  friends,  official  and  otherwise,  in  this  city  and  District. 
I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Colonel  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

SLAVERY— PLAYING  REBEL  GENERAL— FIRST  DISTRICT  OAYALET. 

» 

The  Hostages — Mr.  Lincoln — Deceiving  the  Rebels — A  Successful  Game — Organiza 
tion  of  the  First  District  Cavalry — Its  Services. 

ABOUT  tliis  time,  one  hundred  rebel  citizens,  m  Lower 
Maryland,  took  possession  of  two  contraband  teamsters  in 
my  employ,  and  refused  to  give  any  account  of  the  reclaimed 
property.  I  immediately  arrested  and  confined  two  of  the 
leaders,  and  put  them  in  the  Central  guard-house,  Washing 
ton,  as  hostages,  till  the  former  were  returned.  The  indigna 
tion,  at  my  assumption  that  a  negro  was  equal  to  a  white 
man — especially  to  one  of  the  chivalry — was  intense.  An 
appeal  was  made  to  Mr.  Lincoln,  and  I  was  summoned  to 
report  in  person  to  him,  which  I  cheerfully  did. 

He  said :  4 '  Well,  Baker,  you  think  a  white  man  is  as 
good  as  a  colored  man?" 

I  assured  him  that  in  this  case,  at  least,  I  did ;  arid  pro 
posed  to  keep  the  gentlemen  in  prison  till  the  free  negroes 
were  returned. 

The  President  acquiesced  in  the  justice  of  the  arrange 
ment,  and,  soon  after,  the  contrabands  were  restored,  and  the 
insulted,  excited  prisoners  set  at  liberty,  to  the  great  relief 
of  their  friends,  and  amusement  of  the  irreverent  "Yan 
kees,"  who  could  not  see  the  superiority  of  Southern  blood. 

I  shall  notice  here  some  incidents  which  will  forcibly 
show  the  self-sacrifice  of  the  Maryland  secessionists,  who 
were  vastly  in  the  majority,  along  with  the  more  important 
and  melancholy  truth,  that  the  rebellion  could  never  have 
succeeded  without  the  sympathy  and  assistance  of  "North 
ern  friends."  In  addition  to  these  facts,  the  means  some 
times  necessary  to  ascertain  who  were  disloyal,  will  also  be 
apparent. 

A  few  days  previous  to  the  rebel  Generals  Stuart  and 

13 


194  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Early' s  raid  into  Pennsylvania,  I  had  the  following  paper 
prepared : — 

To  THE  FRIENDS  OP  THE  SOUTH:— 

The  Confederate  army  is  now  on  your  border.  The  Stars  and  Bars  can 
be  seen  from  your  hills.  The  hirelings  of  the  North  are  fleeing  before  us! 
We  want  your  aid.  We  want  horses,  mules,  and  jragons.  Seventy  artillery 
horses  are  needed  for  our  batteries.  The  bearers  of  this  appeal  are  autho 
rized  by  me  to  accept  of  contributions.  If  I  receive  the  required  aid,  I  will 
pledge  myself  that  our  flag  shall  float,  within  ten  days,  from  the  dapitol  in 
Washington. 

(Signed)  J.  E.  B.  STUAKT, 

0.  S.  Cavalry. 

With  this  sounding  proclamation  in  my  pocket,  I  reached 
that  garden  of  Maryland,  "  Middletown  Valley,"  a  few  miles 
north  of  Harper's  Ferry.  Upon  making  application  to  the 
leading — to  the  principal  secessionists,  and  exhibiting  the 
paper,  the  highest  expressions  of  patriotism  greeted  it.  Prop 
erty  and  life  were  at  my  disposal.  And  it  was  suggested 
to  me  that  a  secret  meeting  be  called,  to  afford  all  the  oppor 
tunity  to  contribute. 

The  hour  came ;  and  I  was  introduced  to  those  present 
as  a  Confederate  officer  who  had  ventured  over  the  Potomac. 
By  this  means  a  correct  list  of  all  those  who  were  openly 
or  secretly  the  emissaries  of  Jeff.  Davis,  with  the  names  of 
those  who  contributed  horses,  was  made  out,  and  the  next 
day  I  called  at  their  residences.  After  selecting  the  best,  I 
left  the  animals  in  the  hands  of  the  owners,  to  be  called  for 
subsequently.  Meanwhile,  during  the  few  days  I  continued 
in  the  valley,  I  learned  the  strength,  resources,  and  condi 
tion  of  the  rebel  cause  there.  I  then  went  around  and  gath 
ered  up  the  horses,  and,  with  many  warm  benedictions  upon 
my  head,  left  with  sixteen  of  the  choicest  horses  the  region 
afforded.  That  night  I  started  for  Washington,  and  the  suc 
ceeding  day  I  turned  them  over  to  the  quartermaster' s  de 
partment.  They  afterward  did  good  service  on  the  battle 
field  for  the  Union  cause. 

The  information  I  obtained,  respecting  the  forward  move 
ment  of  the  enemy,  was  followed  by  General  Hooker's  cele 
brated  march  toward  Gettysburg,  during  which  he  was 
relieved  by  General  Meade  ;  and  the  inference  is  legitimate, 


\   Illlllllll  ILJ 


OF  THE 

t   UNIVERSITY 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  195 

that  it  had  no  unimportant  bearing  upon  the  great  and 
decisive  struggle,  which  saved  us  from  a  disastrous  if  not  a 
fatal  invasion. 

Some  two  months  later,  several  of  the  former  owners  of 
the  horses  appeared  in  Washington,  and  demanded  the  resto 
ration  of  their  property.  Of  course,  the  animals  themselves 
were  comparatively  of  no  consequence,  but  the  intelligence, 
of  which  they  were  made  the  occasion,  was  invaluable.  The 
claimants  were  pointed  to  the  proclamation,  their  prompt 
response  to  which,  was  no  less  the  evidence  of  disloyalty 
because  it  was  a  lure  instead  of  treason' s  actual  demand. 

The  importance  of  the  bureau,  and  its  rapidly  accumula 
ting  business,  rendered  a  military  force,  exclusively  under 
my  control,  a  necessity.  Scarcely  a  day  passed  without  some 
occurrence  calling  for  cavalry  troops  to  execute  orders. 
Accordingly,  the  Secretary  of  War  issued  an  order  creating 
me  colonel,  and  authorizing  me  to  raise  a  regiment  of  cavalry. 

WAB  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  Junt  29,  1863. 

SIR — You  are  hereby  informed  that  the  President  of  the  United  States  has 
appointed  you  colonel  of  the  First  Regiment  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry,  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  to  rank  as  such  from  the  twenty-ninth  day  of 
June,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three. 

Immediately  on  receipt  hereof,  please  to  communicate  to  this  department, 
through  the  Adjutant- General  of  the  army,  your  acceptance  or  non-accept 
ance  ;  and,  with  your  letter  of  acceptance,  return  the  oath  herewith  inclosed, 
properly  filled  up,  subscribed,  and  attested,  and  report  your  age,  birthplace, 
and  the  State  of  which  you  were  a  permanent  resident.  You  will  report  for 
duty  to —  ' 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 
Colonel  L.  C.  BAKEK,  Secretary  of  War. 

First  Regiment  District  Columbia  Cavalry. 

Previous  to  this,  being  only  a  citizen,  I  was  viewed  in 
the  light  of  no  more  than  a  civil  agent.  To  obviate  the 
hinderance  in  official  service  the  fact  interposed,  I  received 
the  commission.  Immediately  I  had  thousands  of  applica 
tions  from  men  who  desired  to  serve  in  my  battalion.  It 
was  my  desire  to  organize  a  corps  of  intelligent,  moral,  a-nd 
worthy  men.  So  common  had  it  become,  in  raising  regiments, 
to  sell  commissions  to  the  highest  bidders,  that  it  was  a 


196  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

matter  of  regular  traffic.  This  did  more  to  demoralize  and 
"bring  into  disrepute  our  whole  volunteer  service  than  any 
other  single  wrong. 

At  the  outset  of  the  war,  morality  and  fitness  were  seldom 
considerations  in  the  selection  of  officers.  I  have  seen  vol 
unteer  companies,  and  even  regiments,  tmder  the  command 
of  those  whose  capacity  and  character  were  inferior  to  the 
majority  of  the  privates  in  the  ranks.  For  illustration  of 
this  method  of  getting  commissions,  I  add  the  subjoined 
communication,  in  answer  to  an  offer  of  one  hundred  dollars 
for  a  place  in  my  regiment  :— 

OFFICK  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  May  IS,  1S63. 

Mr.  J.  F.  Sixoni,  Company  D,  Fourth  Maine  Regiment, 

Army  of  the  Potomac: — 

SIR— Your  letter,  offering  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold  for  a  commission  in 
my  battalion  of  cavalry,  has  been  received.  It  is  my  intention  to  recruit 
honest  men,  and  not  rogues.  With  this  explanation,  you  will  at  once  perceive 
that  you  are  entirely  ineligible  for  service  under  my  command,  either  as 
officer  or  private.  (Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

The  regiment  was  a  splendid  body  of  troops,  and  achieved 
all  that  was  anticipated  from  it ;  and  its  services  will  appeal 
at  intervals  during  the  progress  of  the  war. 

Much  of  the  service  performed  for  the  country  will  nevei 
be  written.  The  detachments  of  men  moving  stealthily  ovei 
the  lines  of  encampment  and  battle ;  guarding  me  or  my 
subordinates  in  perilous  adventures ;  and  other  quiet,  un 
heralded,  and  unreported  duties,  will  have  no  record  but  the 
pages  of  memory,  and,  with  the  death  of  the  actors  in  the 
varied  scenes  of  such  a  life,  be  forgotten. 

But  since  this  volume  has  been  in  progress  of  prepara 
tion  for  the  press,  a  history  of  the  troops  whom,  I  may  be 
permitted  to  say  here,  I  was  proud  to  command,  has  been 
published  by  their  former  chaplain,  the  Rev.  S.  H.  Merrill, 
of  Portland,  Maine. 

The  chaplain  states,  correctly,  that  this  regiment  was 
organized  to  remain  on  duty  within  the  limits  of  the  District 
of  Columbia.  The  entire  military  force  of  the  District  had 
failed  to  check  the  operations  of  Mosby's  band.  I  pledgod 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  197 

myself  to  the  Secretary  of  War  that,  if  he  would  give  me 
permission  to  raise  a  battalion  of  cavalry,  I  would  drive 
from  the  region  the  rebel  chief. 

After  the  troops  were  raised,  and  armed  with  six-shooters, 
they  became  the  object  of  intense  and  unjust  suspicion  on 
the  part  of  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Department  of 
Washington  and  West  Virginia,  founded  on  the  apprehen 
sion  that  his  military  honors  would  be  periled  by  the  suc 
cesses  of  the  brave  men  who  were  to  range  freely  through 
Western  Virginia. 

The  Secretary  of  War  had  so  much  confidence  in  the 
battalion,  that  he  authorized  the  purchase  of  the  best  horses 
that  could  be  procured  in  the  country,  and  remarked  that 
the  Government  could  afford  to  pay  the  expense  of  main 
taining  the  force,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  the  powerfully 
restraining  influence  upon  disloyalty  and  crime  in  the1 
District. 

The  legitimate  duties  of  the  battalion  were  so  constantly 
embarrassed  by  orders  emanating  from  the  department  com 
mander,  that  I  decided  to  ask  the  Secretary  of  War  to  increase 
it  to  a  full  regiment  of  twelve  hundred  men.  The  request 
was  granted,  and  eight  additional  companies  were  raised  in 
the  State  of  Maine,  under  the  direction  of  its  patriotic  Gov 
ernor  Coney,  whose  services  during  the  rebellion  will  always 
be  gratefully  remembered  by  the  loyal  North. 

On  the  completion  of  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  I 
requested  that  it  should  be  sent  to  some  distant  field  of 
action.  The  deeply  seated  prejudice  in  the  minds  of  the 
officers  of  the  Potomac  army  against  my  bureau,  convinced 
me  that  my  troops  would  there  have  small  opportunity  to 
display  their  ability  and  heroism.  When  I  had  occasion  to 
scrutinize  some  of  their  acts,  a  major-general  remarked  to 
me,  during  a  visit  to  the  front,  in  regard  to  the  injustice  of 

which  I  had  complained,  "Your  men  are  a  set  of  d d 

spies,  and  ought  to  be  killed ;  and  the  officers  of  the  regi 
ment  are  detectives  in  disguise,  reporting  to  you  whatever  is 
said  by  the  army  commanders."  Even  the  long  raids,  the 
fights  with  Mosby's  men  in  Northern  Virginia  and  Mary 
land,  have  scarcely  an  allusion  made  to  them  by  any  of  the 
army  officers  or  reporters.  For  nearly  two  years  the  regi- 


198  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

ment  accompanied  nearly  every  raid  made  by  the  cavalry 
along  the  front  of  the  Potomac  army. 

It  formed  the  advanced  guard  of  General  Kautz's  raid 
from  Norfolk  to  the  Weldon  Railroad.  At  Notaway  Bridge, 
Reams'  Station,  and  other  points,  it  is^a  matter  of  official 
record,  that  this  body  of  troops  did  three-fourths  of  all  the 
fighting.  My  urgent  request  to  be  relieved  from  duty  in 
Washington,  and  allowed  to  lead  my  regiment  to  the  arena 
of  battle,  was  refused  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  the 
active  command  was  given,  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  E.  J. 
Conger,  who  had  no  superior  in  the  qualities  of  a  brave 
chieftain. 

Before  he  assumed  his  duties,  he  had  been  wounded 
three  times,  and  twice  left  on  the  field  for  dead.  At  the 
time  of  Wilson's  celebrated  raid,  he  was  again  shot  through 
the  body,  and  carried  from  the  scene  of  carnage  by  his 
orderly. 

Major  J.  S.  Baker,  next  in  rank,  commanded  the  regi 
ment  until  the  close  of  the  war.  A  more  brilliant  record 
than  his  has  never  fallen  to  the  lot  of  a  young  officer. 
He  entered  the  service,  with  the  organization  of  the  regiment, 
as  Captain  of  Company  A,  which  he  commanded,  until  the 
addition  of  the  Maine  companies,  in  all  the  celebrated  scouta 
and  raids.  While  a  student  at  Madison  University,  in 
Wisconsin,  at  the  beginning  of  the  rebellion,  he  left  hia 
books  for  his  country's  service.  He  was  the  first  Federal 
officer  that  entered  Lynchburg,  after  its  surrender  by  Lee. 

Major  D.  S.  Curtis,  of  the  same  State,  next  in  command, 
was  also  a  truly  brave,  discreet,  and  worthy  officer.  His 
coolness  in  battle  was  the  theme  of  general  remark  among 
the  officers  of  the  entire  brigade. 

A  more  complete  and  interesting  history  of  the  regiment 
has  been  written  while  this  volume  has  been  in  press,  by 
the  Rev.  S.  H.  Merrill,  chaplain  of  the  regiment.  From 
these  annals  I  shall  quote  the  history  of  the  regiment  in  its 
general  outline  of  achievement — the  more  freely,  because 
written  by  another,  who  gives  to  the  brave  troopers  the 
honors  which  they  so  richly  won.  I  shall  give  the  con 
densed  narrative  uniform  with  my  own  records,  with  this 
credit  for  it  awarded  to  the  worthy  chaplain : 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  199 

The  First  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry  was  composed  of 
a  fine  body  of  men.  A  single  battalion,  raised  in  the  District 
of  Columbia,  for  special  duty  at  the  seat  of  Government,  un 
der  command  of  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker  (Provost-Marshal  of 
the  War  Department),  and  familiarly  known  as  "Baker's 
Mounted  Rangers/'  formed  the  nucleus  of  this  regiment. 

Long  will  "Baker's  Cavalry"  be  remembered  in  Wash 
ington,  and  through  a  wide  region  around,  as  the  "  terror  of 
evil-doers." 

To  this  command  eight  companies  were  added  in  1863, 
embracing  about  eight  hundred  men  enlisted  in  Maine,  so 
that  it  became,  to  this  extent,  a  Maine  organization. 

No  charge  of  bad  faith  is  intended,  nor  is  it  known  who 
was  responsible  for  the  change  of  the  original  destination  of 
the  regiment,  if  any  change  there  was ;  but  it  is  due  to  the 
men  from  Maine,  and  due  to  historic  truth,  to  record  the  fact 
that  they  enlisted  under  the  distinct  assurance  that  they 
would  never  be  required  to  serve  outside  the  District  of  Co 
lumbia  ;  and  if  the  command  was  in  no  degree  demoralized 
by  the  subsequent  disappointment  of  the  men,  in  being  sent 
to  the  front,  and  being  placed  in  the  most  perilous  positions 
there,  it  is  all  the  more  to  their  credit. 

Company  D,  numbering  one  hundred  and  forty  men,  un 
der  command  of  Captain  J.  W.  Cloudman,  left  Augusta  on 
the  22d  day  of  October,  1863,  and  arrived  at  Camp  Baker,  in 
Washington,  on  the  25th. 

The  three  officers  of  this  company  were  commissioned  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  while  those  of  the  other 
companies  from  Maine  were  commissioned  by  the  Governor 
of  Maine. 

A  few  days  after  its  arrival  in  Washington,  the  company 
was  ordered  to  Anandale,  ten  miles  west  of  Alexandria, 
where  it  remained  on  duty,  under  command  of  Lieutenant 
Howe,  till  the  27th  of  January,  when  it  was  ordered  with  the 
battalion  to  Yorktown. 

Embarking  on  board  the  steamer  Conqueror,  it  arrived  at 
Yorktown  on  the  28th,  and  went  into  camp  about  two  miles 
from  the  city,  on  the  bank  of  the  beautiful  York  River.  A 
morning  so  summer-like  and  scenery  so  charming,  few  of  our 
men  had  ever  seen  before  in  mid- winter. 


200  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  next  day  they  moved  about  eight  miles  west,  and 
went  into  camp  about  three  miles  from  William sburg. 

January  30th,  at  daybreak,  the  bugle  sounded  "boots 
and  saddles,"  and  in  half  an  hour  they  were  off  on  a  raid. 

If  the  reader  should  ask  what  this  means,  the  answer 
would  be,  it  means  an  armed  expedition  into  the  enemy's 
country,  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  information,  or  of  cap 
turing  or  destroying  public  property,  or  both,  always 
respecting  private  property,  excepting  so  far  as  "military 
necessity"  requires  its  capture. 

In  the  raid  just  referred  to,  the  men  marched  about  twelve 
miles,  and  returned  to  camp  with  nothing  of  special  interest 
to  report. 

An  expedition  was  made  to  Bottom  Bridge,  on  the  Chick- 
ahominy,  twelve  miles  from  Richmond,  on  the  5th,  6th,  7th, 
and  8th  of  February,  which  will  not  soon  be  forgotten  by  the 
men  who  participated  in  it.  They  did  little  lighting,  but 
much  hard  work.  From  the  time  they  left  camp,  on  the 
6th,  till  they  returned,  on  the  8th,  they  were  hardly  out  of 
the  saddle. 

Three  days  later  the  battalion  was  ordered  to  Newport 
News,  on  the  James  River,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles. 

On  the  19th  they  moved  out  on  a  scouting  expedition,  but 
had  not  proceeded  far  when  an  order  was  received  to  return 
and  be  ready  in  one  hour  to  take  transports  for  Norfolk, 
where  they  arrived  the  next  morning.  From  this  point  they 
were  ordered  to  Great  Bridge,  on  the  Elizabeth  River,  ten 
miles  south  of  Norfolk.  The  weather  at  Newport  News, 
and  during  this  day's  march,  has  been  spoken  of  by  the 
men  as  the  coldest  experienced  during  their  whole  term  of 
military  service. 

On  Sunday,  the  21st,  Lieutenant  Howe  marched  for  Pun- 
go  Bridge,  in  command  of  Companies  D  and  E,  to  relieve 
another  regiment. 

The  march  of  twenty-five  miles  through  the  enemy's 
country,  intersected  by  unb.ridged  streams  and  swamps, 
and  infested  by  guerrillas,  was  slow  and  tedious,  consuming 
two  days. 

On  the  22d  they  relieved  the  Tenth  New  York  Cavalry, 
and  remained  on  duty,  well  worked  and  well  fed,  till  the  1st 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  201 

of  March,  when  they  were  ordered  to  Deep  Creek,  south  of 
Norfolk,  on  the  borders  of  the  Dismal  Swamp. 

Here  we  leave  them  for  the  present,  while  we  bring  up 
the  history  of  the  other  companies.  The  remaining  seven 
companies  from  Maine  were  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  at  Augusta,  on  the  8th  of  February,  1834. 
Two  days  later,  Company  F,  Captain  Sanford  commanding, 
left  Augusta  for  Washington.  Reaching  Camp  Baker,  a 
short  distance  east  of  Capitol  Hill,  on  the  14th,  they  found 
comfortable  barracks.  Two  days  later  they  were  mounted, 
and  from  this  time  till  the  7th  of  April  a  part  of  each  day 
was  spent  in  drilling.  This  company  was  followed,  on  the 
29th,  by  the  remaining  six  companies. 

The  regiment  was  organized  as  follows  :  — 

Colonel.  —  L.  C.  Baker,  Washington. 
Lieutenant-Colonel.  —  E.  J.  Conger. 

Majors.—       -  Baker  ;  J.  W.  Cloudman,  Stetson,  Me.  ;  D.  S.  Curtis,  Wis 
consin. 

Adjutant.  --  Sprague. 

Quartermaster.  --  Baker,  Le  Roy,  New  York. 

Surgeon.  —  George  J.  North™  p,  Portland,  Maine. 

Chaplain.—  Samuel  II.  Merrill,  Portland. 

Sergeant-Major.  --  Howard. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant.  —       —  Miller. 

Commissary.  --  Wolfer. 

Hospital  Steward.  ---  Lovejoy,  Meredith,  New  Hampshire. 

Chief  Musician.  --  —  Bigelow,  Winthrop,  Maine. 

Company  A.  —       -  Hamilton,  Captain  ;  -  Wilkins,   ifirst  Lieutenant; 
—  —  Clark,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Company  B.  —  --  MoNamara,  Captain  ;  George  A.  Dickson,  First  Lieu 
tenant  ;  -  •  Wolfer,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Company  C.  —  George  Griffin,  Captain;  -  McBride,  First  Lieutenant; 
K,  Second  Lieutenant. 


Company  D.—  William  S.  Howe,  Stetson,  Maine,  Captain  ;  Eli  Parkman, 
Charleston,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Company  E.—  T.  C.  Spears,  New  York,  Captain  ;  -  -  Jackson,  First 
Lieutenant;  -  Spaulding,  Newport,  Maine,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Company  F.—  Edward  T.  Sanford,  Warren,  Maine,  Captain  ;  James 
Maguire,  Portland,  Maine,  First  Lieutenant;  James  F.  McCusick,  Warren, 
Maine,  Second  Lieutenant 


202  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Company  G. — Thomas  G-.  Webber,  Gorham,  Maine,  Captain ;  Daniel  F. 
Sargent,  Brewer,  Maine,  First  Lieutenant ;  Leander  M.  Comins,  Lincoln, 
Maine,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Company  H. — Andrew  M.  Benson,  Oldtown,  Maine,  Captain ;  Zebulon  B. 
Blethen,  Lewiston,  Maine,  First  Lieutenant ;  L.  R.  Jackson,  Foxcroft,  Maine, 
Second  Lieutenant.  • 

Company  I. — Robert  F.  Dyer,  Augusta,  Maine,  Captain ;  James  H.  Rus 
sell,  Houlton,  Maine,  First  Lieutenant ;  Joseph  W.  Lee,  Calais,  Maine,  Second 
Lieutenant. 

Company  K. — John  W.  Freese,  Bangor,  Maine,  Captain  ;  Yincent  Mount- 
fort,  Bowdoin,  Maine,  First  Lieutenant ;  0.  B.  Lakin,  Stetson,  Me.,  Second 
Lieutenant. 

Company  L. — Charles  0.  Chase,  Portland,  Maine,  Captain ; 

First  Lieutenant ;  William  S.  Farwell,  Rockland,  Maine,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Company  M  was  subsequently  organized  and  officered  as 
follows : — • 

Company  M. — D.  F.  Sargent,  Brewer,  promoted  from  Company  G,  Cap 
tain  ;  Edward  P.  Merrill,  Portland,  Maine,  First  Lieutenant ;  Henry  D.  Fuller, 
Corinth,  Maine,  Second  Lieutenant. 

This  regiment  was  distinguished  by  the  superiority  of  the 
carbines  with  which  it  was  armed.  It  was  the  only  regiment 
in  the  army  of  the  Potomac  armed  with  "  Henry's  Repeating 
Rifle."  The  peculiarity  of  this  gun  is,  that  it  will  fire  six 
teen  shots  without  reloading.  It  is  cocked  by  the  same 
movement  of  the  guard  that  opens  and  closes  the  breech — 
the  exploded  cartridge  being  withdrawn  and  a  fresh  one 
supplied  at  the  same  time  and  by  the  same  movements.  The 
copper  cartridges  are  placed  in  a  tube,  extending  the  entire 
length  of  the  barrel,  on  the  under  side.  From  this  they  are 
fed  into  the  gun  by  the  operation  of  the  lever  guard  ;  mean 
time  a  spiral  spring  forces  down  the  cartridges  as  fast  as  they 
are  discharged.  The  whole  device  is  of  the  simplest  nature. 
The  work  is  strong,  and  the  whole  thing  is  so  nearly  perfect, 
that  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  any  improvement.  The  sub 
sequent  history  of  this  regiment  proves  it  to  be  a  terribly 
effective  weapon.  Fifteen  shots  can  be  given  with  it  in  ten 
seconds.  Thus,  a  regiment  of  one  thousand  men  would  fire 
fifteen  thousand  shots  in  ten  seconds.  After  having  witnessed 
the  effectiveness  of  this  weapon,  one  is  not  surprised  at  the 


FIRST   DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  203 

remark,  said  to  have  been  made  by  the  guerrilla  chief,  Mosby, 
after  an  encounter  with  some  of  our  men,  that  ' '  he  did  not 
care  for  the  common  gun,  or  for  Spencer's  seven-shooter,  but 
as  for  these  guns,  that  they  could  wind  up  on  Sunday  and 
shoot  all  the  week,  it  was  useless  to  fight,  against  them." 

On  the  16th  of  February,  Company  F  was  mounted,  and 
remained  at  Camp  Baker,  engaged  in  daily  drilling  until  the 
7th  of  April.  At  that  date  it  left  Washington  for  Norfolk, 
and  the  next  day  joined  a  squadron  of  the  old  battalion  on 
picket  at  Great  Bridge. 

On  the  14th  the  company  marched  to  Deep  Creek,  where 
it  was  joined  by  three  companies  of  the  old  battalion,  already 
referred  to  as  haying  been  on  picket  duty  at  Newport  News. 

These  companies  remained  here  on  picket  duty  until  the 
organization  of  the  cavalry  division,  under  General  Kautz, 
two  weeks  later. 

On  the  5th  of  May  they  marched  with  the  cavalry  divi 
sion  under  Kautz,  on  his  first  raid.  The  object  of  these  raids 
was  twofold,  viz. :  to  weaken  the  enemy  by  destroying  pub 
lic  property,  and  by  drawing  off  detachments  in  pursuit.  A 
successful  raid  requires  a  judicious  selection  of  routes,  rapid 
marches,  short  halts,  and  sudden  and  unexpected  blows.  In 
this  service,  General  Kautz  was  uthe  right  man  in  the  right 
place." 

In  this  movement  he  had  passed  through  Suffolk  and 
crossed  the  Black  Water  (where  his  march  could  have  been 
easily  arrested  by  destroying  the  bridge),  before  the  enemy 
became  aware  of  his  purpose.  At  half-past  two  o'clock  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  7th,  he  had  marched  a  distance  of  sev 
enty  miles,  and  struck  the  Weldon  Railroad  just  in  time  to 
intercept  a  body  of  rebel  troops  on  their  way  to  Petersburg. 
A  thunderbolt  from  a  clear  sky  could  hardly  have  been 
more  astounding  to  the  enemy.  Instantly  he  was  attacked. 
In  an  incredibly  short  time  the  action  was  over,  the  enemy 
was  whipped,  the  railroad  was  cut,  the  public  buildings 
were  in  flames,  and  the  gallant  Kautz  was  again  on  his 
march,  with  some  sixty  prisoners  in  his  train. 

Turning  southward,  the  march  was  continued  to  the 
point  where  the  railroad  crosses  the  Notaway  River.  Here 
an  obstinately  contested  fight  took  place  in  which  the  gal- 


204  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

lant  Lieutenant  Jackson,  of  Company  E,  fell  mortally  wound 
ed.  Here,  too,  fell  a  brave  private,  Samuel  de  Laite. 

In  this  engagement,  as  in  others,  the  bravery  of  the  men, 
and  the  efficiency  of  their  sixteen-shooters,  were  put  to  the 
proof. 

Major  Curtis  was  ordered  to  deploy  his  battalion  as 
skirmishers,  and  charge  a  much  larger  force  of  the  enemy, 
along  the  railroad,  near  the  bridge.  It  was  a  covered  bridge, 
and  the  rebels  soon  ran  to  it  for  shelter.  Our  brave  boys 
charged  boldly  after  them,  driving  them  through  and  into 
their  fortifications  on  the  other  side,  killing  some  and  taking 
several  prisoners,  with  small  loss  on  our  side.  Some  of  the 
prisoners  said  they  "  thought  we  must  have  had  a  whole 
army,  from  the  way  the  bullets  flew." 

One  lieutenant  asked  if  we  "loaded  up  over  night  and 
then  fired  all  day."  He  said  "he  thought,  by  the  way  the 
bullets  came  into  the  bridge,  they  must  have  been  fired  by 
the  basketful." 

The  result  of  the  affair  was  that  the  bridge  was  burned, 
and  Kautz  was  again  on  the  march,  with  forty  rebel  prison 
ers  added  to  his  train. 

The  immediate  object  of  the  expedition  having  been 
accomplished,  the  command  marched  to  City  Point.  Cross 
ing  the  Appomattox  on  the  10th,  they  encamped  for  a  day 
near  General  Butler's  head-quarters.  Twenty-four  hours, 
however,  had  not  elapsed,  when  the  division  moved  again 
on  another  raid,  which  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  hazard 
ous  and  effective  of  the  war.  During  the  time  that  General 
Butler's  forces  were  engaged  with  the  enemy,  between  Ber 
muda  Hundred  and  Richmond,  General  Kautz  adroitly 
slipped  through  the  lines,  and  again  boldly  dashed  into  the 
heart  of  Dixie. 

He  passed  rapidly  through  Chesterfield  County,  pausing 
at  the  court-house  only  long  enough  to  open  the  jail  and  lib 
erate  two  prisoners. 

As  we  dislike  to  be  laughed  at,  the  reader  may  pass  over 
the  following  explanatory  statement : — 

One  of  these  prisoners  was  a  woman,  who  refused  to 
leave  the  jail  after  the  doors  were  opened,  seeming  to  doubt 
the  authority  of  the  Yankees  to  discharge  her.  The  other 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  205 

stated  that  he  had  been  imprisoned  on  account  of  his  Union 
sentiments,  and  seemed  very  grateful  to  his  deliverers..  A 
few  hours  later,  however,  he  disappeared  from  the  column, 
taking  with  him  the  horse  and  equipments  with  which  he 
had  been  kindty  furnished,  and  forgetting  to  give  notice  of 
his  intended  route.  The  loss  of  the  horse,  however,  was 
subsequently  made  up.  A  rebel,  living  not  far  from  our 
encampment,  had  a  valuable  animal,  which  he  was  very 
particular  to  declare  should  never  be  taken  from  him.  Ac 
cordingly  he  armed  himself,  and  took  up  his  lodgings  in  the 
stable.  But  he  must  needs  sleep,  and  the  boys  knew  it ;  and 
it  so  happened  that  he  opened  his  eyes  one  morning  on  an 
empty  stall.  Certain  words  were  spoken,  decidedly  more 
energetic  than  pious,  but  they  did  not  bring  the  horse  back. 

Leaving  the  court-house,  the  column  moved  on  to  Coal 
field  Station,  on  the  Danville  Railroad,  thirteen  miles  west 
from  Richmond.  On  the  arrival  of  the  troops,  at  about  half- 
past  ten  in  the  evening,  the  inhabitants  were  surprised  and 
alarmed  quite  out  of  their  propriety.  That  the  Yankees 
should  have  had  the  audacity  to  visit  that  section,  seemed 
actually  incomprehensible.  But  there  was  no  remedy. 

Instantly,  guards  were  posted  on  all  the  roads  leading  to 
and  from  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  and  the  work  of  the 
hour  was  hardly  begun  before  it  was  ended.  No  harm  was 
done  to  persons,  or  to  private  property,  but  the  railroad  was 
destroyed,  the  telegraph  came  down,  and  trains  of  cars, 
depot  buildings,  and  large  quantities  of  Government  stores, 
went  up  in  smoke. 

On  the  12th,  the  "history  of  this  affair"  repeated  itself 
at  Black's  and  White's  Station,  on  the  Southside  Railroad, 
thirty  miles  west  from  Petersburg,  and  forty  from  Coalfield 
Station.  The  railroad  was  torn  up,  and  the  telegraph  torn 
down,  while  the  depot  buildings,  together  with  large  quanti 
ties  of  corn,  and  flour,  and  meal,  and  tobacco,  and  salt, 
designed  for  the  rebel  army,  were  subjected  to  the  action  of 
fire,  and  resolved*  into  their  original  elements. 

Wellville  Station,  five  miles  east,  on  the  same  railroad,  a 
few  hours  later,  shared  a  similar  fate.  The  column  now 
moved  in  the  direction  of  Bellefield,  on  the  Weldon  Rail 
road.  When  within  two  miles  of  that  place,  General  Kautz 


206  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

learned  that  the  enemy  was  in  force  to  receive  him.  As  his 
object  was  not  so  much  to  fight  as  to  weaken  the  enemy,  by 
interrupting  his  communications  and  destroying  his  supplies, 
he  avoided  an  engagement,  turning  to  the  left  from  Belle- 
field,  and  marching,  ma  Jarratt's  Station,  to  the  Notaway 
River.  • 

When  the  advance  reached  Freeman's  Bridge,  on  this 
river,  at  ten  o'clock  p.  M.,  it  was  discovered  that  the  whole 
command  was  in  a  trap.  One  span  of  the  bridge,  forty  feet 
in  length,  had  been  cut  out.  The  river,  for  a  considerable 
distance,  was  unfordable.  The  fords,  above  and  below, 
were  strongly  guarded,  and  the  enemy  was  gathering  in 
force  in  the  rear.  The  position  was  not  a  desirable  one. 
The  river  must  be  crossed,  or  a  battle  must  be  fought  on  the 
enemy's  chosen  ground,  where  little  was  to  be  gained,  but 
where  every  thing  must  be  hazarded.  A  major  of  a  New 
York  regiment,  commanding  the  advance,  declared  that  the 
bridge  could  not  be  made  passable  before  the  afternoon  of 
the  next  day.  But  on  the  assurance  of  Captain  Howe,  that 
it  could  be  done  in  a  much  shorter  time,  Company  D  was 
ordered  up  and  told  what  was  wanted.  Working  parties 
were  instantly  organized.  In  a  short  time,  tall  pines  in  the 
neighboring  woods  had  fallen  before  the  axes  of  one  party, 
and  stalwart  men,  by  means  of  the  drag-ropes  of  a  battery, 
had  drawn  them  out.  Another  party  had,  in  the  mean  time, 
crossed  the  river  on  a  little  float  they  had  fortunately  found, 
and  stood  on  the  remaining  part  of  the  bridge  on  the  other 
side.  The  ropes  were  thrown  to  them,  and  the  string-pieces 
were  drawn  across  the  chasm  and  placed  in  position.  To 
cover  them  with  rails  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  moments, 
and  in  less  than  three  hours  from  the  time  the  Maine  boys 
began  the  work  it  was  completed,  and  the  column  passed 
over  in  safety. 

The  division  reached  City  Point  on  the  19th.  During  the 
last  nine  days  it  marched,  on  an  average,  twenty  hours  out 
of  the  twenty -four,  leaving  only  four  hours  for  rest.  It  will 
hardly  be  believed,  that  in  some  instances  hunger  compelled 
the  men  to  eat  raw  corn  like  their  horses,  but  such  was  the 
fact. 

On  this  raid  they  cut  the  Richmond  and  Danville  and 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  207 

South  side  Railroad  ill  six  different  places,  and  inflicted  an 
amount  of  damage  upon  the  enemy's  communications  and 
army  stores  which  told  severely  upon  them  afterward. 

On  their  arrival  at  City  Point,  both  men  and  horses  were 
much  exhausted.  On  the  20th  the  command  crossed  again  to 
Bermuda  Hundred,  and  went  into  camp  about  a  mile  from 
the  river. 

On  the  7th  of  April  we  embarked  on  board  a  fine  steamer, 
with  a  pleasant  company,  for  Fortress  Monroe,  where  we 
arrived  at  an  early  hour  next  morning.  For  many  years 
Fortress  Monroe  had  been  to  us  a  familiar  name,  but  we 
were  not  long  in  discovering  that  the  descriptions  of  it  and 
its  surroundings  as  they  were,  conveyed  no  correct  idea  of 
them  as  they  are. 

Then,  there  was  little  to  be  seen  save  the  formidable  walls 
of  the  old  fort,  rising  from  the  sand  and  rocks,  at  the  dis 
tance  of  a  few  rods  from  the  water's  edge,  and  the  solitary 
sentry,  slowly  pacing  the  lofty  parapet ;  while  scarcely  a 
human  voice  broke  the  tomb-like  silence  of  the  place. 

Now,  a  busy  scene  was  presented.  Numerous  newly  con 
structed  piers  had  been  pushed  out  into  the  sparkling  waters 
of  the  bay,  and  the  grounds  outside  the  walls  were  occupied 
with  a  curious  and  compact  group  of  buildings  of  rude  archi 
tecture,  clearly  designed  for  temporary  use.  The  scene  on 
the  wharf  was  one  of  unusual  animation  and  of  picturesque 
effect.  Looking  down  from  the  hurricane  deck,  we  beheld  a 
sea  of  faces,  and  could  not  well  preserve  our  gravity  as  we 
marked  the  curious  variety  it  presented. 

There  was  the  brown-visaged  man  in  dusky  gray,  the 
worse  for  wear,  the  seedy  representative  of  an  humbled  aris 
tocracy,  and  there  was  the  lean,  lank,  sallow,  dirty,  hang 
dog  specimen  of  the  "  poor  trash"  of  the  South.  There  were 
heads  adorned  with  handkerchiefs  of  many  brilliant  colors, 
and  heads  that  had  no  covering  but  wool.  There  were  pre 
posterous  bonnets  and  stove-pipe  hats,  with  a  "  smart  sprink 
ling"  of  military  and  naval  headgear.  There  were  rich  silk 
dresses  and  tow  frocks.  There  was  crinoline  of  enormous 
proportions,  and  there  were  flat  feet  peering  from  beneath  it, 
perfectly  innocent  of  either  shoes  or  stockings. 

It  was  a  motley  group — big  and  little,  old  and  young, 


208  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

civil  and  military.  While  all  were  busy  and  animated,  it 
was  easy  to  see  that  the  whites  of  southern  blood  felt  least  at 
home,  while  the  negroes  were  in  their  element.  They  talked 
the  most,  made  the  best  show  of  white  teeth,  and,  of  all  we 
could  see,  seemed  decidedly  the  most  comfortable. 

There  is  truth  in  the  old  adage,  tli&t  "it  is  an  ill  wind 
that  blows  nobody  any  good."  While  the  "  red  tape"  busi 
ness  was  drawing  its  "  slow  length  along,"  some  of  us  took 
a  stroll  out  to  Hampton,  or  rather  to  the  site  of  that  ancient 
arid  once  pleasant  village. 

It  was  but  a  short  walk,  leading,  for  the  most  part, 
through  a  collection  of  Government  storehouses,  and  huts 
and  tents  so  disorderly  in  their  arrangements  as  to  suggest 
the  idea  of  reading  the  riot  act  without  delay.  On  the  way 
we  noticed  one  or  two  handsome  places,  among  them  the 
residence  of  the  Hon.  Mr.  Segar,  surrounded  by  venerable 
trees,  and  commanding  as  charming  a  scene  as  one  could 
desire,  in  the  beautiful  expanse  of  Hampton  Roads,  dotted 
with  white  sails  and  stirred  by  innumerable  paddle-wheels. 
We  next  came  to  the  McClellan  Hospital,  with  its  outlying 
wards  and  its  broad  and  beautiful  gardens. 

Hampton  was  reached  by  crossing  a  bridge  about  four 
hundred  paces  long.  Before  the  rebellion  it  was  a  jewel  of 
a  village,  embosomed  in  noble  trees,  which  threw  their  wel 
come  shade  over  the  streets  and  ample  grounds  which  fronted 
the  tasteful  residences. 

Hampton  was  settled  ten  years  after  Jamestown,  and 
was,  at  the  time  of  its  destruction,  the  oldest  Anglo-Saxon 
settlement  then  inhabited  in  the  United  States.  Now  it  is  a 
scene  of  utter  desolation,  inhabited  almost  exclusively  by 
blacks.  With  the  exception  of  an  occasional  grocery  store, 
and  a  very  few  dwellings  of  a  more  respectable  appearance, 
the  residences  were  of  the  rudest  description,  nearly  all  of 
one  room,  and  situated  as  if  they  had  been  flung  out  of  a 
great  architectural  leather  apron. 

The  "  Old  Church,"  cruciform  in  shape,  and  colonial  in 
date,  presented  a  singularly  picturesque  appearance,  and 
was  almost  the  only  object  about  the  town  which  indicated 
its  former  condition.  The  tower,  from  which  a  noble  old 
bell  once  pealed  out  its  mellow  tones  had  fallen  into  a  heap 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  209 

of  rubbish  at  the  western  end  of  the  cross,  while  massive 
walls  rose  aloft  in  gloomy  grandeur.  A  wilderness  of  young 
aspens  and  willows,  with  here  and  there  a  dense  growth  of 
hardy  roses,  disputed  the  possession  of  some  once  cherished 
graves,  with  a  savage  intrusion  of  undergrowth.  Fragments 
of  tombs,  some  with  armorial  blazonry,  were  scattered  about, 
and  the  whole  place  bore  sad  evidence  of  the  terrible  scourge 
of  war.  Nor  could  we  resist  the  conviction  that  the  people 
who  have  thus  felt  it  will  be  slow  to  invoke  it  again. 

Failing  of  the  main  object  of  our  expedition,  partly,  per 
haps,  from  our  want  of  acquaintance  with  the  occult  science 
of  "red  tape,"  we  returned  to  Washington,  and  were  there 
mustered  into  service,  under  a  special  order  of  the  War  De 
partment. 

On  the  12th  of  May  these  six  companies,  still  unmounted, 
and  having  drilled  only  on  foot,  were  ordered  to  Fortress 
Monroe.  Leaving  Washington  the  next  afternoon  on  board 
of  transports,  after  touching  at  Fort  Monroe,  we  proceeded 
to  Norfolk,  and,  reporting  to  General  Shepley,  were  ordered 
to  Portsmouth,  where  we  disembarked  and  went  into  camp 
in  the  rear  of  the  town. 

On  the  morning  of  the  22d  we  re-embarked  on  board  a 
transport  for  James  Elver.  Dropping  anchor  about  sunset, 
opposite  Fort  Powhattan,  we  passed  the  night  quietly  under 
the  protection  of  the  guns  of  the  Atlanta.  This  craft  will  be 
remembered  as  the  strange  sea-monster  designed  by  the  reb 
els  to  destroy  the  blockading  fleet  off  Charleston  harbor,  but, 
by  a  higher  power,  to  do  good  service  for  the  Government. 
One  of  the  boys  thought  it  "  looked  like  the  devil."  An 
other  could  see  no  such  resemblance,  but  said  it  "  looked 
like  a  big  sea  turtle  on  a  raft,  with  his  '  back  up?  ' 

A  short  run  of  about  a  dozen  miles,  the  next  morning, 
took  us  to  Bermuda  Hundred,  where  we  disembarked,  and 
went  into  camp  about  a  mile  from  the  landing,  beside  the 
other  six  companies.  The  regiment  was  now  together  for 
the  first  time. 

At  one  o'clock  A.  M.  of  the  24th,  one  battalion  was  ordered 
to  City  Point,  to  take  the  place  of  a  detachment  which  had 
been  sent  to  Fort  Powhattan.  That  fort,  manned  by  colored 
troops,  had  been  attacked  by  a  considerable  force  under  Fitz 

14 


210  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Hugh  Lee.  They  were,  however,  gallantly  repulsed,  and, 
before  the  arrival  of  the  reinforcements,  had  retreated,  and 
the  battalion  returned. 

General  Butler,  commanding  the  army  of  the  James,  con 
sisting  of  the  tenth  and  eighteenth  army  corps,  had  taken 
possession  of  City  Point  and  Bermuda  Hundred  on  the  5th 
instant,  greatly  to  the  surprise  of  the  enemy. 

His  fortifications  extended  from  the  Point  of  Rocks,  on 
the  Appomattox,  northwardly  to  near  Dutch  Gap,  on  the 
James  River,  a  distance  of  about  five  miles. 

General  Grant  was  fighting  his  way  to  the  south  side  of 
the  James.  The  bloody  battles  of  the  Wilderness  and  of 
Spottsylvania  Court-House  had  been  fought,  and  an  order 
was  received  by  General  Butler,  for  the  eighteenth  corps  to 
proceed  to  the  White  House,  to  co-operate  with  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac. 

On  the  25th  this  corps  left,  and  the  cavalry,  acting  as 
infantry,  was  ordered  to  the  front  to  take  their  places  in  the 
intrenchments.  The  position  of  this  regiment  was  about  mid 
way  of  the  line,  between  the  two  rivers,  in  an  open  field  and 
on  level  ground.  The  tents  were  pitched  a  few  rods  in  the 
rear  of  the  breastworks,  and  with  no  protection  from  the 
shot  and  shell  of  the  enemy. 

The  enemy  held  a  formidable  line  of  works  in  our  front, 
varying  in  distance  from  half  a  mile  to  two  miles.  Directly 
in  front  of  our  camp,  at  the  distance  of  about  forty  rods  from 
our  main  line  of  works,  a  thick  wood  prevented  us  from  see 
ing  the  enemy's  position.  A  little  to  our  right,  the  country 
was  open,  and  there,  on  an  eminence  some  eighty  rods  in 
advance  of  our  breastworks,  we  had  a  small  redoubt,  known 
as  Fort  Pride,  defended  by  a  section  of  a  battery,  and  com 
manded  by  Captain  Pride,  an  artillery  officer,  from  whom  it 
took  its  name. 

Company  M,  Captain  Sargent  commanding,  was  stationed 
in  this  fort  as  an  artillery  support.  A  portion  of  the  regi 
ment  was  constantly  on  picket,  in  front  of  our  main  line  of 
works.  We  were  to  hold  this  line.  It  was  here  that  the  six 
companies  referred  to  as  having  recently  reached  the  front, 
loaded  their  pieces  for  action  for  the  first  time :  and  it  was 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  211 

here  that  the  pluck  of  the  men  and  the  efficiency  of  their 
guns  were  first  put  to  the  test. 

The  enemy  shelled  us  nearly  every  day  from  "behind  his 
breastworks,  and  though  we  received  no  damage,  still  a 
vivid  recollection  is  retained  of  the  shelling.  The  guns  of 
the  enemy,  on  a  part  of  his  line,  were  trained  on  the  redoubt, 
and  when  the  shells  failed,  as  they  often  did,  to  explode  at 
the  point  intended,  they  came  directly  into  our  camp,  the 
Whitworth  whistling  with  a  sound  like  that  produced  by 
the  wing  of  a  pigeon  swiftly  cutting  the  air — others  scream 
ing  over  our  heads  or  tearing  up  the  ground.  In  one  in 
stance,  the  fusee  of  a  shell  was  blown  out  and  struck  a 
colored  boy  in  the  face,  but  inflicted  no  serious  injury. 
Some  of  the  boys  proposed  to  wash  his  face,  to  see  if  the 
fright  had  not  bleached  him.  The  humor  of  these  people  is 
"irrepressible"  When  the  fusee  whisked  across  this  fel 
low's  face,  he  opened  his  eyes  wide,  and  seeing  a  friend, 
exclaimed,  ' '  By  golly,  Bill,  did  you  see  dat  ar  snipe  ?' ' 

"Yah,  yah,  yah,"  exclaimed  the  other,  "you  nigger.  I 
reckon  you  wouldn't  like  to  have  dat  ar  snipe  pick  you." 

At  three  o'clock  A.  M.  of  the  28th,  the  rebels  opened  on 
us  with  artillery,  all  along  the  line,  and  the  whole  force  was 
ordered  to  "fall  in."  It  was  supposed  they  were  about  to 
assault  our  works.  Drawn  up  for  the  first  time  in  close  line 
of  battle,  a  few  paces  from  the  breastworks,  in  anticipation 
of  a  bloody  conflict,  the  whole  bearing  of  the  men  was  such 
as  to  make  their  gallant  commander  proud  of  them.  When 
all  was  ready,  as  the  intrepid  Colonel  Conger  mounted  on 
old  "Barney,"  as  his  war-horse  was  called,  the  inevitable 
pipe  in  mouth,  puffing  as  quietly  as  if  sitting  at  his  tent-door, 
the  chaplain  passed  along  in  front  of  the  line  with  words  of 
cheer  to  the  men.  As  he  told  them  what  was  expected  of 
them,  and  that  he  trusted  they  would  give  a  good  account 
of  themselves  in  the  coming  conflict,  they  answered  with  the 
utmost  enthusiasm,  "We  will,  Chaplain,  we  will;  that  is 
what  we  came  here  for.  We  will  do  it."  The  expected  as 
sault,  however,  was  not  made,  and  three  hours  later  they 
returned  to  their  quarters. 

On  the  picket  line  the  time  did  not  entirely  pass  without 
enlivening  incidents.  An  officer,  one  night,  discerned  a  sus- 


212  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

picious  looking  object  moving  stealthily  toward  our  fortifi 
cations.  Making  a  detour,  he  got  into  its  rear  unperceived, 
and  soon  discovered  that  it  was  a  man,  reconnoitering  our 
works.  By  cautious  movements,  now  stepping  behind  this 
tree,  and  now  crouching  behind  that  stump,  still  when  the 
game  was  still,  and  moving  quickly  when*  it  moved,  he  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  sufficiently  near,  when,  taking  deliberate 
aim,  he  roared  out,  "  Lay  down."  Disarmed  and  brought 
in,  the  captive  proved  to  be  a  lieutenant  in  the  rebel  service. 

On  the  30th,  the  thunder  of  artillery  all  day  gave  us  a 
welcome  intimation  that  General  Grant  was  coming.  Beyond 
incidents  like  these,  nothing  occurred  worthy  of  note  till  the 
4th  of  June. 

The  part  of  the  picket  line  which  extended  along  in  front 
of  our  camp,  from  left  to  right,  about  one  mile,  was  held  by 
our  regiment.  On  our  right,  the  line  extending  on  in  front 
of  Fort  Pride,  and  some  distance  beyond,  was  manned  by 
another  regiment.  Before  daybreak  on  the  morning  of  the 
4th,  the  enemy  commenced  a  furious  shelling,  which  was 
continued  till  sunrise.  Meantime  he  had  thrown  out  a  strong 
line  of  skirmishers  to  attack  our  pickets  on  the  left,  for  the 
purpose,  doubtless,  of  diverting  attention  from  the  point  at 
which  he  intended  to  strike.  The  attack  was  sudden  and 
vigorous,  but  the  reserve  rallying  promptly,  with  their  supe 
rior  arms,  the  enemy  was  repulsed.  The  skirmishing  con 
tinued,  however,  till  about  nine  o'  clock,  when  a  regiment  of 
South  Carolina  troops  left  their  intrenchments,  further  to  our 
right,  and  advanced  on  Fort  Pride  with  a  yell  peculiarly 
their  own.  The  pickets  of  the  regiment  referred  to  left  their 
posts  and  came  in. 

Captain  Sargent  at  once  sent  out  twenty-one  men,  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  Blethen.  ,This  small  party,  taking 
advantage  of  the  ground,  got  a  position  from  which,  as  the 
enemy  advanced  on  the  fort,  they  could  give  him  an  enfilad 
ing  fire.  The  first  volley  told  with  terrible  effect ;  another 
equally  destructive  instantly  followed.  Another,  another, 
and  another,  tore  through  their  thinned  and  thinning  ranks. 
It  seemed  as  if  a  whole  brigade  was  on  their  flank.  In  the 
mean  time  our  artillery  opened  on  them  with  grape  and  can 
ister.  A  moment  more  and  the  survivors  were  seeking  the 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  213 

shelter  of  their  works,  leaving  their  dead  and  wounded  on 
the  iield.  Among  the  dead  was  the  colonel  of  the  regiment. 
A  detachment  of  our  men  was  sent  out  to  man  the  picket 
line.  Lieutenant  Blethen  returned,  bringing  in  thirteen  pris 
oners,  among  whom  was  one  commissioned  officer.  It  is  a 
singular  fact,  that  we  had  not  a  man  harmed. 

Two  hours  after  the  fight,  the  body  of  the  rebel  colonel 
who  fell  was  sent,  under  a  flag  of  truce,  across  the  enemy's 
lines,  together  with  his  gold  watch,  a  diamond  ring,  and 
various  other  articles  of  value  found  upon  his  person. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  that  the  Sabbath  was  sometimes 
"  remembered"  in  the  army,  even  in  the  midst  of  a  vigorous 
campaign.  When  the  troops  were  on  a  march,  it  was  differ 
ent.  But,  during  the  ten  months  the  two  great  armies  con 
fronted  each  other  before  Richmond,  no  instance  is  remem 
bered  in  which  the  religious  services  of  the  Sabbath  were 
interrupted  by  the  enemy.  As  by  common  consent,  aggres 
sive  movements  on  both  sides,  with  rare  exceptions,  were 
suspended  on  that  day. 

Usually  on  the  Sabbath,  ( l  all  was  quiet  along  the  lines.' ' 
Especially  so  were  the  first  Sabbaths  we  passed  at  Bermuda 
Hunctred  front.  At  the  suggestion  of  Colonel  Mix,  of  the 
Third  New  York  Cavalry,  that  regiment  and  the  First  Dis 
trict  of  Columbia  Cavalry  attended  a  united  service,  while 
stationed  at  that  point,  the  chaplains  of  the  two  regiments 
officiating  alternately. 

At  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  10th,  the  six  mount 
ed  companies  of  the  First  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry 
moved  with  the  division  under  General  Kautz,  as  it  after 
ward  appeared,  to  capture  Petersburg.  The  cavalry  was 
to  attack  the  city  on  the  south,  while  the  tenth  corps  of 
infantry,  under  General  Gilmore,  was  to  attack  on  the  north 
side.  The  cavalry  moved  promptly.  All  the  troops  did 
their  duty  well.  ISTo  further  account  of  the  matter,  however, 
can  here  be  given  than  is  necessary  to  show  the  part  borne 
by  this  regiment.  As  the  column,  marching  by  the  Jerusa 
lem  turnpike,  approached  the  enemy's  defenses,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Conger,  commanding,  ordered  Major  Curtis  to  dis 
mount  his  battalion  and  charge  the  enemy's  works.  Every 
fourth  man  was  left  in  charge  of  the  horses  The  balance  of 


214  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

the  battalion  moved  steadily  forward,  firing  rapidly  as  they 
advanced,  nor  did  they  pause  at  all  till  they  were  inside  the 
rebel  works,  securing  prisoners  and  destroying  such  camp 
equipage  as  they  could  not  remove. 

It  was  then  discovered  that  they  had  done  this  against 
three  times  their  own  number,  fighting  behind  breastworks. 
With  the  common  arm,  this  would  hardly  have  been  possi 
ble.  Some  of  the  prisoners  said:  "Your  rapid  firing  con 
fused  our  men ;  they  thought  the  devil  helped  you,  and  it 
was  of  no  use  to  fight."  During  the  action,  Captain  Griffin, 
of  Company  C,  with  a  small  detachment  from  his  own  and 
another  company,  charged  and  took  a  twelve-pound  brass 
howitzer,  against  large  odds  of  good  fighting  men.  They 
could  not  stand  the  ready-loaded  and  instant- firing  arms 
which  our  men  used  against  them. 

After  the  defenses  had  been  carried,  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  infantry  had  returned  to  Bermuda  Hundred  without 
striking  a  blow,  and  as  the  enemy  was  rapidly  bringing  up 
reinforcements  from  Richmond  and  elsewhere,  General  Kautz 
was  compelled  to  retire,  which  he  did  without  molestation. 
In  the  early  part  of  the  action,  Lieutenant  Maguire  received 
a  painful  wound  in  the  leg.  This  was  our  only  casualty. 
While  this  affair  was  in  progress,  a  detachment  from  that 
portion  of  the  regiment  which  remained  behind  reconnoitered 
the  enemy's  works  in  our  front,  found  them  deserted,  and 
demolished  them. 

On  the  13th  we  were  relieved  from  duty  in  the  in- 
trenchments,  by  a  regiment  of  one  hundred  days  men  from 
Ohio. 

The  next  day  the  balance  of  the  regiment  was  mounted, 
and  moved  at  once  with  the  cavalry  division,  in  concert  with 
the  eighteenth  corps  of  infantry,  for  a  second  demonstration 
on  Petersburg. 

The  disadvantage  under  which  they  labored  will  be 
appreciated,  when  it  is  stated  that  a  portion  of  the  District 
of  Columbia  men  took  the  saddle  that  day  for  the  first  time 
in  their  lives.  And  yet  the  regiment  was  highly  compli 
mented  for  its  gallantry  in  the  engagement,  which  resulted 
in  forcing  the  enemy  back  to  his  inner  line  of  intrench- 
ments.  ' 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  215 

Lieutenant  Parkman,  of  Company  D,  a  brave  and  accom 
plished  officer,  and  an  excellent  man,  was  killed. 

While  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  as  well  as  elsewhere,  the 
kindly  ministrations  of  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commis 
sions  called  forth  grateful  acknowledgments  from  many  a 
suffering  soldier. 


CHAPTER    XVI." 

FIRST     DISTRICT     CAVALRY. 

Leaving  Camp  again— "  Wilson's  Raid  "—Battles— The  Escape  of  Kautz— The  End 
of  Regimental  Service. 

HITHERTO  one-half  the  regiment  had  served  as  infantry. 
Now,  mounted  and  released  from  duty  in  the  intrenchments, 
they  were  so  far  prepared  to  take  the  field  as  cavalry.  Pro 
bably,  however,  no  other  regiment  in  the  service  took  the 
field  in  a  condition  so  unfavorable  to  success. 

Now  if  (as  we  shall  hereafter  see),  notwithstanding  all  the 
adverse  influences,  they  were  distinguished  for  their  bravery 
and  efficiency  on  every  field  in  which  they  fought,  the  fact 
will  prove  the  sterling  qualities  of  the  men. 

On  the  19th,  we  broke  camp  near  the  breastworks  at 
Bermuda  Hundred  front,  and  moved  north  about  five  miles, 
to  a  point  near  the  James,  about  two  miles  below  Jones's 
Landing. 

At  four  o'clock  p.  M.  of  the  20th,  an  order  was  received 
to  be  ready  to  march  at  an  hour's  notice.  At  nine  o'clock 
our  horse  equipments  arrived  from  Washington.  The  differ 
ent  parts  of  the  saddle  were  in  different  boxes,  and  so  unac 
quainted  were  the  men  with  horse  gear,  that  many  of  them 
were  unable  to  adjust  the  various  parts  without  assistance. 
Nor  was  this  strange.  Before  their  enlistment  they  had  no 
occasion  to  learn,  and  subsequently,  no  opportunity,  and 
yet,  three  hours  later,  they  started  on  the  celebrated  "  Wil 
son's  Raid." 

At  one  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  June,  the 
regiment  moved  with  the  third  division  of  cavalry,  under 
General  Kautz,  and  joined  another  division  from  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  The  whole  force  numbered  about  eight 


•      FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  .217 

thousand  men,  with  sixteen  pieces  of  artillery,  and  was  com 
manded  by  General  Wilson. 

The  object  of  the  movement,  like  that  of  similar  ones 
which  had  preceded  it,  was  not  to  fight,  but  to  weaken  the 
enemy  by  cutting  his  communications,  and  by  destroying 
army  stores  and  other  public  property. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  now  intrenched  on  the 
south  side  of  Richmond.  All  supplies  for  the  rebel  capital 
must  be  drawn  from  the  South  and  West.  The  question  of 
its  reduction  was  only  a  question  of  time,  while  every  inter 
ruption  of  its  communications,  and  every  diminution  of  its 
supplies,  would  hasten  the  time. 

On  the  night  of  the  21st,  the  command  bivouacked  at 
Blanford,  on  the  Suffolk  Railroad,  four  miles  south  of 
Petersburg.  Of  the  use  of  this  road  the  enemy  had  already 
been  deprived.  Passing  on  the  22d  to  Prince  George's 
Court-house,  thence  marching  in  a  southerly  direction,  they 
struck  the  Weldon  Railroad  at  Reams' s  Station,  twelve  miles 
from  Petersburg.  The  place  was  guarded  by  a  small  body 
of  militia.  A  portion  of  them  were  captured  and  the 
remainder  dispersed. 

Here  the  sad  but  necessary  work  of  destruction  began. 
All  the  buildings  at  the  station,  together  with  a  locomotive, 
and  a  train  of  five  or  six  cars,  were  consigned  to  the  flames. 

After  tearing  up  the  road  for  a  considerable  distance,  the 
command  marched  to  Ford's  Station,  on  the  South  Side 
Railroad,  eighteen  miles  southwest  from  Petersburg.  Here 
the  work  of  destruction  was  resumed.  The  public  build 
ings,  together  with  three  locomotives  and  fifteen  cars,  shared 
the  fate  of  those  at  Reams'  s  Station. 

On  the  23d,  they  advanced  to  Black's  and  White's,  fif 
teen  miles  southwest,  on  the  same  road,  destroying  the  three 
intervening  stations,  and  tearing  up  the  road  along  their  line 
of  march. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th,  a  march  of  eight  miles  led 
them  to  Notaway  Court-house,  where  they  destroyed  a  rail 
road  station,  together  with  a  large  storehouse,  filled  with, 
cotton. 

Resuming  the  line  of  march,  they  advanced  to  Keysville, 
on  the  Richmond  and  Danville  Railroad,  leaving  behind 


218  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

them  a  track  of  smouldering  ruins,  as  far  as  the  public 
property  of  the  enemy  furnished  combustible  matter.  Nor 
is  it  to  be  denied  that,  within  certain  limits,  a  good  deal  of 
foraging  was  done. 

In  a  healthy  subject,  free  exercise  in  ihe  open  air,  espe 
cially  on  horseback,  tends  to  give  an  appetite,  whose 
cravings  nothing  can  appease  but  food.  This  was  the 
experience  of  our  boys.  And  if  their  haversacks  were 
sometimes  empty,  and  they  were  fain  to  gnaw  the  raw  corn, 
"  which  the  horses  did  eat,"  their  appetites  were  all  the 
more  clamorous  when  they  came  within  reach  of  food.  At 
such  times,  bread,  and  meat,  and  butter,  and  milk,  and  eggs, 
and  cream,  in  a  word,  whatever  the  smoke-house,  or  the 
spring-house,  or  the  field,  or  garden,  or  stall,  or  pasture  of  a 
rebel  contained,  which  was  capable  of  being  readily  con 
verted  into  good  food,  was  remorselessly  appropriated, 
without  waiting  for  either  commissary  or  quartermaster 
process.  These  acts  of  the  boys  were  never  denied ;  and 
yet,  for  the  life  of  us,  we  could  never  discover  any  signs  of 
penitence  on  account  of  them.  It  should  be  stated,  how 
ever,  that  the  law  of  magnanimity  was  not  entirely  ignored. 

The  boys  were  one  day  in  want  of  meat,  and,  as  they  had 
no  other  means  of  getting  it,  they  " confiscated"  the  con 
tents  of  a  smoke-house  on  the  plantation  of  a  wealthy  rebel. 
While  the  distribution  was  going  on,  the  victim  demanded, 
in  no  very  pleasant  tones,  whether  he  was  to  have  none  for 
himself. 

" Certainly,"  a  quiet  Yankee  replied.  "Now  is  your 
time.  Pitch  in,  pitch  in,  and  take  your  share,  while  it  is 
going!" 

After  passing  Drake's  Depot,  eight  miles  further  south, 
and  paying  it  the  same  compliments  they  had  paid  to  others, 
they  approached  Roanoke  Bridge,  which  crosses  the  Staun- 
.ton  River,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Roanoke.  As  this  was 
a  point  of  great  importance  to  the  enemy,  it  was  fortified  and 
strongly  guarded.  On  this  side  of  the  river,  at  the  distance 
of  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  running  parallel  with  it, 
was  a  range  of  hills.  Between  the  hills  and  the  river,  the 
ground  was  open  and  level.  At  the  left  of  the  railroad  was 
a  broad  field  of  wheat,  while  on  the  right  a  luxuriant  growth 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  219 

of  grass  and  weeds,  rising  nearly  to  the  height  of  a  man' a 
shoulders,  covered  the  ground.  The  bluff  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river  was  lined  with  earthworks,  and  "bristled 
with  cannon,  both  above  and  below  the  bridge,  while  a 
strong  line  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers  had  been  thrown 
across  the  bridge,  and  deployed  along  the  shore. 

Wilson's  object  was  to  burn  the  bridge,  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Conger,  of  the  First  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry, 
was  detailed  to  do  it.  The  regiment  was  composed  of  new 
recruits,  with  little  experience,  and  had  received  less  in 
struction  than  any  other  regiment  in  the  command.  The 
undertaking  was  a  perilous  one.  Its  wisdom  the  reader  will 
be  likely  to  question.  And  yet,  when  the  final  order  was 
given  to  charge  across  the  level  ground,  in  the  face  of  the 
rebel  batteries,  the  gallant  First  District  of  Columbia  moved 
forward  in  splendid  style,  dismounted  (except  the  intrepid 
Conger,  who,  being  lame  from  previous  wounds,  was  com 
pelled  to  ride).  The  advance  squadron,  commanded  by 
Captain  Benson,  had  not  advanced  far,  when,  from  the  line 
of  the  enemy's  works  in  front,  a  murderous  storm  of  grape 
and  canister  was  hurled  into  their  ranks  with  terrible  effect. 
Officers  and  men  went  down  in  large  numbers.  Still,  with 
out  the  least  protection,  in  the  face  of  that  withering  tire, 
and  at  too  great  a  distance  from  the  enemy  to  effect  much  by 
their  own,  those  brave  men  pressed  on  till  near  the  bridge. 
Efforts  were  made  *to  burn  it,  but  they  were  unsuccessful. 
The  regiment  did  but  little  actual  fighting  here,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  they  could  not  get  at  the  enemy,  but  the 
cannonading  was  rapid  and  heavy.  The  hills  presented  a 
line  of  fire  and  smoke,  and  the  earth  trembled  with  the 
terrific  concussions.  Shells  screamed  across  the  horizon, 
bursting  into  deadly  iron  hail — the  grim  forms  of  smoke- 
masked  men,  the  gleam  of  burnished  guns  in  the  wheat 
field,  where  the  men  were  not  engaged,  and  the  flashing  of 
sabers  where  they  were,  with  horsemen  in  the  distance, 
sweeping  to  and  fro,  formed  a  scene  of  exciting  grandeur 
such  as  few  of  our  men  had  ever  witnessed  before. 

When  at  length  it  was  discovered  that  the  object  could 
not  be  accomplished  but  at  too  great  a  sacrifice  of  life,  the 
advance  was  ordered  back,  and,  as  nothing  else  was  to  be 


220  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

done  in  this  direction,  the  return  march  was  commenced. 
The  enemy  followed  all  day,  but  made  no  attack.  After  a 
march  of  thirty-two  miles  directly  east,  through  Greens- 
borough,  the  column  halted  for  the  night  near  Oak  Grove. 

A  march  of  thirty-eight  miles  brought  them  to  the  Iron 
Bridge  across  Stony  Creek,  at  about  ten  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  28th.  Here  a  heavy  force  of  cavalry  and 
artillery  was  found  in  position  to  dispute  the  crossing.  The 
cavalry  consisted  of  Hampton's  command,  together  with  that 
of  Fitz  Hugh  Lee. 

A  severe  engagement  took  place,  in  which  this  regiment 
lost  about  eighty  men  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 
The  result  was  indecisive.  The  enemy  was  pressed  back, 
while  our  column  turned  to  the  left  and  crossed  the  creek  at 
a  point  above. 

General  Kautz'  s  division  had  the  advance,  this  regiment 
moving  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  the  Eleventh  Penn 
sylvania  next. 

On  approaching  Reams' s  Station,  which  had  been  sup 
posed  to  be  in  our  possession,  General  Kautz  found  himself 
confronted  by  the  enemy,  both  infantry  and  artillery. 
Mahone's  whole  division,  and  one  brigade  from  another 
division,  had  been  sent  out  to  intercept  Wilson's  command, 
which  was  now  outnumbered  two  to  one.*  The  enemy  was 
drawn  up  in  strong  line  of  battle,  extending  from  the  Nota- 
way  River,  on  our  right,  to  a  point  far  out  on  our  left.  This 
regiment  and  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  charged  directly 
through.  General  Wilson,  however,  instead  of  following 
on,  fell  back,  abandoned  his  artillery,  wagons,  and  ambu 
lances,  and,  by  making  a  wide  detour,  avoided  the  enemy, 
and  abandoned  these  two  regiments  to  their  fate. 

Kautz  had  marched  but  a  short  distance,  when  he  found 
himself  in  a  triangle,  two  sides  of  which,  including  his  rear 
and  left  front,  were  held  by  the  enemy  in  overwhelming 
numbers.  Extending  along  his  right  front  was  the  railroad, 
running  through  a  cut  from  ten  to  twelve  feet  in  depth. 

*  Stung  to  madness  by  the  previous  daring  and  destructive  raids  of  Kautz,  Lee 
is  said  to  have  declared  that  he  would  crush  these  raiders,  if  it  cost  him  his  wholo 
army. 


FIRST    DISTRICT   CAVALRY.  221 

Beyond  it,  and  running  nearly  parallel  with  it,  was  a  muddy 
stream  of  considerable  depth,  and  beyond  that,  an  extensive 
swamp,  supposed  to  be  impassable. 

The  enemy  now  thought  himself  sure  of  his  prey.  Under 
the  circumstances,  almost  any  other  man  would  have  sur 
rendered.  Not  so  the  indomitable  Kautz. 

It  was  a  wild  and  exciting  scene  to  see  those  mounted 
men  slide  down  that  steep  embankment  to  the  railroad  track, 
and  scramble  up  the  opposite  bank,  and  dash  down  the  next 
declivity  into  the  stream,  and  wallow  through  mire  and 
water,  the  horses  in  some  instances  rolling  over,  and  the 
men  going  under,  amid  the  thunder  of  artillery,  and  with 
solid  shot  plunging,  and  shells  exploding,  and  grape  and 
canister  raining,  and  musket  balls  whistling  around  them, 
till  they  reached  the  opposite  shore,  and  disappeared  in  the 
swamp. 

Following  their  indefatigable  commander,  they  pressed 
their  way  through,  and  reached  their  old  camp  at  Jones's 
Landing,  the  next  day.* 

Lieutenant- Colonel  Conger,  Major  Curtis,  and  Captain 
Sanford  were  severely  wounded.  Captains  Benson  and 
Chase,  who  had  been  wounded  at  Roanoke  Bridge,  fell 
into  the  enemy's  hands  as  prisoners,  when  the  ambulances 
were  abandoned  at  Stony  Creek. 

The  damage  to  the  enemy  by  this  raid  was  immense. 
Besides  the  destruction  of  buildings,  of  cotton,  of  commis 
sary  stores,  and  rolling  stock,  Richmond  and  Petersburg  were 
cut  off  from  all  railroad  communication  for  several  weeks. 

The  whole  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  now  in  front  of 
Petersburg,  and  was  intrenching  in  the  direction  of  the 
South  Side  Railroad. 

One  of  our  companies  was  on  duty  in  Fort  Pride.  With 
this  exception,  the  history  of  the  regiment,  for  the  next  few 
weeks,  is  little  else  than  a  history  of  alternate  rest  and  drill. 
Once  or  twice  it  was  ordered  out  on  reconnoissance,  and 
once  on  foot  to  repel  an  expected  assault,  which,  however, 
was  not  made. 


*  This  s^vamp  had  been  made  passable  by  a  drouth  of  almost  unprecedented 
severity. 


222  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

On  the  27th,  orders  were  received  to  be  ready  to  move 
at  six  o'clock,  P.  M.,  with  three  days'  rations.  The  whole 
cavalry  force,  together  with  the  second  corps  of  infantry, 
had  been  ordered  to  the  north  side  of  the  James.  The  object 
was  to  draw  the  enemy  from  Petersburg,  where  an  assault 
was  to  be  made  in  connection  with  the  mine  explosion. 
The  head  of  Sheridan's  column  arrived  from  the  west  side 
of  the  Appomattox  at  nine;  P.  M.  At  three  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the 
First  District  of  Columbia  joined  the  rear,  and,  after  march 
ing  to  Jones'  s  Landing,  halted  for  the  command  to  cross  the 
pontoon  bridge.  Late  in  the  day  the  crossing  was  effected, 
and  the  regiment  bivouacked  for  the  night. 

Some  skirmishing  occurred  on  the  next  day,  in  which 
Lieutenant  McBride,  of  Company  C,  was  wounded. 

On  the  30th,  the  regiment  returned  to  camp,  and  on  the 
same  afternoon  marched  to  the  west  side  of  the  Appomattox. 
On  the  2d  of  August,  it  was  ordered  on  picket  near  the 
enemy' s  lines,  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  army. 

Our  main  line  of  works  in  front  of  Petersburg  conformed 
very  nearly  to  that  of  the  enemy  on  the  left,  bending  south 
ward,  so  as  to  face  the  Wei  don  Railroad.  A  picket  line 
extended  from  the  left  of  our  line  of  fortifications,  in  an 
easterly  direction,  through  Prince  George's  Court-House, 
Lee's  Mills,  Sycamore  Church,  and  Cox's  Mills.  On  the 
3d  of  August,  the  headquarters  of  the  regiment  were  estab 
lished  at  Sycamore  Church,  Major  Baker  commanding. 
This  place  was  about  ten  miles  southeast  from  City  Point. 

From  the  8th  to  the  21st  of  August,  the  regiment  was  on 
picket  duty  on  the  Weldon  Railroad,  four  miles  from  Peters 
burg. 

On  the  18th,  while  a  demonstration  was  made  on  the 
north  side  of  the  James,  in  front  of  Richmond,  by  Generals 
Gregg  and  Hancock,  with  their  respective  commands  of 
cavalry  and  infantry,  and  while  a  portion  of  the  rebel  troops 
were  withdrawn  from  oar  front  to  meet  the  emergency,  the 
fifth  corps  of  infantry  advanced  and  took  possession  of  the 
Weldon  Railroad.  Desperate  but  fruitless  efforts  were  made 
by  the  enemy  to  recover  it.  Severe  fighting  occurred  on  the 
21st,  in  which  this  regiment  participated.  Dismounted,  and 
deployed  as  skirmishers  on  the  left  of  the  fifth  corps,  they 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  223 

participated  in  the  capture  of  a  brigade  of  rebel  troops,  with 
three  stands  of  colors. 

After  picketing  again,  on  the  22d,  the  regiment  became 
engaged  with  a  body  of  rebel  troops  the  next  morning,  and 
drove  them  four  miles,  destroying  a  quantity  of  army  stores. 
In  the  afternoon,  Hampton's  Legion  was  encountered.  It 
was  "  Greek  meeting  Greek."  Ik  was  impossible,  however, 
for  him  to  stand  against  the  sixteen- shooters,  and  he  was 
driven  back,  leaving  his  dead  and  wounded  on  the  field- 
We  also  took  some  prisoners.  During  this  last  engagement, 
Captain  Sargent,  of  Company  M,  was  killed  while  charging 
the  enemy.  We  lost  two  men  besides. 

On  the  24th,  the  fighting  was  resumed  at  various  points, 
and  at  some  was  severe,  but  with  no  decisive  results.  On 
the  25th,  this  regiment  met  the  enemy  in  three  distinct  en 
gagements,  repulsing  him  in  each. 

At  four  o'clock  there  were  indications  that  he  intended 
a  flank  movement,  and  this  regiment  was  ordered  to  the 
extreme  left  of  the  line,  and  dismounted,  to  fortify  against 
the  expected  attack  at  that  point.  After  the  hard  and 
almost  incessant  fighting  of  the  day,  the  men  could  hardly 
have  been  in  the  best  working  condition,  and  yet,  in 
momentary  expectation  of  an  attack,  they  wrought  with  a 
will.  Without  intrenching  tools,  their  own  ' '  hands  minis 
tered"  to  the  necessities  of  the  hour.  Logs,  stumps,  brush, 
roots,  whatever  movable  material  the  forest  afforded,  was 
brought  into  requisition.  The  extemporized  breastwork  was 
hardly  completed,  when  the  enemy  opened  on  us  with  artil 
lery.  Against  this  our  works  were  no  protection.  But 
the  men  stood  firm.  Only  one  man  was  killed,  and  one 
wounded.  There  was  no  enemy  in  sight,  but  all  under 
stood  what  this  shelling  boded. 

The  men  had  received  their  orders,  and  all  was  silent 
along  the  line.  Every  man  was  at  his  post.  Every  eye 
was  open,  and  every  ear  attent.  No  sound  was  heard  but 
the  roar  of  the  enemy' s  artillery,  and  the  scream  and  crash 
of  shells  around  us.  This,  however,  had  continued  but  a 
short  time,  when  the  enemy  was  seen  in  strong  line  of  battle 
advancing  through  the  woods.  No  sooner  had  they  dis 
covered  our  position  than  they  raised  a  yell  and  rushed 


224  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

on  to  the  charge.  But  they  paid  dearly  for  their  temerity. 
Our  men  reserved  their  fire — coolly  waiting  till  the  enemy 
was  sufficiently  near.  Their  first  volley  told  with  startling 
effect.  Many  a  poor  fellow  drew  short  breath  and  never 
breathed  again.  Another  and  another  volley  followed  in 
instantaneous  succession,  and  the  enenty  was  swept  from 
our  front.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  infantry  on  our 
right,  pressed  by  superior  numbers,  had  fallen  back,  and 
the  enemy  was  on  our  flank.  The  regiment  held  its  posi 
tion  till  dark,  and  was  the  last  to  leave  the  field.  The  next 
day  it  returned  to  Sycamore  Church  and  resumed  picket 
duty. 

While  here,  our  officers  formed  an  acquaintance  with 
some  of  the  "  F.  F.  V.'s."  For  the  most  part,  the  acquaint 
ance  was  pleasant,  but  not  always.  The  following  incident 
will  illustrate  the  spirit  sometimes  encountered  :  One  of  our 
officers,  while  out  on  a  scouting  expedition  with  a  small 
squad  of  men,  halted  near  a  fine  old  Virginia  mansion,  at  a 
considerable  distance  outside  of  our  lines,  while  he  ad 
vanced  and  politely  accosted  the  lordly  proprietor,  as  he 
sat  puffing  his  cigar  in  the  cool  shade  of  his  piazza.  His 
lordship  at  once  commenced  a  furious  tirade  against  "Lin 
coln  and  his  dirty  minions."  The  lieutenant  listened 
patiently,  meanwhile  observing  one  of  the  colored  women 
carrying  a  fine  churning  of  butter  into  the  house  from  a 
building  near  by,  where  it  seemed  to  have  been  just  made. 
At  the  first  pause  in  the  furious  tirade,  he  said,  in  substance, 
"Well,  sir,  the  war  is  a  costly  thing.  It  has  made  it  neces 
sary  to  tax  almost  every  thing,  especially  luxuries.  Now, 
as  this  sort  of  talk  seems  a  luxury  to  you,  it  must  be  taxed. 
You  will  please  send  out  to  my  men  a  few  pounds  of  your 
new  butter." 

Whether  from  generosity  or  some  other  motive,  the  but 
ter  was  furnished,  but  the  spirit  of  the  man  was  not  at  all 
improved.  He  went  on  to  abuse  the  Government,  and  all 
who  supported  it,  in  terms  more  violent  than  before.  At 
the  next  pause,  his  tormentor  quietly  remarked :  "  For  this 
fresh  indulgence,  you  will  please  furnish  us  with  half  a 
dozen  of  your  best  hams,  and  a  sack  of  flour ;  and  the 
sooner  it  is  done,  the  better  !" 


'     FIRST  DISTRICT   CAVALRY.  225 

The  negro  who  executed  the  order  clearly  indicated,  by 
an  exhibition  of  his  fine  white  teeth,  and  a  mischievous 
twinkle  of  his  eye.  that  he  enjoyed  the  thing  much  better 
than  "massa"  did.  The  master,  in  the  mean  time,  was 
foaming  with  rage,  and  venting  his  feelings  in  terms  of  the 
most  intense  bitterness. 

At  length,  the  imperturbable  lieutenant  interposed  coolly : 
• '  Sir,  your  indulgence  has  gone  far  enough.  You  will  square 
the  account  by  turning  out  the  two  beeves  I  see  in  yonder 
lot,  and  if  I  hear  any  more  of  this  abuse  of  my  Government, 
I  will  take  you  along  too."  With  a  polite  good-by,  he 
was  left  a  sadder,  if  not  a  wiser  man.  For  some  days  after, 
the  boys  ate  good,  new,  soft  bread  and  butter,  instead  of 
hard-tack,  and  fresh  beef  and  ham,  instead  of  salt  pork. 

The  portion  of  the  picket-line  held  by  the  First  District 
of  Columbia,  now  numbering  about  four  hundred  effective 
men,  was  nearly  five  miles  in  length,  extending  along  a  road 
running  nearly  east  and  west,  mostly  through  a  wooded 
country.  Major  Baker,  in  immediate  command  of  two  bat 
talions,  held  the  right  of  the  line,  with  the  reserve  at  Syca 
more  Church,  whilst  Captain  Howe,  with  one  battalion,  held 
the  left,  with  the  reserve  at  Cox's  Mills,  two  miles  east. 

Such  was  the  position  of  this  little  devoted  band  of  four 
hundred  men,  on  the  outer  picket-line,  five  miles  from  any 
support,  when  at  daybreak,  on  the  16th  of  September,  they 
were  suddenly  attacked  by  the  whole  force  of  Hampton's 
cavalry,  supported  by  three  brigades  of  infantry. 

In  some  way,  which  has  never  been  explained,  one 
detachment  of  the  enemy's  force  had  passed  through  the 
picket-line  on  the  right,  held  by  another  regiment.  Another 
had  gone  round  our  left  flank,  where  there  were  no  pickets. 
This  must  have  been  done  hours  before  the  assault,  for  (as 
it  afterward  appeared)  they  had  barricaded  the  roads  three 
miles  in  our  rear. 

If  the  reader  inquires  why  the  enemy  threw  so  formida 
ble  a  force  against  a  point  so  remote,  so  weak,  and  appa 
rently  so  unimportant,  the  answer  is,  that  just  in  our  rear 
was  a  herd  of  twenty-three  hundred  cattle,  and  the  rebel 
army  wanted  meat. 

If  the  position,  purpose,  and  strength  of  the  assaulting 

15 


226         UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

party  had  been  known,  any  attempt  at  resistance  would 
have  been  madness. 

The  first  intimation  of  an  assault  at  Sycamore  Church 
was  given  by  the  charging  shout  of  the  enemy.  Instantly 
our  men  rallied  under  their  intrepid  commander,  to  meet 
the  furious  onset.  So  rapid  and  terrible  was  their  fire,  that 
three  times  the  enemy  fell  back  in  confusion.  But  the  con 
test  was  too  unequal.  This  little  handful  of  men  was  in  a 
few  moments  surrounded,  their  horses  captured,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  succumb. 

As  illustrations  of  this  sudden,  short,  wild,  and  terrible 
fight,  we  give  one  or  two  incidents.  At  the  first  note  of 
alarm,  Lieutenant  Spaulding,  of  Company  E,  mounted  his 
horse,  which  had  been  kept  saddled  all  night,  and  started 
out  to  reconnoiter.  Meeting  a  body  of  cavalry,  he  mistook 
them  for  a  party  of  our  own  men,  and  found  himself  among 
them  before  discovering  his  error.  As  he  was  taken  by  them 
for  one  of  their  own  men,  he  rode  along  with  them  till  the 
order  was  given  to  charge,  when,  with  stentorian  voice,  he 
roared  out,  "Charge — charge!"  and,  putting  spurs  to  his 
horse,  he  dashed  forward,  and  turning  into  the  bushes  made 
good  his  escape. 

Nearly  at  the  same  moment  he  started  down  the  road  to 
reconnoiter,  Lieutenant  Mountfort,  of  Company  K,  started 
with  a  sergeant,  W.  F.  Lunt,  and  a  small  squad  of  men, 
dismounted,  in  the  same  direction.  They  had  gone  but  a 
short  distance,  when  they  met  the  enemy  charging  up  the 
road.  Comprehending  the  situation  at  once,  the  lieutenant 
shouted,  uGive  it  to  them,  boys,  give  it  to  them!"  at  the 
same  time  setting  the  example.  Two  men  at  the  head  of  the 
column  were  seen  to  sway  and  fall  from  their  saddles,  before 
the  unerring  aim  of  the  lieutenant.  Other  saddles  were 
emptied,  and  the  advance  fell  back.  A  moment  later,  how 
ever,  they  came  on  in  line  of  battle.  The  lieutenant  now 
ordered  his  men  to  fall  back  to  a  tree,  which  had  fallen 
across  the  road.  On  reaching  it,  they  found  the  enemy  all 
around  them.  Observing  a  squad  of  them  who  had  just 
seized  Major  Baker,  Sergeant  Lunt  fired  on  them,  when 
instantly  several  carbines  were  leveled  on  him.  Struck  in 
the  head  and  stunned,  he  fell  forward  into  the  thick  tree 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  227 

top.  Falling  between  the  limbs,  they  closed  over  him,  their 
thick  foliage  concealing  him.  When  consciousness  returned, 
the  body  of  the  gallant  lieutenant  lay  within  a  few  feet  of 
him,  dead,  and  the  enemy  was  plundering  the  camp.  Crawl 
ing  cautiously  out,  he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  bushes, 
where,  falling  in  with  a  small  squad  of  men  who,  like  him 
self,  had  thus  far  escaped  capture,  he  started  with  them  for 
the  next  picket  post.  But  as  they  were  passing  through  a 
deep  cut  in  the  road,  the  sergeant,  from  exhaustion,  being 
somewhat  in  the  rear,  as  those  in  advance  of  him  emerged 
from  the  cut,  they  were  met  by  a  party  of  the  enemy,  and 
nearly  all  captured.  The  sergeant  escaped,  in  consequence 
of  being  in  the  rear.  Who  would  have  thought  that  the 
exhaustion,  which  seemed  to  put  him  to  such  a  disadvantage, 
would  have  been  the  means  of  saving  him  from  a  horrible 
captivity  \  Such  are  the  ways  of  Providence.  Of  twenty- 
five  men  of  Company  G-,  who  were  captured  on  that  fatal 
morning,  only  three  are  known  to  have  survived  the  bar 
barities  of  their  imprisonment.  % 

The  attack  on  Cox's  Mills  was  made  at  nearly  the  same 
moment  with  that  at  Sycamore  Church. 

A  little  to  the  left  of  Captain  Howe's  position,  and  at  the 
foot  of  a  very  considerable  descent,  the  road  crosses  a  bridge 
over  a  small  stream.  To  command  this  bridge,  a  slight 
breastwork  had  been  thrown  up  upon  the  high  ground  on 
this  side.  At  the  first  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
the  command  rallied  just  in  time  to  reach  this  breastwork, 
behind  which  they  formed.  A  heavy  force  of  mounted 
rebels  had  crossed  the  bridge,  and  with  wild  yells  was 
charging  up  the  hill,  outnumbering  our  men  ten  to  one.  On, 
on  they  came,  expecting  an  easy  victory.  Coolly  our  men 
waited.  Not  a  shot  was  fired  till  they  were  within  easy  range. 
Then  a  few  volleys  from  the  sixteen-shooters  sent  them  back 
in  confusion.  A  second  time  they  charged,  with  the  same 
result.  This  time  they  did  not  return.  After  waiting  some 
time,  in  expectation  of  another  attack,  scouts  were  sent  out 
to  ascertain  what  they  were  about.  They  found  a  formida 
ble  force  in  front,  and  a  strong  force  advancing  on  each 
flank. 

No  alternative  now  remained  but  to  fall  back  to  Syca- 


228  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

more  Church,  as  Captain  Howe  had  been  ordered  to  do,  in 
case  a  retreat  became  necessary.  The  enemy  had  been  so 
severely  punished,  that  he  was  careful  to  keep  at  a  safe 
distance,  and  the  command  fell  back  in  good  order,  and 
without  the  loss  of  a  man.  At  the  church,  however,  a  sad 
fate  awaited  them.  Ignorant  of  what  had  occurred  there, 
they  expected  to  join  Major  Baker's  reserve,  and  to  make  a 
stand.  But  in  the  mean  time,  the  enemy,  having  secured 
their  prisoners,  and  plundered  the  camp,  had  formed  in  a 
semicircle  across  the  road,  and,  dressed  in  our  uniform,  were 
mistaken  for  our  own  men.  Successful  resistance  was  now 
impossible,  and,  having  done  all  that  brave  men  could  do, 
like  men  they  yielded  to  their  fate. 

Some  men  seem  to  bear  a  charmed  life.  Lieutenant  E.  P. 
Merrill,  of  Company  M,  commanded  a  squadron  under  Cap 
tain  Howe.  During  a  few  moments  of  suspense,  anxious  to 
know  the  position  of  the  enemy,  he  sprang  upon  the  first 
horse  that  came  to  hand,  and,  plunging  the  spurs  into  his 
flanks,  dashed  forward  to  reconnoiter. 

The  horse  stumbled,  and,  coming  suddenly  to  the  ground, 
threw  his  rider  over  his  head,  far  down  the  hill.  Instantly 
he  rose,  made  a  hasty  reconnoissance,  and  returned  to  the 
line  in  safety. 

During  the  subsequent  melee,  a  rebel  officer  made  his 
appearance  in  the  edge  of  the  woods,  and,  taking  deliberate 
aim  at  the  lieutentant,  fired  three  shots  in  quick  succession, 
neither  of  which  took  effect. 

Our  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  small,  but  in  prison 
ers,  large,  numbering  several  hundred.  They  were  among 
the  bravest  men  Maine  had  sent  to  the  war,  and  here  their 
services  in  the  First  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry  ended. 

There  was  much  speculation  at  the  time,  as  to  who  was 
responsible  for  the  exposed  position  of  the  cattle-herd  which 
invited  this  rebel  raid.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  high  officer 
of  the  army,  who  in  all  other  respects  has  deserved  well  of 
his  country,  and  whose  name  is  for  this  reason  withheld. 

Shortly  after  this  affair,  this  officer  dined  with  the  com- 
mander-in-chief  at  the  headquarters  of  General  Kautz.  In 
the  course  of  conversation,  he  put  this  question :  "  General, 


FIRST  DISTRICT  CAVALRY.  229 

how  long  are  we  to  remain  here  ?"  The  reticent  Grant 
smoked  on  a  few  seconds,  then  took  the  inevitable  cigar 
from  his  lips,  and,  while  dislodging  the  ashes  with  his  little 
finger,  quietly  answered  :  "I  don' t  know,  General ;  if  you 
keep  on  feeding  Lee' s  army  with  beef,  we  shall  have  to  stay 
a  good  while." 

The  questioner  blushed,  and  Grant  resumed  his  smoking. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE    ANIMUS    OP    SECESSION. 

A  Disloyal  Pastor  and  his  Friends  compelled  to  "  do  justly  " — The  "  Peculiar  Institu 
tion."  Dies  Hard — Man-Stealers  Foiled  in  their  Schemes  of  Robbery. 

ANOTHER  phase  of  disloyalty  presented  itself  with  the 
advent  of  the  autumn  of  1863  ;  an  example  of  the  conflicting 
elements  in  Southern  communities  during  the  rebellion, 
whose  sharpest,  most  unrelenting  outbreak  was  seen  in  the 
alliance  of  religion  with  treason. 

It  was  notorious  that  the  clergy  and  women  were  the 
"  best  haters,"  and  loudest  talkers,  in  the  ranks  of  secession. 
The  reason  lay,  perhaps,  in  the  nature  of  things.  Never  is 
wrong  feeling  and  action  so  intense  as  when  it  takes  the 
sanctions  of  Christianity  ;  while  the  strong  impulses  and  the 
lively  sensibilities  of  woman' s  nature  lend  a  similar  strength 
and  activity  to  it  in  a  bad  cause.  f 

I  was  making  an  excursion,  in  an  official  way,  toward 
Point  Lookout,  upon  a  Sabbath  evening.  While  approaching 
it  with  a  force  of  about  fifty  men  of  my  cavalry,  we  came  to  a 
small  church,  about  twenty-four  miles  from  Washington, 
which  was  closed,  and  a  number  of  people  standing  before 
the  door.  I  naturally  asked  the  meaning  of  the  strange 
scene.  It  seemed  that  the  majority  of  the  people  in  the 
parish  were  disloyal,  and,  after  permitting  the  Unionists  to 
occupy  the  sanctuary  a  portion  of  the  time,  nearly  in  pro 
portion  to  their  relative  numerical  strength,  had  voted  to 
exclude  them  altogether. 

I  inquired :  "  Who  has  the  key  to  this  church  ? " 

1  'Rev.  Mr.  P.,  who  lives  down  the  road  a  quarter  of  a 
mile." 


A  DISLOYAL  PASTOR.  231 

I  immediately  rode  away  to  the  parsonage,  and  knocked 
at  its  door.  A  gentleman  with,  white  cravat  and  dignified 
demeanor  opened  it,  when  I  asked  him  : — 

"  You  preach  in  the  little  church  up  at  the  Corners,  do 
you  not?" 

"I  do." 

"  And  you  keep  the  key  ? " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  So  you  won't  let  the  loyal  people  serve  God  there  ?" 

"No;  the  parish  voted  to  exclude  those  who  didn't 
agree  with  us." 

"Well,  I  want  you  to  unlock  the  church." 

"  Oh,  no  ;  I  can't  do  that." 

"Then  you  will  go  with  me  to  Washington  ;  and  you 
can  have  three  minutes  to  decide  which  you  will  do." 

He  reached  out  his  hand  to  take  the  key,  which  was 
hanging  on  the  wall,  near  the  door. 

"  That  will  not  do  ;  you  must  go  and  unlock  the  church 
yourself." 

"No,  I  can't." 

"Then  start  for  Washington." 

"  Of  course,  you  have  the  power." 

"  Yes,  and  I  intend  to  exercise  it." 

The  aggrieved  pastor  then  reluctantly  followed  me  with 
the  key.  We  approached  the  church,  "before  which  stood  the 
wondering  and  waiting  people,  when  my  clerical  friend  hand 
ed  the  key  to  a  brother,  requesting  him  to  open  the  door. 

I  interposed.  "Don't  you  take  that  key  ;  he  must  unlock 
the  church." 

There  being  no  alternative,  he  doggedly  obeyed  ;  and,  one 
after  another,  the  outsiders  went  in,  till  the  house  was  nearly 
full. 

I  said  to  them:  "Now  you  can  serve  God  according  to 
the  dictates  of  your  own  conscience." 

The  loyal  minister,  who  had  vainly  attempted  to  occupy 
the  pulpit  for  several  successive  ^abbaths,  entered  it,  and 
commenced  the  usual  service.  Meanwhile,  an  officer  of  my 
cavalry  force  reported  that  the  horses  were  suffering  for 
want  of  water.  I  directed  them  to  be  taken  to  a  ford  four 
miles  distant  for  watering. 


232  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

When  the  rebels  found  my  cavalry  were  gone,  they  also 
went  into  the  church,  and  commenced  a  disturbance  of  the 
meeting,  first  by  scraping  their  feet  upon  the  pews,  then  by 
audible  expressions  of  their  hatred.  I  rose,  and,  in  no  gentle 
mood,  called  an  orderly,  and  told  him  to  ride  in  hot  haste 
after  the  cavalry,  and  tell  the  officer  in*command  to  send 
back  ten  men  as  quickly  as  possible. 

In  a  short  time,  the  force  came  on  the  full  gallop  to  the 
church,  when  I  ordered  a  halt.  The  frightened  disturbers 
of  loyal  worship  attempted  to  get  eut  of  the  way,  when  I 
directed  the  arrest  of  about  a  dozen  of  them,  and  told  them 
they  must  march  with  us  to  Washington  that  night.  They 
begged  for  mercy,  but  it  was  too  late. 

They  certainly  didn'  t  play  by  the  way ;  for  we  reached 
the  city  before  daylight  the  next  morning. 

After  I  had  risen,  in  single  file,  and  with  drooping  heads, 
and  hats  in  hand,  they  formed  a  ring  of  chop-fallen  chivalry 
around  me — a  comical  and  pitiful  sight.  Upon  giving  their 
parole  they  were  released,  and  no  further  quarrel  interrupted 
the  Union  worshipers,  who  gratefully  assembled  upon  the 
recurrence  of  their  appointed  service  in  the  rural  temple. 

In  every  thing  and  everywhere,  it  was  evident  to  the 
casual  observer  that  slavery  was  the  soul  of  the  rebellion— 
the  educator  in  treason,  perverting  law,  religion,  and  social 
order,  and  laying  on  its  altar,  like  the  idolatry  of  Hin- 
doostan,  unsparingly,  human  victims. 

The  determination  of  the  Government,  and  of  the  army 
officers  generally,  notwithstanding,  to  save  the  ' '  peculiar 
institution"  with  the  Union,  in  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
was  equally  apparent.  Under  the  notorious  fugitive  slave 
law  of  1857,  which  offered  a  premium  upon  the  re-enslave 
ment  of  the  refugee  from  unrequited  toil  and  personal  abuse, 
the  commissioner  appointed  to  enforce  its  provisions  in 
Washington  was  a  secessionist  by  the  name  of  Cox,  who 
took  care  to  restore  every  chattel  to  the  claimant,  without 
nicely  discriminating  between  the  bond  and  free.  As  a 
consequence,  not  a  few  persons,  who,  by  birth  or  purchase 
of  freedom,  were  citizens,  were  seized  and  forced  into  bond 
age.  I  had  some  very  interesting  cases  of  the  kind. 

A  free-born  mulatto  girl  was  kidnapped  by  the  slave 


NEGRO-STEALERS  FOILED.  233 

catchers,  and  through  perjury  the  proper  order  was  ob 
tained,  and  she  was  taken  to  her  pretended  owner.  Intel 
ligent,  and  resolved  to  "be  free,  she  had  the  facts  conveyed 
to  my  headquarters.  By  a  military  order  I  compelled  the 
woman- stealer  to  restore  to  her  friends  the  captive  robbed 
of  her  rights  in  the  name  of  law.  The  tinge  of  African  hue 
alone  made  the  outrage  a  trivial  incident  to  all  but  the  grate 
ful  and,  I  might  add,  graceful  young  lady. 

Upon  my  return  from  an  expedition  into  Lower  Mary 
land,  when  within  a  mile  from  the  State  line,  I  met  a  farmer 
with  a  wagon  load  of  slaves,  consisting  of  a  father  and 
mother,  with  their  two  small  children,  and  a  wife's  sister, 
all  in  charge  of  a  constable  and  a  force  of  armed  citizens. 
The  slaves,  tied  hand  and  foot,  and  thrown  upon  the  straw 
in  an  old  country  wagon,  were  on  their  way  back  to  bond 
age.  And  this  was  done  in  the  name  of  law,  to  pacify  the 
men  who  were  plotting  to  destroy  the  Union  ! 

I  was  completely  exhausted ;  but,  nerved  to  action  by 
indignation  too  intense  for  expression,  I  demanded  the  autho 
rity  for  the  horrible  proceeding.  The  claimant  produced 
his  parchment,  bearing  the  seal  of  Commissioner  Cox.  He 
flourished  the  precious  document  before  me,  and  directed 
my  attention  to  the  great  seal  of  the  United  States. 

Upon  careful  perusal  of  it,  I  found  that  it  bore  the  names 
of  only  four  slaves,  while  the  load  included  five.  When  I 
pointed  the  chivalrous  and  confident  owner  to  the  apparently 
unimportant  circumstance,  he  replied:  "We  don't  count 
that  baby,"  pointing  to  an  infant  three  months  old,  in  the 
arms  of  a  mother,  whose  feet  were  tied,  while  she  leaned 
against  the  side  of  the  vehicle. 

I  answered:  "The  mother  was  a  slave,  and  the  child 
was  born  in  bondage.  You  claim  the  mother,  and  of  course 
the  child  is  kidnapped ;  and  as  you  profess  to  be  a  law- 
abiding  citizen,  and  are  violating  the  statute,  I  arrest  the 
entire  company." 

He  warmly  protested,  and  threatened  resistance. 

He  said,  "  Take  the  baby  ;  what  in  h — 11  do  we  want  of 
the  baby  ?  We  want  grown  people." 

The  mother  began  to  weep.  One  of  my  men  was  touched, 
and,  turning  to  me  with  pleading  tone,  inquired  if  I  would 
separate  the  mother  and  child. 


234  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  display  of  a  dozen  of  Colt's  revolvers,  "by  myself  and 
assistants,  satisfied  my  excited  friend  that  I  was  in  earnest  in 
expressing  my  interpretation  of  the  law.  I  sprang  into  the 
wagon,  and  witli  my  saber' s  point  cut  the  ropes. 

This,  I  think,  was  the  first  practical  application  of  the 
principle  of  the  famous  Emancipation  Proclamation  of  later 
date. 

I  directed  the  horses'  heads  to  be  turned  toward  Wash 
ington,  when  the  owner  and  driver  of  the  load  remonstrated, 
and  said,  with  an  oath  : 

"  Let  the  niggers  walk  to  Washington." 

I  said,  "No.  You  brought  them  here,  and  must  carry 
them  back." 

The  poor  captives  sank  on  their  knees  ;  the  venerable  old 
man  exclaiming,  with  uplifted  hands,  "  Bless  God  !"  and  the 
mother  adding,  "  God  bless  Colonel  Baker !" 

I  took  them  to  my  headquarters  and  set  them  at  liberty. 

This  transaction,  of  course,  brought  upon  my  head  the 
curses  of  the  slaveholders  of  Lower  Maryland.  But  I  had 
violated  no  law,  on  account  of  the  fortunate  presence  of  the 
baby. 

A  delegation  called  on  Mr.  Lincoln  the  next  morning,  pro 
testing  against  the  arbitrary  act,  producing,  as  before,  the 
sacred  parchment.  I  was  summoned  to  the  White  House. 
The  President  said : 

"Baker,  a  serious  charge,  is  preferred  against  you;" 
directing  my  attention  to  the  document,  with  the  inquiry, 
u  What  do  you  know  about  the  case  V 

I  briefly  made  my  statement,  giving  prominence  to  the 
number  of  the  slaves,  and  the  juvenile  supernumerary. 

The  Chief-Magistrate,  worthy  of  the  nation  he  repre 
sented,  replied  jocosely  :  "  Well,  Baker,  I  guess  the  baby 
saves  you  ! ' J  and  dismissed  the  whole  affair,  leaving  the 
"  contrabands "  at  large,  and  myself  to  the  prosecution  of 
my  thankless  profession. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

ENGLISH    SYMPATHY    WITH    THE    SOUTH— NEGRO-HATE   IN 
WASHINGTON. 

An  English  Emissary  of  the  South — He  Deceives  the  Secretary  of  State — My  Ac 
quaintance  with  Him— The  Fruitless  Effort  to  Betray  Me— The  Journey  to  the 
Old  Capitol  Prison — Negro-hate  in  the  National  Capital. 

MUCH  has  been  said  and  written  about  English  sympathy 
and  co-operation  with  the  South.  Perhaps  nothing  can  give 
the  extent  and  success  of  this  alliance  a  more  just  prominence 
in  the  record  of  the  war  than  some  account  of  its  practical 
operations,  involving  the  highest  official  position,  but  with 
out  the  least  intimation  of  inability  or  disloyalty.  On  the 
contrary,  the  narrative  only  reveals  the  deliberate  and  skillful 
conspiracy  of  the  abettors  of  treason  in  the  "  mother  coun 
try,"  deceiving  the  most  intelligent  statesmanship,  because 
it  seemed  impossible  that  the  betrayal  of  confidence  could 
appear  in  the  disguise  of  culture,  friendship,  and  appreciated 
courtesies  from  the  most  eminent  men  in  the  Government. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  rebellion,  an  Englishman 
made  his  appearance  in  Washington,  whose  apparent  interest 
in  the  loyal  cause,  and  his  open  denunciations  of  the  rebel 
leaders,  attracted  the  attention  of  our  able  Secretary  of 
State.  He  gained  ready  access  to  other  officers  of  the  Gov 
ernment. 

So  completely  had  he  won  the  confidence  of  Mr.  Seward 
that  he  received  letters  to  the  commander  of  the  Department 
of  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  With  them  he  waited  upon  that 
officer,  and  was  shown  the  usual  attentions  which  follow 
such  an  introduction.  From  the  commanding  general  he 
received  a  carte  blanche  to  visit  the  outposts  whenever  he 
thought  proper.  Disregarding  the  obligations  such  favors 
imposed,  he  passed  the  Federal  lines  beyond  Winchester, 
and  boldly  entered  the  camp  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  boasting 


236  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  his  deception,  and  receiving  similar  civilities  to  those 
shown  him  by  the  Union  officers.  He  remained  several 
days  on  hostile  soil,  and  then  returned  to  Washington,  after 
having  received  from  Jackson  permission  to  cross  his  lines 
at  any  time,  day  or  night. 

While  he  was  in  Washington,  he  soon*  "by  his  suspicious 
bearing,  his  secret  meetings  with  well-known  secessionists, 
awakened  my  suspicions.  Upon  inquiry,  I  learned  that  he 
was  a  sympathizer  with  the  South,  and  a  reputed  correspond 
ent  of  a  London  paper. 

In  the  prosecution  of  my  inquiries,  I  ascertained  that  he 
was  an  accredited  writer  for  the  English  press,  and  was 
assured  that  the  stranger  was  a  reliable  gentleman.  But 
believing  that,  if  my  British  friend  had  facilities  for  passing 
the  lines  of  both  armies,  he  could  give  me  important  intelli 
gence,  I  decided  to  cultivate  his  acquaintance.  I  accordingly 
wrote  him  a  friendly  note  requesting  him  to  call  at  my  head 
quarters,  which  he  soon  after  did.  He  opened  the  conversa 
tion  by  an  effort  to  impress  my  mind  with  his  importance  as  a 
detective  in  the  Union  service,  being  able  to  cross  both  lines 
at  pleasure.  He  further  informed  me  that  he  had  just  returned 
from  Stonewall  Jackson' s  camp,  and  had  given  to  our  Gen 
eral  B.  valuable  information.  He  claimed  to  occupy  neu 
tral  ground,  and  naturally  had  but  little  interest  in  either 
side. 

Still,  if  I  would  employ  and  pay  him,  he  could  render 
great  service  to  the  Republic  ;  and  he  could  obtain  a  cer 
tificate  from  the  British  minister  which  would  give  him  free 
entry  even  to  the  rebel  capital.  During  the  interview,  I 
detected  in  his  conduct  a  revelation  of  his  real  character. 
Notwithstanding  his  indorsement  by  Government,  I  was 
sure  of  his  treasonable  designs.  If  so,  he  was  clearly  a 
dangerous  man,  and  I  determined  to  know  more  about  him. 
I  desired  him  to  obtain  the  certificate  from  the  English  minis 
ter  referred  to  by  him.  An  examination  of  it  convinced  me 
it  was  a  forgery.  I  applied  to  the  minister,  who  informed 
me  that  he  knew  of  no  such  man  in  Washington.  At  our 
next  meeting,  upon  the  succeeding  day,  I  expressed  my 
regret  that  I  had  not  the  means  of  getting  to  rebel  camps 
which  he  had  ;  adding,  that  with  them,  how  easily  I  could 


AN   ARTFUL  ENGLISHMAN.  237 

get  the  plans  and  movements  of  the  enemy.  The  bait  was  a 
success. 

He  replied :  * '  Nothing  is  easier.  Go  with  me,  and  I  will 
pass  you  along  as  a  friend,  and  associate  correspondent." 

He  detailed  minutely  the  plan,  and  we  agreed  to  leave 
in  company  the  next  morning  for  Harper' s  Ferry,  en  route 
to  General  Jackson's  quarters. 

About  eleven  o'clock  that  night,  when  leaving  my  office, 
I  received  the  following  note,  handed  me  by  a  colored  man  : — 

COLONEL  BAKEB: — 

Beware  of  that  Englishman !  He  has  devised  a  plot  to  betray  you.  For 
God's  sake,  don't  go  with  him. 

MRS.  . 

The  missive  was  written  by  a  true-hearted  Union  woman, 
a  seamstress  in  one  of  the  aristocratic  secession  families  of 
Washington. 

This  revelation  increased  my  anxiety  to  become  his  trav 
eling  companion.  I  left  Washington  with  him,  according  to 
appointment,  and  reached  Winchester  in  due  time,  by  rail. 
The  rebel  picket-line  was  between  that  place  and  Stanton. 

Kemaining  incog,  myself,  my  friend  proceeded  to  General 
B.'s  headquarters  and  procured  passes  for  both.  Hiring 
a  horse  and  buggy,  we  proceeded  toward  Stonewall  Jack 
son'  s  headquarters,  he  suggesting  that  it  would  not  probably 
be  safe  to  go  directly  to  them  without  giving  notice  of  our 
arrival  within  the  lines.  Four  miles  from  them,  we  halted 
at  a  farm-house,  where  he  said  he  was  acquainted,  and  pro 
posed  to  send  the  message  to  camp.  I  was  introduced  prop 
erly,  and,  after  an  excellent  supper,  a  letter  was  written  and 
read  to  me  by  him,  addressed  to  the  rebel  chief,  announcing 
our  proximity,  and  that  we  would  report  to  him  in  the  morn 
ing.  A  trusted  house  servant  was  called,  and  received  his 
instructions  in  regard  to  the  delivery  of  the  note. 

Carelessly  sauntering  forth  into  the  yard,  I  followed  him 
by  a  circuitous  route  to  his  shanty,  and  asked  him  if  he  had 
the  letter. 

"  Yes,  massa,"  he  replied  ;  "  which  of  de  letters?"  hand 
ing  me  two — the  one  which  I  had  seen,  and  another  to  the 
Chief  of  Staff,  running  thus : — 


238  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Have  just  arrived,  and  am  at  Mr. "s  house.     Have  with  me  the 

Yankee  detective,  Baker.     Send  and  capture  us  both. 

I  took  these  notes,  sealed  the  envelopes,  gave  them  to  the 
bearer,  and  told  him  to  hurry  as  fast  as  possible.  He  left, 
and  I  returned  to  the  dwelling,  where  niy  companion  was 
conversing  with  the  lady  of  the  house. 

It  was  seventeen  miles  to  the  rebel  headquarters,  and  I 
knew  the  servant  could  not  get  back  until  morning.  I  de 
termined  to  await  the  issue.  I  occupied  the  same  bed  with 
the  Englishman ;  but  passed  a  sleepless  night.  He  was 
singularly  restless  toward  morning,  often  going  to  the  win 
dow,  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  expected  cavalry,  or  hear  the 
echo  of  the  hoofs.  He  complained  of  being  ill.  At  seven 
o'clock  the  messenger  arrived;  I  had  detected,  from  the 
movements  of  all  around  me,  some  great  event  was  expected. 

The  servant  was  eagerly  questioned,  who  said  he  had 
delivered  the  letters  according  to  orders. 

Breakfast  was  dispatched,  and  nine  o'clock  came,  when 
I  proposed  to  my  associate  that  we  wait  no  longer  for  a 
special  invitation,  but  go  forward  to  General  Jackson's 
camp.  He  acquiesced  ;  our  carriage  was  broughrt  to  the 
door,  the  farewell  spoken  to  the  family,  and  we  were  on 
our  way. 

Great  surprise  was  expressed  by  my  friend  that  no  reply 
had  been  received  to  the  note.  I  apologized  for  the  ap 
parent  neglect,  on  the  ground  of  urgent  business,  and  urged 
that  we  hasten  on. 

When  about  four  miles  from  our  hospitable  home  for  the 
night,  we  came  to  four  corners,  and  I  inquired : — 

"Which  road  leads  to  Winchester?" 

He  pointed  with  his  whip,  saying :  "  That  one." 

I  said  :  i '  Stop  a  moment ! ' '  sprang  from  the  buggy,  drew 
and  cocked  my  six-shooter  within  six  inches  of  his  head, 
exclaiming  :  "  You  scoundrel,  you  are  my  prisoner.  I  have 
only  been  waiting  to  see  how  far  you  would  go,  and  what 
shape  your  base  design  would  take." 

He  turned  deadly  pale,  and  tried  to  speak,  when  I  added : 
"Don't  open  your  mouth \\i  you  do,  I'll  blow  your  brains 
out." 


THE  TABLES  TURNED.  230 

Directing  him  to  alight,  I  drew  a  pair  of  handcuffs  from 
my  pocket,  wrapped  in  a  newspaper,  which  I  deliberately 
unrolled  ;  and  with  my  pistol  in  my  left  hand,  with  my  right 
I  clasped  the  manacles  on  his  wrist,  and  said  :— 

"You  have  attempted  to  betray  me;  if  you  make  an 
effort  to  alarm  any  one,  or  try  to  indicate  who  I  am,  I  will 
shoot  you  dead.  If  you  go  quietly  along,  you  shall  not  be 
hurt.  Now,  get  into  the  buggy." 

I  took  my  pistol,  put  the  muzzle  under  the  cushion  of  the 
seat,  and  with  my  left  hand  drove  the  horse.  Fortunately, 
we  met  no  rebel  soldiers,  and  not  a  word  was  spoken  until 
we  came  to  within  half  a  mile  of  the  rebel  picket-line,  when  I 
drove  to  the  side  of  the  fence,  told  my  prisoner  to  alight,  and 
entered  with  him  a  strip  of  woods,  passed  safely  the  picket, 
and  at  four  o'clock  the  following  morning  we  were  at  Win 
chester. 

I  handed  the  traitor  temporarily  over  to  the  military 
authorities,  and  sought  repose.  A  few  hours  later,  I  started 
for  Washington,  and  upon  my  arrival  placed  him  in  the  Old 
Capitol  prison,  whose  records  will  disclose  his  name. 

In  this  connection,  chronologically,  one  or  two  incidents 
will  present  in  bold  relief  the  unparalleled  malignity  of 
feeling  cherished  by  the  rebels  and  their  friends  toward  an 
unoffending  race,  because  it  was  the  providential  occasion 
of  their  troubles,  and  true  to  the  instincts  of  humanity  in  its 
desire  for  freedom  ;  a  malignity  intensified  by  the  despotic 
possession  and  control  of  the  body,  and,  so  far  as  possible, 
of  the  soul  of  the  enslaved. 

One  day  I  was  riding  toward  the  railway  depot  in  Wash 
ington,  when  I  noticed  a  crowd,  and  saw  blows  descending 
upon  the  form  of  a  colored  boy.  Upon  getting  nearer,  I 
found  that  a  large  and  brutal  man  was  amusing  himself  and 
the  spectators  by  beating  a  well-dressed  mulatto  lad,  who 
was  bitterly  crying.  I  sprang  from  the  carriage,  and,  taking 
the  ruffian  by  the  arm,  inquired  what  he  was  about.  Turn 
ing  a  savage  look  upon  me,  he  drew  back  to  strike ;  but  it 
has  been  my  custom,  when  necessary  to  use  weapons  of 
defense,  to  get  the  first  blow  or  shot.  Before  he  could  take 
his  aim,  he  was  lying  on  his  back  under  my  feet.  The 
injured  child  ran  away,  while  a  comrade,  who  somehow 


240  UXITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

recognized  me,  followed,  repeating  my  name.  I  then  re- 
entered  the  carriage  and  drove  on  unmolested. 

There  was  another  instance  of  fiendish  hate,  in  which  a 
woman  was  the  principal  actor.  I  was  crossing  the  street, 
upon  a  dismal  night,  when  just  before  ine  walked  a  lady  in 
splendid  attire,  attended  by  a  gentleman!  Further  on  was 
a  poor  colored  girl,  clearing  the  pavement,  as  well  as  she 
could  with  her  dilapidated  broom,  from  the  snow  water  and 
mud,  for  the  penny  any  passer-by  might  drop  into  her  hand. 
She  stepped  back  at  the  approach  of  the  couple  referred  to, 
and  extended  her  hand.  The  Southern  lady  leaned  toward 
the  little  mendicant,  and,  with  a  spiteful  push,  laid  her  flat 
in  the  flooded  street.  She  rose  again,  dripping  and  shiver 
ing.  I  confess  I  was  angry ;  and,  going  before  her,  I  re 
marked  : — 

"  That  was  very  unladylike  ;  a  specimen  of  the  politeness 
of  the  chivalry,  I  suppose  ? " 

She  replied  excitedly:  "How  dare  you  speak  thus  to 
me  !"  adding  epithets  of  scofn  toward  the  abolitionist. 

Her  escort  then  took  up  the  gauntlet,  and  inquired  my 
name,  handing  me  his  card.  I  told  him,  and  invited  him  to 
call.  Both  parties  were  bound  for  the  post-office,  where  we 
again  met,  and  again  the  lady's  friend  demanded  satisfaction. 
I  gave  him  a  glimpse  of  my  six-shooter,  and  intimated  that 
he  had  better  drop  the  subject,  which  he  decided  to  do,  and 
I  heard  no  more  from  him. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

GIGANTIC  VICES  OF  THE   NATIONAL  CAPITAL. 

Gambling  and  the  Gamblers — The  Purpose  to  Break  up  the  Dens  Discouraged— The 
Midnight  Raid — Results — Drinking  and  Liquor  Saloons — The  Descent  upon  them 
— Broken  up — Licentiousness  and  its  Patrons — The  Raid  on  their  Haunts  at  Dead 
of  Night — The  Arrests. 

I  HAVE  made  some  disclosures  respecting  the  contraband 
trade  in  gaming-cards ;  but  it  remains  now  to  record  the 
prevalence  and  ruinous  effects  of  the  vice  of  gambling  itself, 
during  the  war,  pre-eminently  in  the  National  capital.  I 
have  no  desire  to  exaggerate  the  evils  that  lurk  in  the  high 
or  low  places  of  society  ;  to  speak  of  Washington  in  a  carp 
ing  tone,  as  if  it  had  been,  or  is,  a  Sodom  beyond  redemp 
tion  ;  nor  do  I  wish  to  magnify  my  office  at  the  expense  oY 
any  man's  fair  fame,  whatever  his  position. 

But  I  can  not  be  true  to  myself,  the  bureau  I  represented, 
nor  yet  to  the  people  for  whose  sake  1  send  forth  these 
annals,  and  omit  a  narrative  which  will  surprise  and  sadden 
thousands.  And  may  the  country  we  love,  the  families,  the 
youth  of  the  land,  profit  by  the  recital.  It  is  well  known, 
that  there  haVe  always  been  in  large  cities  what  are  called 
"  gambling  hells  " —costly  houses,  fitted  up  with  elegance, 
and  furnished  with  everything  to  attract  the  eye,  and  lend 
fascination  to  the  destructive  pastime.  Indeed,  many  virtu 
ous  citizens  earnestly  defend  the  existence  of  this  and  other 
unblushing  vices  as  necessary  evils ;  when,  there  can  be  no 
crime  which  the  law  should  not  reach,  and  will,  if  fearlessly 
wielded  by  its  officers,  and  they,  in  turn,  are  sustained  by 
the  people. 

In  Washington,  gambling  increased  naturally  and  inev 
itably,  with  the  progress  of  the  war.  It  is  not  a  pleasant 
thing  to  say,  that  the  patronage  of  the  gaming-table  had 
been  drawn  largely  from  members  of  Congress ;  to  whom 

16 


242  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

•were  added,  with  the  increasing  number  of  officers  gathering 
to  the  capital,  many  high  in  military  command.  With  the 
demand  for  such  haunts  of  "sporting  men,"  their  number 
multiplied  until  I  had  a  list  of  more  than  a  hundred  houses, 
many  of  which  were  gorgeous  beyond  description.  The 
fitting  up  of  a  single  place  of  this  kinfl.  cost  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars. 

The  terrible  fact  which  drew  my  attention  to  the  subject 
was  the  discovery  that  nine  in  every  ten  of  the  defalcations 
by  paymasters,  and  others  in  the  employment  of  the  Govern 
ment,  were  occasioned  in  every  instance  by  losses  at  the 
card  table.  I  recovered  forty  thousand  dollars  which  had 
passed  into  the  hands  of  gamblers  from  those  of  a  trusted 
and  respected  official. 

I  called  on  the  military  commander  of  the  district,  and 
was  discouraged  in  my  purpose  of  testing  the  statute  on 
gaining  in  the  capital.  The  popular  acquiescence  in  this 
state  of  things,  the  patronage  of  distinguished  men,  and  the 
character  of  the  proprietors  of  the  "  hells,"  were  the  argu 
ments  used  by  that  officer.  Still,  I  was  not  convinced,  but 
the  more  decided  to  proceed  to  business. 

I  accordingly  mustered  my  entire  force  of  assistants,  and 
detailed  to  them  my  plans.  We  were  to  move  at  the  same 
moment,  surround  the  dozen  or  more  gaming-houses  on 
Pennsylvania  Avenue,  and  at  the  designated  time,  to  pre 
vent  any  concert  of  action  by  the  proprietors,  or  conceal 
ment  of  their  business,  to  enter  and  break  them  up.  It  was 
half-past  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  the  dash  was 
made,  the  gamblers  arrested,  and  their  houses  closed. 

The  next  morning  brought  intense  excitement  among  the 
sporting  gentlemen — some  denouncing  the  interference,  and 
others  offering  bribes.  A  number  of  them  raised  a  sum  of 
more  than  twenty  thousand  dollars  for  me,  if  I  would  allow 
them  to  resume  their  lucrative  calling.  It  is  scarcely  neces 
sary  to  say,  that  I  refused  to  pause  in  the  reform  commenced. 

Mr.  Lincoln  sent  for  me,  and  I  repaired  to  the  White 
House,  to  find  him  carelessly  sitting  in  shirt-sleeves  and 
slippers,  ready  to  receive  me.  He  said : — 

"Well,  Baker,  what  is  the  trouble  between  you  and  the 
gamblers?" 


GAMBLING  AND   GAMBLERS.  243 

I  told  my  story.     He  laughed,  and  said : — 

"I  used  to  play  penny-ante  when  I  ran  a  flat-boat  out 
West,  but  for  many  years  have  not  touched  a  card." 

I  stated  to  him  the  havoc  gambling  was  mating  with  the 
army,  alluded  to  before,  when  he  approved  my  course,  but 
reminded  me  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  reform. 

I  replied  :  "  I  can  not' fight  the  gamblers  and  the  Govern 
ment  both." 

The  President  replied  :  "  You  won't  have  to  fight  me.19 

I  added :  "  It  is  a  fight ;  and  all  I  ask  is  fair  play  :  that 
the  Government  will  let  me  alone,  and  I  will  break  up  the 
business." 

And,  with  this  perfect  understanding,  we  parted  for  the 
time. 

Remarked  one  of  the  gamesters  to  me  :  "  After  all,  I  don't 
care  ;  it  has  cost  me  five  thousand  dollars  a  month  to  keep 
officers  still." 

The  result  was,  the  business  was  effectually  spoiled  in 
Washington,  and  some  of  the  leaders  in  it  removed  to  other 
cities ;  the  power  of  wholesome  law  was  vindicated,  the  offend 
ers  punished,  and. Washington  saved,  for  the  time,  from  one 
of  its  greatest  curses  ;  men  of  commanding  position  exposed, 
and  young  men  saved  from  the  serpent' s  charm  and  fang. 

I  shall  leave  this  topic  with  the  final  report  made  to  the 
proper  authority : — 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  August  26,  1863.  f 

Hon.  E.  A.  STANTOF,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  statement  in  relation  to 
certain  illegal  establishments  in  this  city,  and  the  steps  taken  by  me  for  their 
suppression. 

I  refer  to  the  gambling-houses  of  Washington.  The  evils  that  grow 
directly  out  of  the  unrestrained  practice  of  gambling  are  too  apparent,  and 
have  been  too  often  and  eloquently  described,  to  require  more  than  the  mere 
mention  to  awaken  the  indignation  of  all  honest  and  true  men,  and  call  forth 
the  most  strenuous  efforts  for  their  suppression.  The  peculiar  character  of 
the  population  of  this  city,  composed  largely  of  young  men  removed  from  the 
restraints  of  home,  and  the  influences  of  the  family  circle,  offers  inducements 
to  the  gambling  fraternity  by  which  they  have  thus  far  largely  profited. 
There  are  more  professional  gamblers  in  this  city  to-day,  than  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  and  two  weeks  since  there  were  more  gambling-houses. 

I  have  had  reoorted  to  me  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  of 


244  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

these  establishments,  where  games  of  chance  were  openly  permitted,  and 
where  gathered  nightly,  hundreds,  and  I  might  perhaps  say  with  truth,  thou 
sands  of  the  young  and  middle-aged  men  of  this  city,  including  always  a  large 
proportion  of  persons  in  Government  employ.  In  such  dens  of  ruin  could  be 
found  almost  every  night  officers  of  all  grades,  paymasters  and  other  disburs 
ing  officers,  clerks  in  the  different  departments,  and  persons  whose  escape 
from  certain  ruin  lay  in  the  direction  of  abusing  the  "public  trusts  confided  to 
them,  and  retrieving  their  losses  at  the  expense  of  the  Government. 

I  might  cite  cases  of  this  nature  where  disgraced  officials  of  prominent 
standing  have  openly  pointed  to  gamblers  and  gambling-houses  as  the  causes 
of  their  downfall ;  and  in  more  than  one  instance  Government  money  to  a 
large  amount  has  been  recovered  from  parties  who  knew  perfectly  well  that 
their  plunder  was  the  proceeds  of  official  crime  and  dishonor. 

So  gigantic  had  this  evil  become,  so  utterly,  through  powerful  local  influ 
ences,  beyond  the  control  of  the  civil  authorities,  so  intense  the  desire  for  its 
suppression  by  those  who  know  its  significance  as  a  leading  inducement  to 
crime,  and  the  most  prominent  element  in  demoralizing  both  the  officers  and 
men  of  our  armies,  that  I  resolved  upon  the  adoption  of  the  only  remedy 
available  and  sure  of  success,  and  that  was  to  peremptorily  close  every 
known  gambling-house  in  the  city. 

About  two  weeks  since  I  received  orders  and  detailed  officers  for  that 
purpose,  and  those  orders  have  been  so  effectively  carried  into  execution, 
that  public  gambling  has  entirely  ceased,  and  will  not  be  resumed  so  long  as 
the  control  of  the  matter  is  left  to  me.  It  is  true  that  the  men  who  have 
carried  on  this  infamous  business  still  remain  in  the  city,  that  they  are  labor 
ing,  by  every  means  that  money  can  purchase  or  influence  command,  to  pro 
cure  a  reversal  of  my  orders,  and  recommence  their  depredations  upon  Gov 
ernment  officials,  under  the  shadow  of  Government  authority. 

I  am  credibly  informed  that  movements  are  being  made,  by  parties  claim 
ing  high  consideration  in  official  quarters,  with  the  view  of  protecting  the 
interests  of  the  unemployed  gamblers,  and  reopening  the  doors  of  those 
gambling  hells  which  I  have  summarily  closed,  but  which,  if  unlocked,  will 
again  be  filled  with  crowds  of  swindlers  and  their  unhappy  victims. 

I  have  thought  it  my  duty,  under  a  full  knowledge  of  all  the  facts  in  the 
case,  to  thus  briefly  call  your  attention  to  the  matter,  in  the  earnest  hope 
that  the  efforts  I  have  made  to  rid  this  city  of  its  greatest  pest  and  nuisance 
will  receive  the  approbation  and  earnest  support  of  the  War  Department  and 
of  the  Government  authorities. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

Upon  reading  the  above  report,  my  course  was  fully  sus 
tained  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  who,  when  convinced  of 
the  existence  of  a  wrong,  was  ever  ready  and  prompt  to 


LIQUOR-SHOPS.  245 

act  to  the  extent  of  his  jurisdiction  and  influence  for  its  sup 
pression. 

Another  kindred  and  gigantic  vice  was  unblushingly 
doing  its  work  of  death,  which  I  could  not  overlook.  The 
most  superficial  observer  of  Washington  must  have  noticed 
the  unusual  number  of  drinking  places,  in  every  form  and 
under  every  possible  disguise.  Wherever  soldiers  were 
stationed,  or  army  work  in  progress,  there  was  seen  at  least 
the  beer  barrel  and  whisky  demijohn.  Old  street  corners 
and  vacant  lots  were  occupied  with  the  bar,  around  which  lay 
the  intoxicated  victims  of  their  poison — the  "boys  in  blue." 
In  the  suburbs,  under  the  shadow  of  hospitals,  and  beside 
bridges,  the  liquor  booth  was  reared,  until  it  was  estimated 
that  not  less  than  thirty-seven  hundred  such  fountains  of 
ruin  were  in  active  operation.  In  spite  of  the  most  stringent 
municipal  and  military  regulations,  the  traffic  went  on  un 
checked,  and  daily  increasing.  The  imposition  of  a  fine,  or 
incarceration  for  a  few  hours  in  a  guard-house,  was  a  mere 
joke  to  the  speculators  in  the  morals  and  lives  of  men.  But 
to  enter  the  saloons,  and,  with  the  heavy  blows  of  the  ax, 
to  crush  in  the  barrel-head,  bring  decanters  in  fragments  to 
the  floor,  and  then  lay  the  structure  itself  in  ruins,  was  too 
expensive  a  jest  to  be  often  repeated. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Twenty-second  and  G  Streets  were  the 
headquarters  of  the  depot  quartermaster.  Here  were  located 
the  Government  warehouses,  storehouses,  workshops,  manu 
factories,  and  corrals,  employing  eight  thousand  men  or 
more. 

Two  sides  of  an  entire  square  were  occupied  by  the  low 
est  places  of  intoxication.  In  many  of  them,  the  entire  stock 
in  trade  was  a  cask  of  lager  beer  and  a  gallon  of  unknown 
and  villainous  compound  called  Bourbon  whisky,  dealt  out 
in  an  old  rusty  tin  cup,  at  ten  cents  per  drink.  In  these 
dens  could  be  seen,  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  the 
common  soldier,  the  teamster,  and  the  mechanic.  I  distinct 
ly  recollect,  that  on  the  eve  of  an  important  battle,  when 
necessary  to  dispatch  to  the  front,  at  an  hour's  notice,  a 
train  of  one  hundred  wagons,  not  five  Government  teamsters 
were  sufficiently  sober  to  move  forward. 

When  all  other  means,  laws,  and  agents  had  failed  to 


246  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

reach  and  remedy  the  frightful  evil,  my  aid,  it  will  appear 
from  the  correspondence  quoted,  was  invoked.  I  officially 
gave  notice  to  the  occupants  of  these  saloons,  that  they  must 
close  them  by  four  o'clock,  the  next  day,  or  take  the  conse 
quences  of  a  refusal  to  comply. 

They  had  so  often  before  been  warned,  that  no  attention 
was  given  to  my  caution.  At  the  expiration  of  the  appointed 
time,  with  my  employees,  all  armed  with  axes,  I  proceeded 
to  the  dens  of  Bacchus,  and  commenced  the  work  of  destruc 
tion.  Soon  the  long  lines  of  liquor  shops  were  leveled  to 
the  ground,  and  only  broken  and  empty  barrels,  crushed 
decanters,  and  rubbish  remained. 

In  one  case,  when  the  demolition  began,  the  proprietor, 
with  pencil  and  paper,  made  an  inventory  of  his  property. 
When  asked  what  he  proposed  to  do  with  it,  he  replied : 
* '  Make  a  bill, ' '  and  scratched  away. 

I  replied:  "It  is  hardly  worth  the  while  to  present  to 
the  Government  a  bill  for  a  few  decanters  and  rattlesnake 
whisky  ;  I  think  I  will  tear  down  the  house  over  your  head, 
and  then  you  can  make  out  a  bill  worth  your  while." 

Immediately  complaints  were  carried  to  the  military 
governor  of  the  district,  which  elicited  the  correspondence 
of  which  mention  has  been  made. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAE  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  September  2,  1863.  ) 

Brigadier-General  J.  H.  HARTIXDALE,  "Military  Governor : — 

SIR — I  beg  leave,  in  compliance  with  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
respectfully  to  submit  the  following  explanations  and  report  relative  to  my 
action  in  closing  certain  u  liquor  shops "  and  other  places  where  liquor  has 
been  sold  or  supplied  to  soldiers  in  the  service  of  the  United  States.  So  far 
as  the  statements  and  affidavits  inclosed  are  concerned,  I  have  to  state  that  in 
such  of  those  cases  positive  information,  of  a  character  which  I  considered  en 
tirely  reliable,  was  submitted  to  me,  that  every  one  of  the  parties  therein 
named  had  sold  liquor  to  soldiers,  in  direct  violation  of  well-known  regula 
tions.  And  I  acted  in  those  cases  as  I  have  done  in  every  other  instance  where 
a  positive  violation  of  military  restrictions  was  attempted  or  committed,  with 
the  one  design,  not  of  alleviating  or  tolerating  a  known  misdemeanor,  but  of 
absolutely  and  forever  putting  an  end  to  it.  In  so  doing,  I  have  believed  my 
self  not  only  to  be  acting  under  the  authority  of  the  War  Department,  but  in 
direct  unison  with  the  designs  and  purposes  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  In  rela 
tion  to  the  violence  alleged  to  have  been  offered  to  a  woman,  I  have  to  state 
that  the  officer  charged  with  this  offense  not  only  explicitly  denies  its  com- 


LIQUOR-SHOPS.  247 

mission,  but  from  his  well-known  character,  courteous  and  kindly  bearing,  I  fully 
and  conscientiously  credit  his  statement.  The  property  taken  from  said  parties 
has  in  almost  every  instance  been  retained  in  my  possession,  where  it  still  re 
mains,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  In  some  instances,  I  have 
summarily  destroyed  liquor  of  a  quality  which,  with  a  knowledge  of  its  villain 
ous  and  poisonous  character,  it  was  doing  humanity  a  service  at  once  to  destroy. 

So  far  as  these  individual  cases  are  concerned,  I  have  no  doubt  that  in 
every  one  of  them  liquor  was  daily  supplied  to  soldiers ;  and  with  my  knowl 
edge  of  the  facility  with  which  parties  in  the  liquor  business  can  manufacture 
evidence  to  avoid  the  consequences  of  their  vile  traffic,  I  am  not  surprised  at 
either  the  quantity  or  the  quality  of  the  testimony  which  in  this  particular  in 
stance  has  been  summoned  to  their  aid.  I  am  directed  to  give  my  reasons  why 
the  liquors,  &c.,  taken  from  said  parties  should  not  be  returned,  and  they  per 
mitted  to  resume  their  business.  My  reasons  are,  that  to  do  so  would  be  to 
absolutely  nullify  every  effort  made  by  Government  to  prohibit  the  sale  of  liquor 
to  soldiers;  it  would  be  saying  to  persons  knowingly  guilty  of  a  grave  offense, 
that  they  were  in  the  right  and  the  Government  in  the  wrong ;  it  would  have 
the  immediate  effect  of  adding  a  thousand  new  and  authorized  rum-holes  to 
the  vast  number  already  engaged  in  this  city  and  district  in  demoralizing  and 
destroying  the  soldiers  of  our  army. 

To  imagine  for  a  moment  that  this  infernal  trade  can  be  put  down  by  the 
process  of  inflicting  a  paltry  fine  of  from  two  to  five  dollars,  the  usual  pun 
ishment  inflicted  by  police  justices,  is  an  utter  absurdity,  and  has  already  been 
proved  a  remedy  as  worthless  as  it  is  puerile. 

Another  reason  why  I  would  not  permit  the  resumption  of  such  business  by 
any  person,  under  the  circumstances  named,  is  that  nineteen  out  of  twenty  of 
all  the  crimes  committed  by  soldiers  and  employees  of  the  Government  con-, 
nected  with  the  camps,  corrals,  wagon-trains,  &c.,  in  and  around  this  city,  are 
traceable  directly  to  the  rum-holes,  saloons,  restaurants,  cake-shops,  and  hotel 
bars,  where  liquid  poison  is  freely  dealt  to  the  soldier  and  Government  work 
man,  and  where,  under  its  influence,  he  becomes  a  deserter  or  a  thief,  sells  to 
willing  purchasers  his  uniform  and  arms,  or  the  stores  or  clothing  stolen  from 
the  mess-room  or  wagon-train.  Scarcely  a  place  of  this  kind  has  been  closed 
by  my  officers,  without  affording  evidence,  in  concealed  uniforms,  blankets, 
arms,  saddles,  and  Government  stores,  of  the  double  traffic  carried  on  by  its 
proprietor — a  traffic  which,  while  it  decimates  the  army,  swells  its  gains  by 
encouraging  and  sharing  in  the  wholesale  plunder  of  Government  property. 
In  many  parts  of  the  city  in  the  vicinity  of  wagon  camps,  corrals,  and  hospi 
tals,  the  influence  of  liquor-shops  in  producing  discontent,  rioting,  disorder, 
drunkenness,  and  insubordination,  has  been  so  unmistakable,  and  its  effects  so 
insupportable,  that  I  have  been  called  upon  by  officers  in  charge  of  depart 
ments,  by  superintendents  of  wagon-trains,  and  by  surgeons  in  charge  of 
hospitals,  to  adopt  the  most  stringent  measures  for  suppressing  the  liquor 
dealers  in  their  vicinity.  The  following  copy  of  a  letter  lately  received  from 
Captain  0.  H«  Tompkins,  A.  Q.  M.,  will  sufficiently  indicate  the  nature  of  the 
complaints  constantly  urged  upon  my  attention,  as  well  as  the  views  of  its 
writer  as  to  the  kind  of  remedy  demanded. 


248  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Acting  under  the  orders  of  General  Rucker,  as  indorsed  on  Captain  Tomp- 
kins's  letter,  a  copy  of  which  is  also  submitted,  I  closed  the  rum-holes  com 
plained  of,  and  restored  order  and  subordination,  where  before  all  was  rioting 
and  drunkenness. 

Copy. 

ASSISTANT  QUARTERMASTERS  OFFICE,  WASBINGTON,  August  10, 1863. 

Brigadier-General  D.  H.  RUCKER,  Chief  Depot  Quartermaster  : — 

GBNERAL — I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  I  had  a  conversation  with  Colo 
nel  L.  C.  Baker,  Provost-Marshal  "War  Department,  in  relation  to  the  whisky 
shops  around  the  corrals,  repair-shops,  stables,  store-houses,  &c.,  in  which  he 
said,  if  I  would  make  an  application,  he  would  destroy  them,  or  put  an  end 
to  them.  Therefore  I  have  to  request  that,  in  view  of  their  being  the  fright 
ful  source  of  all  the  troubles  and  insubordination  among  my  men,  application 
be  made  to  Colonel  Baker  to  close  them  permanently,  or  that  this  note  be 
referred  to  him,  with  authority  to  act  upon  it. 

Yery  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  CHAS.  II.  TOMPKIXS, 

Captain  and  A.  Q.  M.,  U.  S.  A. 

Copy  of  Indorsement. 

CHIEF  QUARTERMASTER'S  OFFICE,  WASHINGTON  DEPOT,  August  10,  18C3. 

Respectfully  referred  to  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker,  Provost-Marshal  War  De 
partment,  with  the  request  that  the  liquor-shops  referred  to  by  Captain 
Tompkins  be  closed  up,  if  he  has  the  power  to  do  so. 

(Signed)  D.  H.  RTJOKER, 

Brigadier-General,  and  Q.  M. 

I  have  thus,  General,  briefly,  but  I  trust  satisfactorily,  presented  my  ex 
planations  and  report  on  the  matters  submitted  to  me.  I  have  assumed  no 
authority  not,  as  I  understood,  fully  committed  to  me  by  the  War  Depart 
ment — an  authority  which  compels  my  instant  attention  to  every  violation  of 
its  regulations,  and  the  exertion  of  every  means  in  my  power  to  prevent  de 
sertion,  protect  Government  property,  and  bring  to  just  retribution  the 
guilty  parties  who  contribute,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  either  of  those  results. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  \ 
WASHINGTON,  September  9, 1863.  f 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTOX,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — In  compliance  with  your  order,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  fol 
lowing  report  relative  to  the  seizures  of  property  in  this  city,  and  the  accom 
panying  report  and  recommendations  thereon  by  Brigadier-General  Martin- 
dale,  Military  Governor  of  this  district.  It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  enter 
into  any  detailed  statement  relative  to  the  particular  cases  of  seizure  com 
plained  of  by  General  Martindale,  inasmuch  as  the  accompanying  reports, 


LIQUOR-SHOPS.  249 

made  by  me  to  General  Martindale,  fully  explain  the  causes  which  led  to  such 
seizures,  and  to  those  reports  I  respectfully  refer.  I  beg  to  state,  however,  in 
relation  to  the  case  of  Jouvenal,  that  the  officers  making  that  seizure  distinctly 
and  emphatically  deny  the  appropriation  or  taking  of  any  cigars  or  other 
property  for  their  own  use,  and  Mr.  Jouvenal  has  himself  stated,  that  the  said 
officers  behaved  in  his  house  with  kindness  and  propriety ;  and  further,  that 
the  statement  made  by  him  (Jouvenal)  to  General  Martindale  was  got  up  and 
suggested  by  one  Roth,  a  detective  under  Captain  Johnson,  and  that  he 
(Jouvenal)  signed  it  because  he  supposed,  and  was  told  by  Roth,  that  it  was 
all  right.  I  beg  further  to  state,  in  no  one  instance  have  I  acted  in  the  cases 
referred  to  by  General  Martindale,  or  in  any  others  of  a  like  nature,  until  after 
repeated  complaints  had  been  urged  before  me,  and  examinations  made  and 
reported  upon  by  my  own  officers,  and  even  then  I  have  acted,  because  I  fully 
believed  that  no  other  authority,  either  civil  or  military,  had  the  inclination 
or  will  to  abate  the  nuisances  complained  of.  I  have  neither  sought  nor  desired 
opportunities  for  seizing  liquors  or  closing  liquor-shops,  and  it  has  only  been 
as  the  last  resort,  when  all  other  means  had  been  tried  and  found  powerless, 
that,  acting  as  the  provost-marshal  of  the  War  Department,  and  fully  clothed, 
as  I  believed  myself,  with  authority  to  protect  its  interests  and  those  of  the 
soldiers  under  its  care,  I  determined  upon  the  adoption  of  decisive  measures. 
In  relation  to  the  question  of  authority,  I  respectfully  submit  the  following 
statement  of  facts :  As  early  as  April  last,  Captain  Tompkins,  assistant  quar 
termaster,  made  application  to  General  Martindale,  respectfully  asking  the 
interposition  of  his  authority  for  the  purpose  of  closing  certain  liquor  shops 
where  the  men  and  employees  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department  were  daily 
supplied  with  intoxicating  drinks,  and  which  were  the  scenes  of  constant 
rioting  and  drunkenness,  to  the  great  injury  and  loss  of  the  Government  ser 
vice.  No  notice  was  taken  of  this  application,  and  it  was  renewed  again  and 
again,  with  the  same  result.  The  matter  was  then  presented  to  General 
Rucker,  assistant  quartermaster-general,  and  a  further  application  was  made 
by  him  to  Ge*neral  Martindale,  and,  as  no  notice  was  taken,  General  Rucker 
again  laid  the  case  before  the  Military  Governor,  and  again  without  eliciting 
any  action  or  reply.  The  increasing  disorder  and  riotous  indications  of  the 
employees  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  fostered  by  an  unlimited  sup 
ply  of  liquor  and  unrestrained  opportunities  of  obtaining  it,  culminated  at 
length  in  a  serious  outbreak,  and  refusal  of  said  employees  to  obey  the  orders 
of  their  superior  officers.  Upward  of  one  hundred  of  them  banded  together 
in  a  riotous  demonstration  on  last  Thanksgiving  Day,  and  it  became  necessary 
to  call  in  the  aid  of  armed  soldiers  to  arrest  the  rioters,  and  compel  obedience 
to  orders. 

Under  these  circumstances,  and  all  other  appliances  failing,  Captain  Tomp 
kins  wrote  to  me  for  assistance ;  and,  upon  his  representations,  accompanied 
by  the  order  of  General  Rucker,  I  assumed  the  responsibility,  and  summarily 
closed  the  liquor  shops  complained  of.  I  respectfully  call  attention  to  the 
accompanying  official  communications,  addressed  by  General  Rucker,  under 
dates  of  April  20  and  May  25,  1863,  to  Major  T.  P.  Sherburne,  assistant  adju 
tant-general,  headquarters  military  district  of  Washington,  and  on  which, 


250  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

as  I  have  before  stated,  no  action  appears  to  have  been  taken ;  and  also  to  the 
official  communication  of  Captain  Tompkins  to  General  Rucker,  under  date 
of  August  10,  with  the  indorsement  of  General  Rucker  thereon. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

9 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAB  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  September  9,  1863. 

Brigadier-General  D.  H.  RTJOKER,  Assistant  Quartermaster-General : — 

SIE — I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  state  the  reasons  and 
authority  by  which  I  closed  up  the  liquor-shops  and  saloons  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  quartermaster's  department,  Government  corrals,  and  workshops.  In 
order  to  answer  these  inquiries  correctly,  will  you  please  forward  copies  of 
your  correspondence  with  Captain  Tompkins  and  Brigadier- General  J.  H. 
Martindale,  referring  to  the  matter,  also  inform  me  if  the  complaints  and  sug 
gestions  made  by  you  in  your  communications  to  General  Martindale,  in 
which  you  urged  that  immediate  action  be  taken,  were  responded  to  by  the 
Military  Governor,  and  the  places  closed  as  recommended  by  you,  and  whether 
you,  finding  all  appeals  to  the  Military  Governor  of  no  avail,  did  not  apply  to 
me,  as  a  last  resort,  to  abate  the  nuisance  complained  of.  You  will  very 
much  oblige  me,  General,  by  replying  to  these  inquiries  at  as  early  a  moment 
as  possible,  as  I  am  desired  by  the  War  Department  to  make  my  report  with 
out  delay. 

I  am,  General,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  0.  BAKER, 

Colonel  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  } 
WASHINGTON,  September  10,  1863.  J 

Honorable  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War  : — 

SIR — I  respectfully  submit  the  following  report,  in  relation  to  a  report  of 
Brigadier-General  Martindale,  and  accompanying  papers,  referred  to  me  by 
your  order. 

Frankly  admitting  that  the  seizures  referred  to  in  General  Martindale's 
report  were  made  by  my  orders,  I  desire  to  state  distinctly  under  what  cir 
cumstances  and  by  what  authority  I  acted. 

On  or  about  the  10th  of  August  last,  I  received  a  communication  addressed 
by  Captain  Tompkins,  assistant  quartermaster,  to  Brigadier-General  Rucker, 
requesting  General  Rucker's  interference  in  closing  certnin  liquor  shops,  with 
an  indorsement  by  General  Rucker,  referring  the  matter  to  me,  and  directing 
me  to  act  if  I  had  the  power.  On  reception  of  this  communication  and  order, 
I  waited  upon  the  quartermaster-general,  who  desired  that  I  should  act  in  the 
matter,  emphatically  declaring  that  the  places  complained  of  by  Captain 
Tompkins  must  be  closed,  and  that  immediately.  In  compliance  with  such 
orders,  I  did  at  once  close  said  shops,  and  summarily  terminated  the  evils 
complained  of  by  Captain  Tompkins. 


HOUSES  OF  ILL-FAME.  251 

I  respectfully  call  attention  to  the  accompanying  copies  of  official  commu 
nications  addressed  by  General  Rucker  to  General  Martindale,  under  date  of 
April  28  and  May  25,  1863,  and  the  original  letter  above  referred  to,  of 
Captain  Tompkins  to  General  Rucker,  under  date  of  August  10,  with  Gen 
eral  Rucker's  indorsement,  together  with  an  official  communication,  of  this 
date,  from  General  Rucker  to  myself,  as  affording  a  full  explanation  of  the 
causes  which  led  to  my  action  in  the  matter. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKKE, 

Colonel  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


The  assembling  of  a  large  army  at  the  capital  also  drew 
after  it  those  camp-followers  who,  of  all  lost  humanity,  are 
the  most  degraded — fallen  women.  While  the  gambler  and 
liquor- seller's  den  sprang  up  at  the  first  sound  of  war,  as  if 
spontaneously  from  the  earth  which  echoed  the  tramp  of 
armies,  from  every  city  came  the  painted  wreck  of  woman 
hood,  and  hired  the  room  at  the  fashionable  hotel,  the 
dwelling,  the  abandoned  chamber,  or  the  negro  cabin,  to 
traffic  in  the  virtue,  health,  domestic  peace,  and  highest 
interests  of  men.  Along  the  Potomac,  in  front  of  Washing 
ton,  stretching  for  fifteen  miles  along  the  banks,  lay  the 
Union  troops. 

The  horses  of  staff  officers,  the  ambulance,  and  orderlies, 
could  be  seen  during  the  night,  and  after  the  sun  had  risen 
even,  waiting  before  the  kennels  of  vice,  for  those  who  were 
within  them. 

Nor  are  the  instances  few,  where  the  pretty,  vain  wife 
or  daughter  has  been  enticed  over  the  lines,  to  become  the 
member  of  the  domestic  military  circle.  So  notorious  had 
this  vice  become,  that  I  appealed  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
who  issued  an  order  that  no  commissioned  officer  or  private 
could  enter  the  city  without  a  written  pass  from  his  com 
manding  general.  A  violation  of  the  order  would  subject 
the  offender  to  a  lodgment  in  the  guard-house. 

For  a  time,  the  order  was  partially  regarded,  but  soon  set 
aside,  and  the  corruption  seemed  to  gain  strength  by  the  tem 
porary  check.  At  length,  for  the  two-fold  purpose  of  en 
forcing  the  order  and  exposing  to  public  contempt  the  trans 
gressors,  I  decided  to  make  a  descent  upon  some  of  the 
representative  houses  of  this  class. 


252  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  scenes  which  transpired  at  the  hour  of  midnight,  in 
these  dens  of  corruption,  beggar  language. 

At  an  hour  appointed,  and  with  a  concerted  plan,  similar 
in  all  its  details  to  that  which  was  sprung  upon  the  gamblers, 
with  my  force  I  made  a  raid  upon  the  disreputable  houses. 

The  moment  came,  the  signal  was  given,  doors  were 
opened,  the  windows  raised,  and  a  scene  of  confusion  and 
comico-tragic  nature  followed,  which  must  have  been  wit 
nessed  to  have  been  appreciated.  Faces  quite  covered  to 
avoid  recognition,  gas  turned  off,  and  a  general  stampede  of 
gentlemen  sporting  martial  emblems,  were  some  of  the  inci 
dents  attending  the  onset  upon  the  intrenchments  of  vice 
in  midnight  quiet  of  the  nation's  capital.  Between  sixty 
and  seventy  officers  and  men  were  arrested  and  locked  up 
in  the  guard-house,  for  reflection  upon  their  suddenly  inter 
rupted  debauchery. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

COMPLAINTS    AGAINST    THE    BUREAU. 

The  Detective  System  vindicated — Reports — Cases  of  Infidelity  in  Subordinates- 
Prompt  and  Decided  Action — Vandalism  in  the  Army — Family  Relics  restored — 
A  Perilous  Adventure. 

IT  will  not  be  forgotten  by  the  reader,  that  throughout 
these  pages  the  just  and  thorough  vindication  of  the  bureau, 
and  the.  fearless  exposure  of  disloyalty  and  vice,  and  the 
defense  of  public  morality,  is  kept  in  view.  Therefore  it  is, 
that  reports  like  one  which  will  here  be  introduced,  although 
in  part  perhaps  uninteresting  to  many,  is  copied  entire. 

I  have  in  former  statements  referred  to  the  scorpion  brood 
of  traitors  infesting  lower  Maryland  during-  the  war,  and 
their  enmity  toward  me,  venting  itself  in  all  possible  ways. 
About  this  time  fresh  charges  were  presented,  which,  with 
the  answer  to  them,  will  be  found  in  the  official  documents : — 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAB  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  Augutt  28,  1863.  ) 

Honorable  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  in  the  matter  of  cer 
tain  communications  addressed  to  the  "President  of  the  United  States"  and 
the  "Governor  of  Maryland,"  by  several  citizens  of  St.  Mary's  County,  Mary 
land,  complaining  of  certain  outrages  committed  by  officers  attached  to  this 
force. 

As  these  communications  contain  specific  charges  preferred  by  five  eminent 
citizens  of  Maryland,  and  indorsed  by  the  Hon.  Charles  B.  Calvert,  ex-member 
of  Congress,  and  as  the  presumption  of  loyalty  to  the  Government  attaches  to 
every  man  who  voluntarily  invokes  its  protection,  I  propose  to  meet  said 
charges  as  directly  as  they  are  made.  It  is  charged,  first,  u  that  our  citizens 
have  been  arrested  by  men  professing  to  act  under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Baker, 
and  their  goods  carried  off,  without  investigation  or  time  allowed  for  either 
investigation  or  trial." 

In  reply  to  this  charge,  I  have  to  state  that  officers  of  my  force,  acting  by 
my  orders,  have,  in  several  instances — among  them,  that  of  Colonel  Waring— 


254  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

arrested  citizens  of  Maryland  charged  with  treasonable  practices,  and  have 
seized  their  property  as  property  subject  to  confiscation  upon  proof  of  guilt. 
That  such  parties  have  not  been  allowed,  at  the  time  of  their  arrest,  alliance 
for  either  "  investigation  or  trial,"  and  this  for  two  reasons :  one,  that  the 
offenses  for  which  they  were  arrested  were  triable  only  by  military  tribunals, 
on  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War ;  the  other,  thjit  it  would  have  been  an 
utter  impossibility,  if  civil  process  could  have  been  resorted  to,  to  impanel  a 
jury  of  twelve  loyal  men  in  any  county  where  such  arrests  have  been  made. 

It  is  charged,  secondly,  u  that  women  and  children,  passing  peaceably  from 
one  house  to  another,  have  been  fired  upon,  and  their  lives  endangered  without 
cause  or  provocation,  in  a  spirit  of  mere  wanton  outrage." 

In  reply  to  this  charge,  I  have  to  state  that  I  am  thoroughly  convinced, 
after  a  close  examination  of  officers  whom  I  know  to  be  reliable,  and  who 
must  have  witnessed  such  an  occurrence  had  it  taken  place,  that  this  entire 
charge  is  false,  and  undoubtedly  the  coinage  of  the  same  class  of  diseased 
imaginations  that  have  already  basely  and  falsely  charged  upon  our  armies  the 
foulest  deeds  of  lust  and  brutality. 

It  is  charged,  thirdly,  "  that  servants  have  been  taken  from  the  employment 
of  their  masters,  and  in  one  instance  against  their  remonstrance." 

In  reply  to  this  charge,  I  have  to  state,  in  the  first  place,  that  my  instruc 
tions  to  officers  on  service  in  Maryland  have  always  been  positive,  forbidding 
any  interference  with  the  rights  of  slave-owners,  by  tampering  with  the  slaves, 
or  aiding  or  encouraging  them  to  run  away.  In  the  one  or  two  instances  whero 
such  persons  have  been  brought  to  Washington,  it  was  in  the  character  of  wit 
nesses  to  prove  transactions  in  which  they  had  been  compelled  to  take  part, 
as  in  carting  or  shipping  goods,  &c.,  intended  for  rebel  use.  I  might,  with 
entire  truth,  cite  hundreds  of  instances  where  myself  and  the  officers  of  my 
force  have  refused  to  aid  slaves  in  escaping,  and  removed  them  from  our  wag 
ons  and  boats,  in  which  they  had  concealed  themselves.  At  the  same  time, 
I  fully  believe  that,  if  treason  in  the  master  justifies  the  acquisition  of  freedom 
by  the  slave,  there  ought  to-day  to  be  none  but  freemen  in  Southern  Maryland. 

It  is  charged,  fourthly,  "  that  the  houses  of  our  people  have  been  entered 
and  searched,"  and  negroes  in  the  company  of  the  officers  allowed  to  plunder 
articles  of  dress,  &c. 

In  reply  to  this  charge,  I  interpose  an  explicit  denial,  so  far  as  any  knowl 
edge  of  such  transactions  on  the  part  of  myself  or  my  officers  is  concerned.  If 
any  officer  has  permitted  or  encouraged  depredations  by  negroes  or  slaves,  he 
has  done  it  in  disobedience  of  express  orders,  and  no  one  will  be  more  ready 
than  myself  to  disgrace  and  punish  the  offender.  I  may  here  be  allowed  to 
remark,  as  offering  a  probable  explanation  of  this  charge,  that  wherever  our 
forces  have  visited  slave  territory,  the  negro  has  exhibited  a  disposition,  not 
only  to  escape  from  bondage,  but  to  despoil  his  oppressors.  To  charge  every 
act  of  pillage  by  slaves  to  Union  officers,  who  may  happen  to  be  in  their  vicin 
ity,  is  simply  an  absurdity,  but  none  the  less  loudly  insisted  upon  by  pillaged 
slave-owners. 

It  is  charged,  fifthly,  that  C.  C.  Spaulding,  a  merchant  of  Chaptico,  was 
arrested,  and  his  goods  seized;  that  Mr.  Spaulding  was  not  informed  of  hig 


DETECTIVE  SYSTEM  VINDICATED.  gift 

arrest  until  he  was  placed  in  a  position  of  security,  and  that  the  officer  in 
command  of  the  force  sold  and  gave  away  such  goods,  &c.,  as  "  the  hangers- 
on,  negroes,  and  others,"  thought  proper  to  carry  off,  and  that  Mr.  Spaulding's 
family  only  escaped  starvation  through  the  humane  efforts  of  one  Captain 
Hughey. 

To  the  first  part  of  this  charge  I  make  no  reply,  because  none  seems  neces 
sary.  To  the  latter  part  I  can  only  say,  that  upon  the  return  of  my  officers, 
after  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Spaulding,  information  was  given  me  that  one  of  my 
force,  Captain  Hughey,  late  of  the  rebel  service  and  a  recent  deserter,  tem 
porarily  employed  by  me  on  special  duty,  had  appropriated  some  part  of  the 
goods  from  Mr.  Spaulding's  store.  Captain  Hughey,  upon  being  questioned 
by  me,  admitted  that  he  had  taken  some  of  said  goods ;  that  he  had,  from 
a  fellow-feeling,  secretly  returned  a  part  to  Mr.  Spaulding's  family,  and  kept 
the  rest.  After  obtaining  from  this  sympathizing  rebel  deserter  the  goods  in 
his  possession,  I  dismissed  him  from  any  further  employment  in  my  force. 

It  is  charged,  sixthly,  that  Mr.  Oscar  G.  Hayden  was  arrested  by  Officer 
Somers ;  that  he  escaped  from  arrest,  afterward  came  to  Washington,  and 
was  again  arrested  by  my  order. 

It  will,  perhaps,  be  sufficient  for  me  to  say,  that  Mr.  Hayden  and  Mr. 
Spaulding  were  arrested  on  information,  which  I  considered  reliable,  that  they 
were  both  engaged  extensively  in  smuggling  goods  into  Virginia,  and  that 
they  both  were  active  and  unscrupulous  agents  for  the  rebel  cause. 

In  relation  to  the  chickens  alleged  to  have  been  taken  by  Officer  Somers,  it 
is  true  the  four  chickens  were  taken,  and  probably  from  the  party  mentioned, 
but  it  is  also  true  that  this  was  done  only  after  persistent  refusals  of  the  people 
in  the  neighborhood  to  sell  any  supplies  to  my  officers,  and  that  when  the 
chickens  were  taken,  the  owner  was  tendered  one  dollar  each  for  them,  and 
refused  to  accept. 

With  regard  to  the  rector  of  the  parish,  I  have  only  to  state,  that  he  was 
treated  with  quite  as  much  respect  and  courtesy  as  were  manifested  by  him 
self  toward  my  officers,  that  person  exhibiting  a  supercilious  and  offensive 
manner  quite  in  keeping  with  that  of  his  parishioners. 

I  have  answered  at  length,  and  I  trust  satisfactorily,  the  specific  charges 
brought  forward  by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Calvert  and  his  friends.  It  remains  for  me 
now  briefly  to  allude  to  the  peculiar  condition  of  the  country  where  the  offenses 
are  charged  to  have  been  committed,  and  the  position  its  inhabitants  hold 
toward  the  Union  and  the  Government.  The  counties  of  St.  Mary,  Charles, 
and  Prince  George,  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Patuxent  River,  and  on  the 
south  by  the  Potomac,  offer  striking  facilities  for  the  purposes  of  the  smug 
gler,  the  spy,  and  the  rebel  emissary.  Its  population,  controlled  and  overawed 
by  a  few  men  of  wealth,  is  identical  in  feeling  and  sympathy  with  the  neigh 
boring  people  of  Eastern  Virginia.  There  is  scarcely  a  family  in  the  whole 
district  that  has  not  a  representative  in  the  ranks  of  the  rebel  army — scarcely 
a  dwelling  that  does  not  offer  refuge  and  protection  to  the  smuggler,  the  spy, 
or  the  rebel  recruit.  In  its  villages,  every  country  store  has  become  a  depot 
for  supplying  Virginia  with  food,  clothing,  and  arms.  It  is  in  possession  of  a 
code  of  signals,  under  supervision  of  an  officer  of  the  rebel  signal  corps,  and  the 


256  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

people  everywhere,  with  the  exception  of  the  blacks  and  a  few  timid  Union 
men,  are  as  much  the  worshipers  of  secession  and  the  enemies  of  our  Govern 
ment  as  are  their  fathers,  sons,  and  brothers,  who  fight  the  battles  of  treason 
under  Lee  or  Beauregard.  I  have,  at  different  times,  attempted,  with  more 
or  less  success,  to  break  up  this  nest  of  plotting  traitors,  and  bring  to  punish 
ment  the  vile  miscreants  who  encourage  treason  that  they  may  fatten  upon  its 
necessities.  In  doing  this,  I  have  brought  upon*myself  the  malignant  and 
cowardly  attacks  of  men  who,  while  prating  of  "  human  rights,"  have  inflicted 
the  most  cruel  tortures  upon  weak  and  defenseless  negro  women — who  de 
nounce  as  "wanton  outrages"  the  summary  arrests  of  spies  and  smugglers  by 
Union  officers,  and  at  the  same  time  band  together,  under  cover  of  night,  to 
surprise  some  lonely  negro  cabin  and  hurry  off  its  free-born  inmates  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  lash  and  slave-pen — who  appeal  to  Government  for  pro 
tection,  and  at  the  same  time  aid  its  enemies  and  plot  its  ruin. 

I  submit,  as  illustrations  of  the  subject-matter  of  this  report,  copies  of 
correspondence  in  my  possession. 

Copy. 

U.  8.  STEAMEB  COSUB  DE  LION,  MATTAOWAN  CBBEK,  August  19, 1863. 

Colonel  BAKEB  : — 

SIR — By  direction  of  Commander  Harwood,  I  desire  to  call  your  attention 
to  the  state  of  affairs  on  the  Maryland  shore  in  this  vicinity.  There  is  a 
number  of  stores  here  engaged  in  selling  goods  to  blockade-runners.  The 
names  of  the  most  prominent  are,  Stines,  Simmons,  Millstead,  and  Skinner. 
The  most  prominent  man  engaged  in  aiding  and  abetting  is  a  citizen  named 
Porey,  and  a  farmer,  living  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chickamoxan  Creek.  Some 
four  weeks  since,  a  man  named  Gurley  came  from  Virginia,  and  proceeded  to 
Baltimore,  where  he  purchased  a  large  lot  of  goods,  worth  about  ten  thou 
sand  dollars,  and  forwarded  them  to  this  point  to  run  them  across.  An  ex 
tensive  business  has  formerly  been  done  by  Stines  (who  is  a  Jew)  and  others 
in  selling  citizens'  clothing  to  deserters  from  our  army.  There  is  one  Union 
family  on  shore,  Mr.  Anderson's.  Should  you  see  fit  to  send  a  portion  of 
your  force  to  work  up  this  locality,  I  shall  be  happy  to  afford  any  assistance 
in  my  power  to  bring  these  rascals  to  justice. 

Hoping  to  hear  from  you  shortly  in  reference  to  this  matter,  I  remain,  very 
respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  G.  MOKRIS, 
Acting  Master  Commanding. 

Verified  charges,  I  am  prepared  to  show  conclusively, 
even  when  they  fell  upon  my  department,  received  the  same 
prompt  action  as  those  aimed  at  any  other. 

During  the  five  years  of  service,  including  the  assistance 
of  more  than  four  hundred  subordinates,  I  can  recall  but  two 
instances  in  which  fraud  or  malfeasance  could  be  fairly 
proved.  Much  time  was  spent  in  obtaining  testimony,  and, 


LETTER   CONCERNING   A  PRISONER.  357 

after  protracted  prosecution  of  the  cases,  they  were  con 
victed  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary,  where  one  of  them  still 
remains. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MA KSTTAL  WAU  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  Stpter.iber  7,  1S68.  j 

Honorable  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — In  compliance  with  your  order  of  date,  in  relation  to  my  report  under 
date  of  28th  August,  and  herein  inclosed.  I  have  the  honor  to  state  that  since 
the  date  of  that  report  I  have  closely  and  steadily  pursued  the  investigation 
of  the  complaints  urged  by  certain  citizens  of  Maryland.  The  result  of  such 
investigations  has  satisfied  me  that  certain  officers  employed  by  me  have 
largely  exceeded  their  instructions;  that  they  have  in  some  instances  appro 
priated  the  property  of  citizens  of  Maryland  to  their  own  uses,  and  in  others 
have  behaved  themselves  in  an  offensive  and  discourteous  manner.  I  beg  to 
state  that,  in  making  this  investigation,  I  have  been  governed  entirely  by  the 
desire  to  deal  justly  with  all  the  parties  concerned.  No  one  more  than  my 
self  can  regret  the  occurrence  of  any  acts  of  wrong  and  injustice  to  the  citi 
zens  of  Maryland.  Be  assured,  sir,  that  no  one  will  act  with  greater  deter 
mination  in  putting  an  end  to  such  wrongs  and  punishing  the  offenders.  To 
this  end,  I  have  already  sent  to  Charles  County  three  times  for  witnesses,  and 
have  procured  their  statements  in  confirmation  of  charges  other  than  those 
mentioned  in  the  memorial  to  the  Governor  of  Maryland,  but  similar  in  char 
acter.  Acting  upon  such  evidence,  I  have  arrested  and  imprisoned  Officer 
Emerson  of  my  force,  and  U.  P.,  and  I  respectfully  ask  such  order  as 
may  be  necessary  to  secure  the  speedy  trial  of  these  men,  and  their  punish 
ment,  if  found  guilty.  From  the  evidence  in  my  possession,  I  believe  that 
the  charges  made  of  the  taking,  giving  away,  and  selling  a  portion  of  Mr. 
Spaulding's  goods  are  so  far  correct,  and  that  a  few  articles  of  small  value  be 
longing  to  him  were  so  taken,  but  have  been  recovered,  and  are  now  in  my 
custody ;  also  that  the  property  of  a  Mr.  Boswell  of  Charles  County  was  im 
properly  appropriated  by  P.,  who  was  acting  without  my  orders,  but  in 
connection  with  officers  of  my  force.  I  can  but  repeat  that  my  instructions 
have  always  been  positive  to  the  officers  detailed  on  duty  in  Maryland  to  act 
with  extreme  caution,  to  injure  neither  property  nor  person,  and  give  no  just 
cause  for  complaint.  In  every  case  where  proof  of  disobedience  of  such 
orders  shall  be  afforded  me,  I  will  not  only  render  every  redress  in  my  power, 
but  will  cheerfully  aid  in  bringing  the  guilty  to  punishment. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

One  of  these  men  sustained  a  character  that  won  my 
confidence  ;  and  the  following  is  the  copy  of  a  letter  which 
was  written,  in  reply  to  one  from  a  friend,  while  he  was  in 
prison : — 

17 


2£S  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

_  WASHINGTON,  February  13, 1864. 

JOHN  H.  JONES,  Philadelphia:— 

SIR — I  am  in  receipt  of  yours  of  llth  instant,  and  in  reply  would  say,  that 
T.  R.  H.  was  employed  by  me  on  the  17th  of  May,  1863,  as  an  engineer. 
Some  time  in  July  last,  he,  in  company  with  a  man  named  P.,  without 
orders  from  me,  illegally  entered  the  house  of  Mr.  John  Boswell,  in  St.  Mary'a 
County,  Maryland,  and  took  about  five  hundred  dollars  in  gold  and  silver, 
which  they  appropriated  to  their  own  use.  These  facts  were  fully  proved  on 
the  trial  before  a  military  commission,  held  in  this  city,  composed  of  highly 
respectable  commissioned  officers. 

Every  facility  was  afforded  Mr.  II.  for  his  defense,  and  every  witness  he 
desired  was  brought  forward,  but  he  failed  to  rebut  the  testimony  of  Mr. 
Boswell  and  his  family. 

Mr.  H.  promised  to  return  to  Boswell  his  proportion  of  the  stolen 
money,  but  failed  to  do  so.  Soon  after  H.'s  arrest,  he  (II.)  wrote  a  number 
of  letters  to  a  certain  woman  in  Alexandria.  Supposing  this  woman  to  be  his 
wife,  I  directed  her  to  be  brought  to  this  office,  when  it  was  ascertained 
that  she  was  H.'s  mistress,  and  not  his  wife.  In  the  possession  of  this  woman 
was  found  a  quantity  of  drygoods,  which  she  informed  me  had  been  given 
her  by  H.  These  goods  were  identified  as  property  taken  from  a  lot 
which  I  ordered  to  be  seized  from  a  blockade-runner  in  lower  Maryland, 
since  convicted  and  sentenced  to  a  term  of  five  years  in  the  Albany  peniten 
tiary.  The  woman  and  letters  referred  to  are  still  in  this  city.  For  the  truth 
of  these  statements,  I  refer  you  to  the  proceedings  of  the  court-martini,  and 
also  Mr.  H.'s  own  confession,  which  are  on  file  in  this  office.  No  one 
can  appreciate  or  feel  more  keenly  the  destitute  condition  of  Mrs.  II.  and 
her  children  than  myself.  Up  to  the  time  of  Mr.  H.'s  arrest,  he  posesssed 
rny  unlimited  confidence,  and  his  friends  can  not  regret  more  than  myself  his 
present  unfortunate  and  degraded  situation. 

If  the  friends  of  Mr.  II.  desire  to  present  a  petition  for  his  release,  I  will 
do  what  I  can,  consistent  with  my  position  and  the  honorable  discharge  of 
my  duties  to  the  Government,  to  aid  in  the  matter,  based  solely,  however, 
upon  the  principle  of  humanity  toward  his  poor  wife  and  children. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

When  General  Burnside  opened  fire  upon  Fredericks- 
burg,  which  was  the  first  assault  upon  the  town,  the  notice 
of  bombardment  given  to  the  inhabitants  was  so  short, 
that  their  flight  from  the  city  was  a  wild  and  hasty  stam 
pede,  leaving  the  many  palatial  residences  of  this  ancient 
seat  of  Virginia  aristocracy  in  all  the  completeness  of  their 
peaceful  occupancy.  Among  the  first  troops  who  crossed  the 
river  were  those  commanded  by  Brigadier-General  -  — . 


A  GRATEFUL  SOUTHERN  LADY.  259 

Upon  reaching  the  elegant  mansion  of  Commodore  G.,  they 
immediately  tore  down  the  rich  curtains,  and  pillaged  the 
apartments  adorned  with  expensive  Works  of  art,  brought 
by  members  of  the  family  from  Europe.  The  feeling  among 
the  troops  then  seemed  to  be,  that  an  enemy's  house  and 
"  chattels  personal "  were  common  plunder.  Oil  paintings, 
bronze  statuary,  and  family  relics,  were  appropriated  by  the 
military  visitors  to  the  house  of  Commodore  G.,  and  seized 
by  me  upon  their  arrival  at  Washington.  A  few  days  later, 
the  accomplished  and  beautiful  Mrs.  T.,  sister  of  Commodore 
G.,  came  to  the  capital,  and,  dreading  to  meet  me,  as  I  after 
ward  learned,  on  account  of  the  rumors  which  had  reached 
her,  that  I  was  gifted  with  a  special  ferocity  of  nature, 
applied  to  Dr.  S.,  a  distinguished  physician  of  Washington, 
whose  acquaintance  I  had  formed  in  a  sick-room,  who  vol 
unteered  to  accompany  her  to  my  office,  assuring  her  of 
respectful  treatment. 

With  evident  trepidation,  she  entered  the  room,  and 
stated  her  errand.  An  elegant  bronze  horse,  which  had 
ornamented  her  brother's  house,  was  then  standing  on  my 
safe.  I  told  her  I  saw  no  reason  why  these  domestic  trea 
sures,  including  heavy  silver-ware,  bearing  the  family  name, 
should  not  be  restored.  The  next  day  she  called  again,  and 
spent  some  time  looking  over  the  opened  boxes  of  these 
family  relics.  She  said  at  length  : — 

"  Can  I  have  these  again  P 

" Certainly,  madam;  they  are  of  no  use  to  the  Govern 
ment." 

She  burst  into  tears,  thanked  me,  and  retired. 

I  ordered  the  goods  to  be  carefully  packed  and  sent  by 
express  to  Mrs.  T.,  who  acknowledged  their  safe  arrival  in 
the  following  graceful  note  : — 

BALTIMORE,  November  9. 

Colonel  BAKER  : — 

DEAE  SIR — Although  I  may  be  trespassing  on  your  time,  I  can  not  refrain 
from  sending  you  this  note,  again  to  thank  you  for  the  kindness  and  courtesy 
extended  to  me  when  I  visited  your  office  some  days  since. 

I  appreciate  a  kindness  at  all  times,  but  never  more  so  than  now,  when 
my  heart  is  so  sore  from  trials  of  various  kinds. 

I  never  will  forget  your  patience  while  endeavoring  to  aid  me  in  my 
searches.  It  was  through  your  great  assiduity  to  do  justice  to  absent  persons 


260  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

that  I  learned  of  my  brother's  bronze  being  with  you.  My  brother  is  in  no 
way  connected  with  the  army,  but  he  has  suffered  everything  but  death.  He 
has  been  a  refugee  for  more  than  a  year,  with  a  few  weeks'  exception.  While 
the  bombardment  of  Fredericksburg  was  going  on,  he  escaped  with  a  child 
almost  in  a  dying  condition,  having  just  lost  two.  They  have  had  three  homes 
destroyed.  But  I  will  not  intrude  my  sorrows  upoft  you. 

He  is  my  only  brother  left,  of  a  large  family,  and  the  best  brother  in  the 
world.  You  can  readily  imagine  how  happy  I  am,  through  your  kindness,  to 
reclaim  some  of  his  works  of  art. 

His  family  are  in  such  a  destitute  situation  that  I  have,  in  my  desperation, 
written  Mrs.  President  Lincoln  to  beg  that  she  will  allow  me  to  send  a  trunk 
of  clothing  to  his  family  of  bare-footed  children. 

I  was  unfortunate  enough  to  have  a  dear  son  of  eighteen  exiled,  three 
months  ago,  by  Colonel  Fish  (Provost),  for  having  given  three  cigars  to  a  pass 
ing  prisoner.  He,  however,  kindly  allowed  him  to  take  clothing,  which  was 
stolen  while  a  prisoner  in  Fort  Norfolk.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Stanton, 
who  gave  me  a  permit,  I  sent  him  a  trunk  of  clothing.  May  God's  blessing 
rest  on  him  for  it. 

I  hope  you  will  pardon  this  long  family  letter;  for  I  have  mentioned  some 
of  my  troubles  to  show  you  how  pleasant  your  kindness  is  in  contrast. 

I  am  truly  sorry  that  you  are  going  to  leave  Washington,  as  I  never  can 
hope  to  find  another  such  friend  as  you  proved  to  be. 

Before  you  leave,  could  you  find  time  to  write  me,  and  advise  me  what 
course  to  pursue  to  recover  the  things  belonging  to  my  mother  and  brother  ? 

Now,  will  you,  my  dear  sir,  please  excuse  the  liberty  I  have  taken  ill 
•writing  ? 

With  kind  regard, 

I  am,  most  respectfully,  &c., 

ANNIE  0.  THOMAS. 
Direction : 

Mrs.  JNO.  HANSON  THOMAS, 

Mt.  Veriion  Place. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

INVESTIGATIONS  IN  THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

Suspicions  of  Corruption  abroad — The  Case  of  Stuart  Gwynn. 

UP  to  the  present  date  of  the  narrative,  my  investiga 
tions  and  arrests  have  been  confined  to  matters  which  came 
properly  within  the  sphere  of  the  War  Department ;  but  I 
shall  now  present  a  condensed  report  of  operations  in  an 
other  direction,  to  which  no  allusion  has  been  made. 

As  early  as  the  latter  part  of  1862,  there  were  frequent 
hints  of  gross  immoralities  and  fraudulent  operations  in  the 
Treasury  Department.  It  was  more  than  intimated,  by 
those  who  ought  to  have  known,  that  among  the  hundreds 
of  females  employed  there,  some  were  not  virtuous,  while 
in  the  regular  operations  of  the  establishment  fraud  had  a 
place. 

The  suspicions,  which  at  first  were  little  heeded,  at 
length  took  the  form  of  bold  complaints  of  vices  and  dis 
honesty,  practiced  by  those  high  in  authority.  The  news 
paper  press,  which  is  not  unfrequently  mistaken  in  its 
statements,  but  represents  pretty  fairly  public  opinion,  de 
manded  an  investigation.  Congressmen,  urged  on  by  their 
constituents,  demanded  an  examination  of  the  affairs  of 
the  Treasury. 

To  resist  the  clamor  was  impossible.  The  threat  of  a 
Congressional  investigation  induced  the  Secretary  to  under 
take  the  inquiry  himself. 

On  the  twenty-second  of  December,  1863,  he  sent  for 
me,  and  briefly  made  known  Ms  suspicions  respecting  the 
integrity  of  certain  of  his  employees,  requesting  me  to  taka 
the  matter  in  charge.  I  informed  him  that,  in  addition  to 
frauds  in  the  printing  bureau,  the  character  of  the  females 
employed  there,  to  a  great  extent,  was  such  as  to  make  it 


262  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

a  byword  and  reproach  wherever  the  facts  were  known. 
But  I  also  said,  that  I  did  not  think  it  possible  to  undertake 
a  work  of  such  magnitude  and  importance,  with  my  mani 
fold  and  exhausting  duties  in  my  proper  department.  He 
replied  that  he  knew  of  no  other  perspn  who  was  so  well 
qualified  to  enter  upon  the  scrutiny.  Accordingly,  he  for 
warded  the  letter  here  quoted  to  the  Secretary  of  War  :— 

[Confidential.] 

TKKASCTIY  DEPARTMENT,  December  23, 1S63. 

SJE — Will  you  oblige  me  by  directing  Colonel  Baker  to  make  such  investi 
gations  and  arrests,  and  exercise  such  custody  of  persons  arrested,  as  I  may- 
find  needful  for  the  detection  and  punishment  of  frauds  on  the  Government 
committed  by  persons  in.  this  department? 

Yours,  truly, 

S.  P.  CHASE. 
Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 

P.  S. — Please  send  me  a  copy  of  whatever  order  you  may  issue  to  Colonel 
Baker.  S.  P.  C. 

A  true  copy.  C.  A.  DANA, 

Assistant  Secretary  of  War. 

Upon  the  reception  of  the  above  communication,  Mr. 
Stanton  sent  it  to  Mr.  Watson,  with  this  indorsement : — 

December  24,  1863. 

Referred  to  Mr.  Watson,  with  direction  to  detail  Colonel  Baker  to  report 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  special  duty  under  his  directions. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON. 

On  the  twenty -sixth,  an  order  came  to  report  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  until  further  orders.  Upon  ap 
plying  to  him,  without  any  further  instructions,  he  directed 
me  to  report  to  Mr.  Jordan,  Solicitor  to  the  Treasury. 
From  the  latter,  I  learned  that  suspicion  pointed  to  one 
James  Cornwall,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  Redemption 
Bureau,  where  mutilated  treasury  notes  were  canceled  by 
fire. 

I  at  once  commenced  the  work  assigned  me,  which  result 
ed  in  Cornwall' s  conviction  of  pocketing  thirty- two  thousand 
dollars,  instead  of  burning  the  paper.  He  was  incarcerated 
in  the  Old  Capitol  prison  seven  months,  turned  over  to  the 
civil  authorities,  and  found  guilty  before  their  tribunal. 


STUART  GWYNN— HIS  ARREST.  263 

My  next  investigation  was  directed  to  Stuart  Gwynn,  an 
eccentric  and  erratic  man,  who  had  by  some  means  gained 
admission  to  the  department  in  the  relation  of  an  inventor. 
Gwynn  professed  to  have  invented  a  new  method  of  print 
ing,  the  principles  of  which  will  be  presented,  with  other 
important  particulars,  in  the  official  report.  Another  gen 
tleman,  named  Henderson,  who  had  charge  of  the  Requisition 
Office,  also  came  under  my  notice.  S.  M.  Clark,  a  still  more 
prominent  actor  in  the  scenes  I  shall  narrate,  will  figure  large 
ly,  though  not  creditably,  in  this  chapter. 

I  certainly  had  no  reason,  at  the  outset  of  this  investiga 
tion,  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  desire  and  purpose  of  Mr.  Chase 
and  Solicitor  Jordan  to  get  the  real  moral  status  of  the  de 
partment.  To  my  surprise,  however,  I  soon  discovered  that 
I  was  expected  to  confine  my  scrutiny  to  such  individuals 
and  to  such  kind  of  supposed  frauds  as  Mr.  Jordan  might 
designate.  Instead  of  letting  the  hand  of  justice  reach  and 
hold  the  guilty  wherever  found,  a  few  victims  only  were  to 
become  the  examples,  and  feel  the  sword  of  punishment. 

I  sent  in  before  this  report,  from  day  to  day,  many  dis 
closures  of  the  unprincipled  course  of  Stuart  Gwynn,  in  his 
frauds  upon  the  Government,  to  Hon.  S.  E.  Chittenden, 
Register  of  the  Treasury,  the  Hon.  M.  B.  Field,  Assistant 
Secretary,  and  Hon.  Hugh  McCulloch,  Comptroller  of  the 
Currency,  and  General  Spinner,  United  States  Treasurer. 
Apparently  these  gentlemen  were  all  anxious  to  assist  in 
bringing  to  light  frauds  in  the  department. 

Finally,  it  was  decided  by  Messrs.  Jordan  and  Chitten 
den  to  arrest  Gwynn.  A  long  conversation  was  held  upon 
the  best  mode  of  attaining  this  object.  I  concluded  to  pro 
ceed  immediately  to  his  room,  and  bring  him  to  the  solicitor's 
office.  When  we  got  there,  Mr.  Jordan  was  absent,  and  I 
took  my  prisoner  to  my  quarters,  then  opposite  Willard's. 
He  became  boisterous,  and  declared  he  would  go  on  with 
his  experiments  in  the  Treasury,  in  spite  of  the  Secretary,  or 
even  the  President  himself.  He  was  comfortably  lodged  in 
my  building,  and  the  next  morning  I  forwarded  the  follow 
ing  communication : — 


264  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  D.  C.,  January  7,  1864 
Hon.  EDWARD  JORDAN,  Solicitor  of  Treasury  Department : — 

SIR — Will  you  please  forward  me,  at  your  earliest  convenience,  a  commit 
ment  to  the  Old  Capitol  prison  for  Stuart  Gwynn.  The  rules  of  the  prison 

require  a  written  order  from  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury. 

• 

Accustomed,  as  I  had  always  been,  not  to  discriminate 
"between  scoundrels,  I  was  shocked  and  discouraged  at  the 
unmistakable  intention  to  make  me  the  tool  of  designing 
men,  through  whom  a  statement  or  report  could  be  prepared 
and  circulated,  apologizing  for  the  sins  of  those  whose  official 
position  was  most  exalted. 

Congress  had  now  assembled,  and  the  result  of  my  in 
quiry  could  be  used  to  prevent  any  Congressional  action  in 
the  affair.  But  just  in  proportion  to  the  evidence  of  a  pur 
pose  to  suppress  or  whitewash  the  truth,  did  my  own  desire 
and  determination  to  unearth  completely  the  criminality  of 
all  who  were  implicated  in  it  increase.  I  can  not  better 
explain  my  conduct  in  this  transaction,  perhaps,  than  by 
quoting  from  my  report : — 

Exhibit  CO. 

"WASHINGTON  CITT,  D.  C.,  April  1,  1364. 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  in  relation  to  the 
arrest  of  Stuart  Gwynn,  late  a  contractor  to  the  United  States  Treasury  De 
partment  for  furnishing  paper  and  presses  for  the  fractional  currency. 

This  arrest  was  made  on  the  sixth  day  of  January  last,  since  which  time 
the  investigation  of  the  case  has  been  carefully  made.  This  report  lias  been 
delayed  by  the  apparent  indisposition  of  parties  fully  cognizant  of  the  facts  to 
testify  in  such  a  manner  as  to  compromise  Gwynn. 

In  several  instances  this  indisposition  is  attributable  to  the  fact  that  the 
settlement  of  their  unpaid  bills  of  largo  amounts,  contracted  by  Gwynn  with 
these  individuals,  depended  entirely  upon  the  exculpation  and  restoration  of 
Gwynn  to  the  confidence  of  the  Treasury  Department. 

The  investigations  made  clearly  justify  the  wisdom  and  propriety  of  the 
arrest  of  Gwynn. 

His  criminality  consists  in  his  willfully  and  wickedly  defrauding  the  Gov 
ernment  of  the  United  States  in  this:  That  while  representing  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury  his  ability  to  improve  the  fractional  currency  of  the 
country,  having  been  respectably  introduced,  and  his  statements  sustained  by 
some  one  or  more  (doubtless  interested)  parties  within  the  treasury  building, 
he,  the  said  Stuart  Gwynn,  has  been  pursuing  a  course  of  experiments  in 
volving  the  outlay  of  enormous  sums  of  money,  bringing  disgrace  upon  the 
Treasury  Department  by  his  abortive  attempts  at  postal  currency,  in  the 


A  MONOMANIAC— MEMBRANE  PAPER.  .      265 

prosecution  of  an  untried  scheme  or  idea  which  he  never  before  had  the 
means  to  develop. 

Except  by  the  summary  process  .of  his  arrest,  these  facts  might  have  been 
suppressed  for  a  time,  as  they  have  been  heretofore.  The  prospect  of  his  suc 
cess  at  times  furnishing  sufficient  inducement  to  those  whose  duty  it  was  to 
long  since  give  the  information  contained  in  this  report  to  the  honorable  Sec 
retary  to  withhold  and  suppress  the  true  facts  of  the  case. 

Stuart  Gwynn,  as  I  am  informed  by  his  wife,  who  came  to  Washington 
City  to  obtain  his  release  from  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  was  a  lunatic  at  one 
time,  having  been  confined  in  a  lunatic  asylum.  From  parties  who  have 
known  him  for  years,  I  learn  that  he  is  an  erratic,  eccentric,  and  visionary  in 
dividual,  and  a  monomaniac  on  the  subject  of  inventions;  always  has  had  on 
hand  some  plan  involving  large  expenditures  of  money,  and  never  himself  ill 
the  possession  of  any  means. 

He  has  been  engaged  in  various  enterprises,  and  by  the  correspondence 
found  upon  his  premises,  copies  of  which  accompany  this  report,  I  find  within 
the  past  eighteen  months,  from  immediately  prior  to  his  operations  in  the 
United  States  Treasury,  he  has  been  directly,  or  indirectly,  in  the  following 
enterprises:  The  plating  of  iron-clad  steamers  by  a  new  process;  the  con 
struction  of  telegraph  lines  by  a  new  insulatory  wire  ;  the  boring  of  the 
Hoosic  tunnel ;  the  sale  to  the  Government  of  a  steamship  called  the  Ne- 
phon;  the  charter  of  a  propeller;  a  new  ordnance  heavy  gun  of  some 
description,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Sufficient  has  been  gathered  to  show  that  the  making  of  paper  was  not  his 
legitimate  calling;  that  it  was  one  of  his  ideas ;  and  his  suggestions  to  the 
Treasury  Department  on  that  subject  were  merely  incidental  to  the  general 
objects  he  had  in  view  in  coming  to  Washington,  which  evidently  was  to  im 
prove  his  financial  condition. 

The  manufacture  of  membrane  paper,  as  he  calls  it,  was  the  first  proposi 
tion  he  made  to  the  department.  He  claims  to  be  the  inventor  of  this  paper, 
although,  by  the  correspondence  submitted,  it  would  seem  one  Samuel  C. 
Hart,  of  Boston,  had  been  making  the  experiments. 

His  introduction  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  I  am  informed,  was 
made  by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Hooper,  member  of  Congress  from  Massachusetts,  who 
was  introduced  to  him  by  General  II.  Haupt,  late  superintendent  of  the 
United  States  military  railroads.  Mr.  Haupt's  connection  with  Gwynn,  and 
his  interest  in  the  paper  contract  afterward  awarded  to  Gwynn,  are  referred 
to  hereafter. 

The  membrane  paper  furnished  by  Gwynn  could  not  be  treated  like  other 
descriptions  of  paper  in  preparing  for  printing.  It  was  peculiarly  different 
from  any  paper  ever  before  made,  and  this  peculiarity  constituted  its  only 
merit.  By  all  processes  of  printing  heretofore  known,  the  paper  is  moistened 
with  water,  dampened  before  being  placed  in  the  press.  This  membrane 
paper,  when  dampened,  swells  up  and  becomes  shriveled,  like  vellum  or  ani 
mal  skin  of  any  description.  With  this  great  objection  so  apparent,  which 
should  have  caused  the  abandonment  of  all  ideas  of  its  practicability,  Mr. 
Gwynn  suggested  the  idea  of  dry  plate  printing  ;  thus,  in  order  to  effect  the 


266         UNITED  STATES  SECKET  SERVICE. 

sale  of  his  peculiar  paper  to  the  Government,  the  economical  process  of  plate 
printing,  for  so  many  years  in  use  throughout  the  civilized  world,  was  aban 
doned  in  the  United  States  Treasury  to  give  way  for  hydraulic  printing- 
presses^  to  enable  Mr.  Gwynn  to  print  on  dry  paper,  which  could  not,  from 
its  nature,  he  dampened,  and  which  no  known  process,  short  of  hydraulic, 
pressure,  could  give  sufficient  force  to  print  dry. 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  subject  of  plate-printing,  and  desire  to  make 
the  result  of  my  investigations  a  part  and  parcel  of  this  report.  I  have  re 
ceived  information  upon  the  subject  from  practical  persons,  who  have  been 
working  for  years  in  that  line  of  business,  and  whose  experience,  conse 
quently,  entitles  their  views  to  the  most  respectful  consideration. 

The  respective  merits  of  the  hydraulic  presses  introduced  into  the  Treasury 
Department  by  Dr.  Stuart  Gwynn,  in  comparison  with  the  roller  press  com 
monly  used  for  plate-printing,  I  shall  consider  in  regard  to  quality,  quantity, 
and  cost  of  the  work  done. 

A  hydraulic  press,  such  as  those  in  operation  in  the  Treasury  Department, 
will  never  print  fractional  currency  or  other  notes  as  well  as  it  can  be  done 
by  the  roller  press,  for  the  following  reasons :  In  spreading  a  sheet  of  paper 
over  the  engraved  plate,  a  greater  or  less  quantity  of  atmospheric  air  is  caught 
underneath  the  paper.  This  air,  if  submitted  to  an  equal  pressure  at  one  and 
the  same  time  upon  all  parts  of  the  sheet,  will  take  refuge  in  the  space  left 
between  the  ink  in  each  line  and  the  paper.  This  air  prevents  the  ink  from 
reaching  the  paper  and  adhering  to  it;  therefore,  wherever  such  compressed 
air  is  present,  the  lines  will  appear  very  pale,  or  perhaps  not  show  at  all. 

The  common  letter-press  is  constructed  similar  to  the  hydraulic  press — 
that  is  to  say,  the  pressure  is  equal  on  all  parts  and  applied  at  the  same  time ; 
but  the  types  being  raised,  and  having  space  between  each  other  sufficient  to 
accommodate  this  compressed  air,  it  is  forced  under  those  parts  of  the  sheets 
which  are  to  remain  white  and  on  which  no  pressure  is  exerted. 

A  wood  engraving  consists  of  raised  lines,  and  the  remarks  about  type- 
printing  are  equally  true  with  reference  to  the  printing  of  a  wood  engraving. 
If  some  parts  of  such  a  print  appear  lighter  than  others,  it  is  generally  caused 
by  an  inequality  of  the  back.  An  experienced  printer  will  increase  the  thick 
ness,  if  necessary,  by  pasting  paper  upon  the  block.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
some  portions  of  the  print  are  too  black,  the  block  is  too  thick  at  this  point, 
and  then  it  is  made  thinner  by  scraping  the  back,  or  by  cutting  a  hole  of  the 
required  size  in  the  paper  which  is  laid  over  the  sheet  to  be  printed. 

The  copper  or  steel- plate  printer,  printing  on  a  roller  press,  employs  simi 
lar  means  under  the  same  circumstances  as  above  mentioned,  and  does  it  with 
the  same  effect,  because  the  air  caught  underneath  a  sheet  of  paper  is  pressed 
out  by  the  rollers  passing  over  it,  and  does  not  therefore  prevent  the  ink  from 
adhering  to  the  paper. 

This  lining  with  paper  or  cutting  out  will  avail  nothing  in  printing  with 
the  hydraulic  press,  and  the  increase  of  the  pressure  would  not  help  the  mat 
ter;  for,  no  matter  how  much  compressed,  the  air  will  remain  a  compact  body, 
separating  the  ink  from  the  paper.  It  can  not  escape,  for  it  has  not  force  suf 
ficient  to  burst  the  iron  case  which  imprisons  it.  Besides,  the  means  above 


HYDRAULIC  PRESSES.  267 

alluded  to  would  be  of  no  avail:  for  the  an-  which  is  caught  under  the  sheet 
of  paper  does  not  always  accumulate  at  the  same  place  of  the  plate.  These 
defects  in  printing  will  not  always  be  noticed  by  an  unpracticed  eye  on  a 
sheet  of  currency  notes;  but  the  fact  might  be  established  very  clearly  by 
printing  an  entire  black  surface,  which  could  never  be  printed  equal  on  a 
hydraulic  press.  It  is,  therefore,  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  impres 
sions  made  by  such  a  press  appear  tolerably  satisfactory  to  persons  not  accus 
tomed  to  examine  prints ;  but  even  such  persons  will  observe  that  the  face  of 
the  notes  becomes  smutty  and  indistinct  after  the  back  has  also  been  printed. 
This  is  caused  by  the  following  circumstance :  Each  printed  line,  formed  by 
the  ink  adhering  to  the  paper,  represents  a  projection  or  eminence ;  if  submit 
ted  to  the  pressure  required  to  print  the  back,  these  lines,  forming  the  draw 
ing  or  design  of  the  face,  will  be  flattened  in  a  manner  partly  to  fill  the  white 
spaces  between  them,  besides  having  a  cragged  appearance.  The  stiffer  the 
ink  used,  the  more  this  will  occur. 

Before  proceeding,  I  wish  to  remark  with  reference  to  the  membrane 
paper  furnished  by  Stuart  Gwynn :  Its  texture  is  very  hard,  and  therefore  its 
surface  does  not  take  the  ink ;  that  is  to  say,  none  of  the  oily  substance  of  the 
ink  enters  the  paper,  the  eifect  of  which  would  be  to  make  the  printing  ad 
here  better. 

In  printing  upon  the  membrane  paper,  all  the  ink  stands  on  the  surface, 
and  might  be  removed  almost  entirely  by  mechanical  means.  The  ink  usual 
ly  used  in  printing  on  the  common  roller  presses,  and  on  good  soft  paper, 
would  give  very  bad  results  on  Gwynn's  paper.  If  membrane  paper  must  be 
used,  it  can  only  be  done  by  printing  it  dry,  which,  however,  is  utterly  im 
possible  on  a  roller  press,  and  can  only  be  done  on  a  hydraulic  press,  which 
for  this  reason  was  introduced  into  the  Treasury  Department  by  Gwynn. 
From  this  explanation  it  is  obvious  that  under  any  circumstances,  even  if  bet 
ter  paper  than  Gwynn's  is  used,  the  roller  press  will  produce  better  printed 
currency  than  the  hydraulic  press. 

In  regard  to  quantity  or  speed,  the  hydraulic  presses  are  still  more  in  dis 
advantage,  at  least,  judging  from  the  experience  of  the  past  few  months,  with 
those  in  the  Treasury. 

The  hydraulic  presses  worked  by  steam  have  attained  only  seventy-five 
impressions  per  day  of  eight  working  hours  of  one  side  of  the  currency. 

On  a  roller  press,  a  good  printer  prints  in  the  same  time  one  thousand,  or 
an  average  of  seven  hundred  impressions  of  the  same  plate.  The  difference 
will  be  shown  best  by  example :  I  shall,  for  instance,  calculate  the  time  re 
quired  by  one  press  of  each  kind  to  print  one  million  of  dollars  in  five-cent 
notes  from  plates  containing  twenty-five  each.  The  average  number  printed 
by  a  hydraulic  press  in  one  work  day  being  seventy-five  on  one  side;  two 
working  days  of  sixteen  hours  will  be  required  for  seventy-five  sheets,  each 
containing  twenty-five  complete  five-cent  notes.  The  product  of  a  double 
work  day's  work  is  therefore  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-five 
five-cent  notes. 

In  one  year  there  are  three  hundred  and  eight  working  days  of  eight 
hours,  and  therefore  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  double  working  days.  To 


268         UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

print  twenty  million  five-cent  notes,  at  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sev 
enty-five  for  each  double  work  day,  would  take  ten  thousand  six  hundred  and 
sixty-six  double  working  days,  equal  to  sixty -nine  years  and,  eight  days,  upon 
a  hydraulic  press. 

A  roller  press  prints  in  such  a  double  working  day  seven  hundred  times 
twenty-five,  or  seventeen  thousand  five  hundred  five-cent  notes.  • 

In  regard  to  speed,  therefore,  one  roller  press  is  equal  to  six  or  seven  hy 
draulic  presses. 

Stuart  Gwynn  promised  to  print  four  impressions  in  one  minute ;  and,  not 
discouraged  by  the  expenses  of  the  past  few  months,  he  was  confident  of  at 
taining  this  speed. 

He  also  devised  a  plan  for  increasing  the  pressure,  which  he  deemed  neces 
sary  in  printing  by  hydraulics.  Of  this  fixture  I  shall  write  hereafter  in  this 
report,  and  refer  to  it  as  a  "  receiver,"  as  he  termed  it. 

In  regard  to  cost,  the  disadvantages  in  using  hydraulic  presses  as  against 
roller  presses  of  the  long-established  character  arc  much  more  apparent  and 
far  greater  than  in  regard  to  quality  and  quantity  of  the  work  done.  A 
hydraulic  press  costs  twelve  hundred  dollars,  and  the  attachments  to  com 
plete  it  five  hundred  dollars,  making,  together,  seventeen  hundred  dollars 
complete. 

A  roller  press  costs  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars,  and  its  work  being 
equal  to  six  hydraulic  presses,  the  same  amount  of  work  is  furnished,  well 
done,  and  in  a  workmanlike  manner,  upon  a  capital  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  dollars  that  is  furnished  by  hydraulic  presses,  indifferently  done,  on 
a  capital  of  ten  thousand  two  hundred  dollars.  This  is  bad  enough,  but  the 
disproportion  becomes  still  more  startling. 

During  the  three  months  prior  to  the  1st  of  January  last,  twelve  of  the 
hydraulic  presses  placed  in  the  Treasury  Department  by  Gwynn  broke  down 
and  were  rendered  utterly  worthless.  Of  all  the  roller  presses  used  during 
this  time,  not  one  broke  down,  or  required  any  repairing  worth  mentioning. 

One  million  of  dollars  in  five-cent  notes,  I  have  shown,  requires  about 
sixty-nine  years  to  print  upon  a  single  hydraulic  press,  at  the  average  speed 
attained.  Presupposing  that  twelve  presses  should  break  down  during  each 
and  every  three  months  out  of  twelve,  as  has  been  the  case,  we  should  re 
quire  two  hundred  and  seventy-three  presses  for  printing  one  million  of  dol 
lars,  representing  a  loss  of  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  thousand  dollars. 

From  the  reasoning  of  the  case,  as  I  have  presented  it,  I  conclude  that  the 
roller  presses  are  preferable  in  every  respect  to  the  hydraulic  presses  for 
printing  our  currency,  and  already  Gwynn  has  caused  a  loss  of  nearly  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars  to  the  Government  by  introducing  these  hydraulic 
presses,  in  order  to  profit  by  his  paper  contract.  In  order  to  satisfy  myself 
of  the  truth  and  accuracy  of  the  statements  relative  to  the  comparative  speed 
of  the  two  methods  of  printing  in  use  in  the  National  Currency  Bureau,  I 
accompanied  the  honorable  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  to  the  press-rooms  of 
the  bureau. 

By  actual  observation  of  time,  I  learned  that  three  minutes  and  forty-one 
seconds  was  the  average  time  of  six  hydraulic  presses  occupied  in  taking  im- 


STATEMENT  OF  CHARLES  NEALE.  269 

pressions  on  one  side  of  a  single  sheet,  while  hy  the  roller  presses  two  im 
pressions  per  minute  were  easily  made. 

Mr.  Clark  asserts  that  this  test  is  not  a  fair  one,  as  the  hydraulic  presses 
are  now  heing  worked  by  hand ;  when  steam  presses  are  used,  lie  expects  to 
obtain  greater  speed. 

It  is  not  contended,  however,  by  Mr.  Clark,  that  the  application  of  steam- 
power  will  by  any  means  improve  the  character  of  the  work  performed,  and 
it  will  not  decrease  the  liability  in  the  least  of  the  presses  to  break. 

I  have  the  honor  to  call  the  attention  of  the  honorable  Solicitor  to  the  fol 
lowing  statement  of  Charles  Neale,  assistant  superintendent  of  printing  for 
the  fractional  currency,  in  verification  of  my  expressed  opinion  herein  rela 
tive  to  the  hydraulic  printing  : 

"I  was  appointed  to  my  position  on  the  llth  of  October,  1862,  and  was 
immediately  sent  to  Philadelphia  and  New  York  to  procure  the  necessary 
presses  and  workmen  to  print  the  fractional  currency.  The  men  were  to  re 
port  at  any  time  after  the  1st  of  November,  1862. 

"The  roof  was  not  on  the  building  in  the  Treasury  Department  till  some 
time  in  January,  1863,  and  we  had  the  presses  up  some  time  in  March.  I  then 
wanted  Mr.  Clark  to  furnish  bank-note  paper,  and  go  on  printing  in  the 
old  mode,  in  order  to  supply  the  demand  for  currency ;  but  this  he  declined 
doing.  Dr.  Gwynn's  experiments  with  the  membrane  paper,  and  his  new 
mode  of  printing  (printing  on  dry  instead  of  dampened  paper),  have  been  going 
on  from  that  time  till  October  last.  The  doctor  was  very  sanguine,  but  all 
practical  men  pronounced  the  plan  impracticable.  The  paper  would  not  ab 
sorb  ink,  and  although  one  face  of  the  paper  might  have  a  good  impression,  it 
was  very  difficult  to  print  the  other  side  ;  it  required  two-thirds  more  power 
to  do  so,  and  many  of  the  presses  could  not  bear  the  necessary  strain,  and 
broke.  When  we  came  to  print  the  second  side,  the  paper  would  have  be 
come  so  very  hard  that  it  would  not  take  the  ink. 

"Nevertheless,  the  doctor  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  thing  was  a  suc 
cess,  and  he  ordered  some  '  eighty-five  '  presses  to  be  built,  costing  from  eleven 
hundred  dollars  to  eighteen  hundred  dollars  each ;  there  are  some  forty-five 
presses  in  the  large  room,  but  we  never  could  use  more  than,  half  a  dozen  of 
them  at  a  time ;  and  at  present  we  have  only  three  of  these  hydraulic  presses 
at  work.  It  costs  as  much  to  run  one  of  these  presses,  by  steam,  as  it  would 
if  they  were  all  at  work. 

"  The  process  of  this  plan  of  Dr.  Gwynn's  is  very  slow,  and  it  requires 
much  better  ink  than  the  ordinary  copper-plate  press  printing.  With  six  of 
the  presses,  the  average  daily  number  of  impressions  (single)  would  not  exceed 
seventy-five.  With  the  other  bank-note  paper  and  the  common  copper-plate 
press,  there  can  be  eight  hundred  impressions  of  the  same  size  taken  in  a  day. 
"  We  are  now  working  oif  impressions  on  the  ordinary  presses,  having 
about  fifty  of  them  running  day  and  night,  and  about  one  hundred  men  em 
ployed. 

"  I  mentioned  to  Dr.  Gwynn  that  I  expected  the  Comptroller  of  the  Cur 
rency  would  soon  be  appointed  to  organize  the  bureau.  He  said  that  he 
was  over  and  above  Comptrollers,  and  that  his  arrangements  with  the  Gov- 


270  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

ernment  were  such,  that  if  the  Secretary  himself  should  come  in,  it  would  only 
be  as  a  matter  of  courtesy.  I  wanted  to  know  a  little  more  about  the  process, 
in  order  to  see  whether  I  would  take  an  interest  in  the  patent,  so  as  to  secure 
myself  a  permanent  situation,  and  he  remarked  that  hereafter  there  would  be 
no  changes  in  the  department ;  that  it  would  be  managed  like  the  Bank  of 
England,  and  that  the  men  who  were  faithful,  honest,  and  capable,  would  be 
retained." 

From  Mr.  Clark,  Superintendent  of  the  Currency  Bureau,  I  have  received 
the  following  information : — Mr.  Clark  claims  that  the  principle  of  Gwynn  is 
correct.  The  presses,  however,  which  were  designed  by  Gwynn,  are  not  made 
correctly,  being  the  weakest  in  the  most  important  parts.  In  consequence  of 
these  errors,  the  castings  of  the  presses  are  being  constantly  fractured,  the 
pressure  necessary  in  printing  by  this  method  being  greater  than  the  iron  can 
withstand.  Mr.  Clark  further  informs  me  that  all  the  presses  will  burst  when 
the  requisite  pressure  is  applied  to  them. 

Out  of  seventy-seven  presses  made  and  placed  in  the  department  building 
at  the  instance  of  Stuart  Gwynn,  at  an  average  cost  of  seventeen  hundred  dol 
lars  each,  including  the  necessary  attachments,  twenty  have  already  been  dam 
aged  beyond  repair,  and  with  those  remaining  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  as 
to  when  they  will  be  rendered  valueless. 

This  imperfection  in  the  design  for  hydraulic  presses  has  been  discovered 
after  an  outlay  of  over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  had  been  made  for  ma 
chinery,  and,  so  far  as  any  practical  benefit  to  the  Government  is  concerned, 
has  proved  a  miserable  failure. 

It  is  with  these  hydraulic  presses,  and  the  machinery  appertaining  thereto, 
that  the  Government,  through  Stuart  Gwynn,  has  been  placed  in  a  false  posi 
tion  toward  several  extensive  machine  manufacturing  companies,  and  they  in 
turn  have  been  placed  in  a  false  position  toward  the  Government,  with  a  fair 
prospect  of  great  pecuniary  loss  to  them  (the  machinists). 

It  will  be  shown  that  the  assumed  official  position  of  Stuart  Gwynn  led 
parties  to  credit  his  orders  and  instructions  implicitly  as  from  the  Government 
of  the  United  States,  while  he  (Gwynn)  was  at  the  same  time  rendering  bills 
to  the  department  in  his  own  name,  and  for  his  own  benefit,  for  the  identical 
machinery  these  parties  had,  in  some  instances,  charged  on  their  books  to  the 
United  States  Treasury  Department. 

By  reference  to  the  copies  of  letters,  &c.,  accompanying  this  report,  it  ap 
pears  that  Stuart  Gwynn,  without  any  adequate  means  for  such  an  enterprise, 
and  without  any  explanation  as  to  his  ability  to  carry  out  such  a  scheme,  com 
menced  making  preparations  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1863  to  print  by 
hydraulic  pressure  the  issues  of  fractional  currency ;  and  also  to  change  the 
whole  character  of  the  paper  upon  which  it  was  printed,  by  substituting  what 
he  called  membrane  paper  for  the  United  States  Government. 

In  connection  with  parties  equally  irresponsible,  as  is  shown  by  the  copies 
of  correspondence  between  them,  namely  :  C.  W.  Bond,  New  York  ;  II.  Hanpt, 
Washington  City;  Samuel  C.  Hart  and  Edward  Hamilton,  of  Boston;  Stuart 
Gwynn  inaugurated  an  enterprise  involving  a  large  cash  outlay  and  investment 
of  capital.  This  all,  too,  in  the  prosecution  of  an  untried  experiment,  and 


IRRESPONSIBLE  PARTIES.  271 

without  the  ability  upon  the  part  of  either  or  all  the  parties  to  respond  to  the 
loss  in  case  of  failure. 

General  Haupt  claims,  in  a  letter  to  Stuart  Gwynn,  under  date  of  Mar  TTt 
1863,  "  before  he  (Gwynn)  got  the  contract,  he  (Haupt)  exerted  himself  to 
bring  his  discovery  to  the  notice  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  used  the 
influence  of  his  position  and  associations  to  bring  him  (Gwynn)  into  notice, 
but  not  for  pay,  but  from  personal  friendship ;  still  Gwynn  gave  him  to  un 
derstand  that  he  was  to  be  interested ;"  he  also  refers  in  this  letter  to  the 
interest  of  a  0.  A.  Browne,  of  Boston,  in  the  following  language : — 

"And  as  Browne  had  not  performed  any  real  service  in  procuring  the  con 
tract,  you  decided  to  liquidate  his  (Browne's)  interest  of  ten  thousand  dollars, 
to  be  paid  from  time  to  time,  but  mine  was  left  undetermined  and  indefinite; 
occasionally  you  inquire  if  my  brother  Lewis  acted  as  agent  for  Mrs.  H.,  and 
expressed  an  intention  of  putting  a  paper  in  his  hand." 

It  was  through  General  Haupt  that  Stuart  Gwynn  was  introduced  at  the 
Treasury  by  Mr.  Hooper,  M.  C.,  as  well  as  by  Major-General  McDowell. 

C.  W.  Bond,  of  New  York  City,  formerly  commission  merchant  of  San 
Francisco,  California,  whose  letters  to  Gwynn  are  evidence  of  the  statement, 
was  to  act  as  the  banker  for  Stuart  Gwynn ;  under  this  arrangement  to  accept 
Gwynn's  drafts  in  payment  for  the  necessary  machinery,  and  to  be  placed  in 
funds  by  Gwynn  out  of  his  receipts.  For  Mr.  Bond's  want  of  responsibility, 
pecuniarily,  the  letters  referred  to  furnish  abundant  proofs. 

Samuel  C.  Hart,  it  would  appear  by  the  tenor  of  his  letters  to  Gwynn,  was 
the  inventor  of  the  membrane  paper,  which  Gwynn  was  to  furnish  the  depart 
ment  for  the  fractional  currency,  although  Gwynn  claims  to  have  perfected  the 
invention  previous  to  July,  1862,  as  will  appear  by  reference  to  his  written 
statement  accompanying  this  report.  He  constantly  appeals  for  remittances 
of  small  sums  of  money  with  which  to  prosecute  his  experiments. 

Edward  Hamilton,  ex-commissioner  of  emigration  for  the  State  of  Massa 
chusetts,  at  Boston,  writes  for  the  return  of  about  four  hundred  dollars,  ex 
pended  in  experiments  for  account  of  Gwynn  in  various  matters ;  is  interested 
with  Gwynn  in  telegraph  and  railroad  matters,  also  iron-clad  armor.  Has  no 
money  ;  must  lobby  at  Boston  ;  can  realize  about  twenty  dollars  per  day  from 
charter  of  a  vessel,  if  Gwynn  can  help  him  get  a  charter  from  the  Govern 
ment;  speaks  of  coming  to  Washington,  "if  he  can  be  of  use,  so  that  he  and 
Gwynn  can  labor  together  for  good." 

These  parties  named,  judging  from  the  correspondence  submitted,  and  ex 
tending  over  a  period  of  twelve  months,  are  the  intimate  associates  of  Gwynn 
in  various  enterprises,  including  the  special  one  of  printing  fractional  currency 
upon  membrane  paper  by  the  new  process  of  hydraulic  pressure.  Without 
money  and  without  credit,  they  undertake  an  enterprise  of  the  great  magnitude 
of  supplying  the  fractional  currency  of  the  country. 

The  prolific  brain  of  Gwynn  soon  suggested  the  method  of  obtaining  the 
machinery  required. 

He  at  once  fitted  up  elegant  apartments  for  officers  in  the  Treasury  build 
ing,  by  permission  of  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark ;  had  an  extensive  laboratory  arranged 


272  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

for  his  chemical  experiments  in  the  preparation  of  colored  inks,  &c.,  required 
in  the  printing  of  currency. 

He  was  active  in  his  assistance  to  Mr.  Clark,  the  superintendent  of  the 
National  Currency  Bureau,  arid  hy  identifying  himself  with  Mr.  Clark  as  closely 
as  possible,  and  with  the  various  apartments  of  the  Currency  Bureau,  the  im 
pression  was  readily  taken  by  the  public  that  he  was*a  Government  employee 
of  distinction. 

The  effect  was  striking  in  the  case  of  Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt,  machinists,  of 
Baltimore,  Maryland.  This  firm  had  been  furnishing,  at  odd  times,  parcels  of 
machinery  to  the  order  of  S.  M.  Clark,  superintendent  of  the  National  Cur 
rency  Bureau  of  the  Treasury  Department.  They  were  waited  on  by  Gwynu, 
who  ordered  large  amounts  of  work  for  use  in  the  Treasury  Department. 
Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt  had  been  informed  of  Stuart  Gwynii's  erratic  and  eccen 
tric  character,  and,  before  taking  his  orders  seriously  into  consideration,  they 
visited  Washington,  coming  to  the  Treasury  Department  to  consult,  as  they 
intended,  with  Mr.  Clark,  as  to  the  propriety  of  filling  so  large  an  order  for 
Gwynn. 

When  they  reached  the  apartments  of  Gwynn,  and  found  a  messenger  sta 
tioned  at  his  door,  and  all  the  formalities  of  the  chief  of  bureau  observed  in 
their  approach  to  the  gentleman,  they  really  reproached  themselves  for  per 
mitting  themselves  to  doubt  the  true  character  and  position  of  Mr.  Gwynn  in 
the  Treasury  Department,  and  returned  to  Baltimore  without  even  consulting 
Mr.  Clark,  lest  affront  might  be  given  to  Gwynn  thereby,  and  they  lose  the 
order.  In  proof  of  their  impressions,  the  work  they  furnished  has  been  all 
charged  to  the  United  States  Currency  Bureau  on  their  books. 

After  the  delivery  by  Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt  of  several  thousand  dollars' 
worth  of  machinery,  they  rendered  their  first  bill,  made  out  against  the  United 
States,  sent  under  envelope  to  Stuart  Gwynn,  Washington  City.  Much  to 
their  surprise,  Gwynn  returned  the  bill,  and  requested  them  to  render  it  in  his 
(Gwynn's)  own  name,  as  the  collection  of  the  account  would  be  greatly  facili 
tated. 

Shortly  after  this,  Stuart  Gwynn  called  on  Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt,  and  pro 
posed  to  them  that  a  party  in  New  York,  a  Mr.  Bond,  would  accept  his  draft 
for  a  commission  of  two  and  one-half  per  cent,  for  the  bills  of  machinery, 
thereby  saving  time  and  greatly  simplifying  the  collection  of  the  accounts. 
Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt  agreed  to  this  arrangement,  and  were  paid  an  amount 
of  money  in  this  way,  the  draft  being  drawn  by  Stuart  Gwynn  on  C.  W.  Bond, 
of  New  York,  and  the  paper  upon  which  the  drafts  were  written  was  the 
official  letter  headings  of  the  National  Currency  Bureau,  Treasury  Depart 
ment. 

Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt,  who  are  likely  to  be  largely  losers  by  these  trans 
actions  made  with  Stuart  Gwynn,  state  distinctly,  that  upon  his  own  respon 
sibility  Gwynn  could  never  have  had  one  dollar's  credit  with  them;  and  had 
they  not  been  under  the  full  belief  that  Gwynn's  acts  were,  if  not  official,  under 
official  sanction,  and  their  work  being  placed  in  the  Treasury  Department 
building,  he  never  could  have  had  one  dollar's  worth.  Here,  as  if  to  strengthen 
the  conviction  of  Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt,  as  to  the  Governmental  character  of 


MR.  GWYXN  AND   MR.  CLARK.  273 

the  orders  of  Stua?t  Gwynn,  a  new  feature  was  presented  .  Brigadier-General 
Haupt,  known  to  them  and  the  public  as  the  manager  of  the  United  States 
military  railroad  only,  and  not  as  the  associate  and  friend  of  Gwynn,  caused 
United  States  military  railroad  cars  to  be  detailed  for  transportation  of  the 
presses  and  machinery  furnished  by  Messrs.  Poole  &  Hunt,  to  run  between 
their  (Poole  &  Hunt's)  shops  in  Baltimore  and  the  City  of  Washington. 

In  the  case  of  Messrs.  Hayward,  Bartlett  &  Co.,  machinists,  of  Baltimore 
City,  the  original  charges  on  their  books  are  made  to  Stuart  Gwynn.  They 
(Hayward,  Bartlett  &  Co.)  had  known  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark  as  superintendent  of 
the  Currency  Bureau,  and  finding  that  Gwynn  was  in  daily  communication 
with  Mr.  Clark,  also  that  Gwynn  had  elegantly  fitted  up  offices  in  the  Treasury 
building,  could  not  doubt  the  propriety  of  crediting  so  important  a  personage 
in  the  department;  when,  as  they  saw  themselves,  the  work  which  Gwynn 
ordered  was  for  Government  use,  and  was  placed,  on  its  receipt  in  Washington, 
in  the  Government  buildings,  they  (H.,  B.  &  Co.)  felt  sure  that  if  any  thing 
had  been  wrong,  Mr.  Clark  would  have  apprised  them  of  it. 

In  the  case  of  the  Woodruff  &  Beach  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  Mr.  Woodruff,  of  that  concern,  states  that  his  knowledge  of  Mr. 
Gwynn's  previous  history  would  entirely  forbid  his  crediting  him  one  dollar 
on  his  individual  responsibility ;  that  he  (Mr. Woodruff)  has  known  Mr.  Clark 
in  connection  with  the  Treasury,  and  was  influenced  by  the  impression  that, 
if  Gwynn's  enterprise  was  not  officially  sanctioned,  he  (Clark)  would  have 
apprised  the  Woodruff  &  Beach  concern  of  the  fact. 

The  presses  and  machinery  ordered  by  Gwynn  of  the  Woodruff  &  Beach 
Company  were  charged  direct  in  their  books  to  the  United  States  Treasury 
Department,  but  on  rendition  of  their  bill,  Gwynn  returned  it,  and  requested 
that  it  be  made  out  in  his  (Gwynn's)  own  name,  as  it  would  greatly  facilitate 
the  prompt  payment  of  the  money.  How  true  this  statement  was  may  be 
judged  from  the  fact  that  the  original  bill,  sixteen  thousand  eight  hundred 
dollars,  is  still  to  this  day  unpaid,  with  the  exception  of  eight  hundred  dollars, 
for  which  Gwynn  remitted  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  his  draft  on  C.  W.  Bond, 
of  New  York  City. 

All  of  these  parties  named  here  reluctantly  stated  the  facts  hereinbefore 
recited  in  reference  to  Gwynn  and  their 'transactions  with  him,  as  their  whole 
hope  of  recovering  doubtful  claims,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  over  sixty 
thousand  dollars,  is,  as  before  remarked,  centered  in  the  restitution  of  Gwynn 
to  place  and  power  again.  The  claims  they  might  have  had  against  the  Uni 
ted  States  have  been  vitiated  by  the  recognition  of  Gwynn  as  the  purchaser  of 
their  machinery  in  the  rendition  of  their  several  bills ;  and  although  the  prop 
erty  delivered  by  these  parties  is  yet  in  the  possession  of  the  United  States,  its 
entire  worthlessness  for  the  uses  and  purposes  intended  as  is  now  clearly  de 
monstrated  by  the  few  months'  test  it  has  been  subjected  to,  will  cause  the 
Government  to  abandon  its  use  and  to  decline  recognizing  the  claim  upon 
Stuart  Gwynn,  which  these  parties  have,  as  the  Government  can  possibly 
derive  no  benefit  from  the  machinery  thus  left  upon  its  hands. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  voluntary  statement  made  by  Stuart 
Gwyrm : — 

18 


274  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

My  business  is  that  of  a  consulting  engineer,  chemist,  and  inventor;  I  am 
forty-six  years  old;  have  a  family  of  wife  and  five  children.  The  homestead 
of  my  family  is  in  Cortlandt  Township,  Westchester  County,  New  York.  The 
real  estate,  household  furniture,  &c.,  belongs  to  Mrs.  Gwynn  ;  I  have  been  in 
Boston  a  considerable  portion  of  the  time  since  1855,  but  always  considered 
New  York  City  as  my  residence,  having  rooms  and  places  of  business  there. 
My  tirst  correspondence  with  the  Treasury  Department  commenced  about 
June  or  July,  1862.  It  was  in  regard  to  having  that  department  adopt  a  new 
kind  of  paper  of  my  invention.  After  a  few  letters  had  passed,  some  contain 
ing  samples  of  the  paper,  I  heard  nothing  from  the  Treasury  for  several  months, 
up  to  about  October,  1862,  when  I  received  a  telegram  from  the  honorable 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  asking  me  to  come  to  Washington  immediately.  I 
hesitated,  as  I  was  then  very  busy  with  other  matters,  as  railroads,  gas  ap 
paratus,  new  telegraphic  instruments,  &c.,  making  at  least  five  thousand  dol 
lars  per  year,  with  excellent  prospects  of  increasing  it,  as  one  of  the  parties 
(Mr.  E.  Crane,  as  chief,  and  others)  promised  to  increase  my  income  (their 
share)  some  three  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  I  was  then  receiving  from 
them  up  to  ten  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  if  a  charter  and  other  legislation 
could  be  obtained  to  consolidate  certain  railroads.  This  charter,  &c.,  was 
obtained  in  the  spring  of  1863,  and  I  am  now  acting  as  the  consulting  engineer 
of  the  party  for  the  promised  salary.  I  was  also  to  receive  from  the  same 
party,  at  an  early  day,  such  sums  as  I  might  require,  to  an  extent,  if  necessary, 
of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  to  carry  out  several  of  my  inventions  connected  with 
steam-engines  and  railroads. 

I  was  at  that  time  also  receiving  advances  from  other  parties  (among  them' 
C.  Allen  Browne,  George  Odiorne,  &c./to  assist  me  in  completing  inventions 
and  in  obtaining  patents  I  was  then  engaged  on.  I  consulted  with  the  parties 
interested  with  me,  and  they  consented  to  my  going  to  Washington  to  learn 
what  the  honorable  Secretary,  S.  P.  Chase,  wanted  of  me  in  regard  to  the 
"  paper."  The  result  of  this  and  a  subsequent  visit  to  Washington  was 
making  a  contract  with  the  Treasury  Department  for  the  new  "bank-note 
paper." 

The  price  named  in  the  contract  was  (I  think)  five  dollars  and  sixty  cent* 
less  per  one  thousand  sheets  than  the  kind  of  paper  then  used ;  I  calculated 
that  I  should  make  three  to  four  dollars  (twenty-five  to  thirty-three  per  cent.) 
per  one  thousand  sheets  profit,  which  was  about  the  percentage  made  at  that 
time  by  paper-makers,  and  it  was  no  secret  to  the  parties  in  the  Treasury 
what  I  expected  to  make.  The  peculiarity  of  the  u  paper"  was  such  that  it 
was  to  be  partly  made  at  the  mills,  and,  under  the  direction  of  my  assistants, 
by  my  operatives  in  the  Treasury  building.  And  rooms,  power,  &c.,  were  to 
be  assigned  for  the  purpose,  as  the  u contract"  will  fully  show.  The  tv  con 
tract  "  in  rough  draft  was  drawn  by  me,  corrected  by  S.  M.  Clark,  then  exam 
ined  and  recorrected  by  Edward  Jordan,  Esq.,  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury,  and 
signed  in  duplicate  by  the  Hon.  S.  P.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  I 
went  on,  in  pursuance  of  this  contract,  to  procure  the  necessary  machinery 
for  use  in  the  Treasury  and  to  make  contracts  with  " paper  mills"  to  supply 
me  the  raw  material.  Shortly  after  my  contract  was  signed,  there  was  a  rapid 


STUART   GWYNN'S   STATEMENT.  275 

advance  in  paper  stock,  so  that  my  expected  profit  bid  fair  to  be  small  if  the 
rise  remained  permanent;  this  I  did  not  believe  would  be  the  case,  and  the 
subsequent  fall  in  price  justified  my  judgment,  although  not  now  as  low  aa 
when  the  contract  was  made.  The  parties  with  whom  I  was  connected  agreed 
to  allow  me  to  attend  to  this  matter  at  the  Treasury  without  any  diminution 
of  income,  as  it  was  expected  I  would  only  be  in  Washington  about  one- 
quarter  of  the  time,  while  other  parties  of  large  means,  who  saw  the  great 
necessity  of  having  perfectly  safe  "  Government  issues  of  indebtedness,"  agreed 
to  advance  me  from  time  to  time,  as  required,  means  to  fulfill  my  "con 
tract." 

In  all,  these  offers  were  for  a  very  large  amount ;  I  only  availed  myself  of 
them  to  an  extent  of  some  eight  thousand  to  eleven  thousand  dollars,  all  I  yet 
needed.  During  my  visits  to  Washington,  while  getting  ready  to  supply 
paper  according  to  contract,  I  learned  from  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark  the  broad  plan 
that  was  laid  down  to  make  the  issues  perfectly  safe.  It  involved  not  only  a 
new  kind  of  paper  but  a  new  style  of  "engraving."  a  new  method  of  printing 
(if  it  could  be  done),  new  kinds  of  inks,  &c.  I  entered  heartily  into  the  work 
of  assisting  by  my  very  great  (that  is  admitted  by  all)  chemical  and  mechani 
cal  talents  and  knowledge  to  make  practical  the  different  parts  of  the  "plan." 
I  devoted  every  minute  I  could  take  from  other  duties  to  experimenting;  I 
looked  for  no  other  reward,  never  wished  for  any,  never  expected  any  for  my 
time  and  outlay  of  money  (which  was  large  in  machinery,  apparatus,  salary 
of  assistants,  and  traveling  expenses)  except  the  profit  I  expected  from  the 
supply  of  "paper."  This  I  knew  would  be  a  large  annual  sum  from  the 
quantity  I  was  certain  would  be  required,  and  I  was  sure  to  have  a  monopoly 
of  the  supply.  (See  contract.)  Rooms  for  paper  making,  laboratory,  offices, 
&c.,  were  assigned  to  me.  as  I  was  fully  understood  to  be  the  "  volunteer  con 
sulting  engineer  and  chemist  to  the  National  Note  Bureau  "  without  official 
rank  or  pay  (for  I  would  accept  neither),  therefore  free  to  go  and  come  as  I 
pleased  with  my  assistants  and  operatives.  This  was  fully  approved  of  by 
the  honorable  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  as  an  official  letter  of  about  June, 
1863,  will  show.  Up  to  this  time  (June,  1863),  and  subsequent  to  it,  I 
received  several  payments  of  money  from  the  Treasury  Department  for  various 
machinery,  apparatus,  and  material  furnished  to  it.  but  in  no  case,  to  my 
recollection,  was  I  ever  paid  one  cent  in  advance  of  the  delivery  of  the  arti 
cles,  and  at  the  time  of  most  of  the  payments  large  deliveries  were  made  of 
articles  for  which  bills  had  not  been  rendered.  No  payment  was  ever  made 
except  on  a  regularly  certified  bill.  In  most  cases,  the  articles  I  received  pay 
for  had  previously  been  paid  for  by  me  or  my  friends.  I  never  purchased  any 
article,  that  I  can  recollect,  as  the  agent  of  the  Treasury  Department. 

I  never  called  myself  its  agent;  I  never  said  I  was  authorized  to  purchase 
goods  for  it ;  I  always  purchased  through  my  friends,  or  as  an  individual,  or 
as  a  trustee  for  other  parties  (this  I  have  done  in  other  business  affairs  for  the 
past  eight  years).  In  the  latter  case,  I  explained  to  the  parties  I  bought  from 
that  I  did  it  as  a  matter  of  safety  to  them  and  myself,  because  I  thought  some 
old  creditor  (I  failed  in  1854)  might  attempt  to  stop  the  Treasury  from  paying 
me.  In  most  cases,  the  articles  I  furnished  the  department  (so  far  as  I  recol- 


276  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

lect,  all  were,  except  the  machinery  for  "dry  printing,"  and  much  of  that 
also)  were  invoiced  at  cost  price,  and  in  many  cases  the  cost  price  was  as 
much  as  twenty-five  per  cent,  less  than  the  Treasury  was  paying  for  exactly 
the  same  articles  from  the  same  sellers.  In  no  case  had  I  any  intention  or 
desire  to  make  profit  out  of  the  Government  except  on  my  "paper  contract." 
In  the  few  cases  of  machinery  in  which  any  advance  on»cost  price  was  charged, 
I  did  not  intend  them  in  the  total  to  be  more  than  enough  to  cover  commis 
sions  paid  to  parties  for  purchasing,  interest,  freight,  insurance,  breakage,  &c. 
I  have  not  yet  collected  any  thing  from  the  Treasury  for  the  supply  of  "  paper  " 
I  have  furnished.  It  was  being  made  daily  at  the  time  of  my  arrest.  I  was 
to  have  had  a  settlement  and  payment  for  the  deliveries  made  up  to  January 
1,  1864,  as  soon  as  the  amounts  could  be  adjusted. 

I  think  the  last  payment  I  received  from  the  Treasury  for  machinery  was 
in  August.  If  my  recollection  is  correct,  one  bill,  of  over  fourteen  thousand 
dollars,  was  rendered  in  September,  1863,  and  remains  unpaid.  Another  of 
upwards  of  forty-seven  thousand  dollars,  of  December  30,  rendered,  is  unpaid. 
The  amount  due  me  for  paper,  &c.,  must  in  all  exceed  seventy  thousand 
dollars,  while  I  have  in  addition  a  large  value  of  "  stock  "  in  the  Treasury  to 
convert  into  the  "national  paper."  In  addition  to  all  the  above,  is  some 
twenty-five  thousand  to  thirty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  machinery,  addi 
tional  to  that  delivered  (as  named  in  the  bills  representing  before-named 
amounts),  which  is  in  great  degree  completed,  and  ready  to  deliver  as  soon  ns 
rooms"could  be  finished  for  it. 

I  owe  for  it  and  for  the  above-named  amounts,  or  nearly  as  much.  I  will 
be  brief  in  what  I  have  to  say  in  regard  to  the  charges  of  "  extravagant  per 
sonal  outlays." 

Instead  of  boarding  at  a  hotel,  I  rented  a  furnished  house  in  Georgetown, 
in  connection  with  General  II.  Haupt,  in  April,  1863.  During  his  stay,  my 
share  of  the  expenses  was  sixty-five  to  seventy  dollars  per  month.  After  ho 
left,  in  November,  I  got  a  party  to  come  in  and  agree  to  bear  half  the  cost 
(General  Haupt  had  paid  for  more  than  half).  The  estimate  we  made  was, 
total  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  month ;  my  half,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars  ;  to  this  add  my  horse  keep,  which  is  not  equal  to  the  wine 
and  cigar  bills  of  most  men  in  my  position  (I  use  neither),  and  my  bill  of 
wines,  &c.,  for  friends  in  two  years  does  not  come  up  to  one  hundred  dollars. 
That,  with  a  small  outlay  for  a  few  necessary  articles  for  the  house,  is  tho 
"Washington  extravagance."  That  of  New  York  was  this  and  no  more. 
Since  1856  my  family  had  lived  in  the  country  at  the  homestead  ;  my  children 
(I  then  had  seven)  had  not  been  to  school  (1862);  no  schools  in  the  neighbor 
hood.  In  February,  1863,  I  lost,  within  three  weeks  of  each  other,  my  two 
youngest  darlings,  girls  of  six  and  eight  years  of  age.  Absent  in  Washington 
during  the  sickness  and  death  of  the  eldest,  and  absent  in  Boston  during  the 
sickness  of  the  other,  only  getting  home  to  have  her  expire  in  my  arms,  my 
wife  charging  the  death  of  both  to  the  fact  that  I  would  not  arrange  to  have 
her  come  to  the  city  in  the  autumn  of  1862,  as  I  had  promised,  and  as  I  would 
have  done,  but  for  my  engagements  with  the  Treasury  Department,  that  so 
engrossed  my  time.  I  felt  absolutely  compelled  to  bring  them  to  New  York 


STUART   GWYNN'S   STATEMENT.  277 

in  the  autumn  of  1863.  On  calculating  tlie  cost  of  boarding  for  four  or  five 
months  in  the  city  each  year  during  their  (the  children's)  education,  I  found 
it  would  be  cheaper  to  purchase  a  small  house.  This  was  done ;  price,  eight 
thousand  dollars;  cash  paid  down  on  it,  one  thousand  six  hundred  dollars; 
balance,  one  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  six  per  cent,  interest ;  furnishing 
cost  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  money  for  these  purposes 
was  borrowed  until  I  could  collect  funds  due,  which  was  wholly  unconnected 
from  any  Treasury  transactions. 

In  conclusion,  I  will  state  I  have  no  one  associated  with  me  (beyond  the 
extent  before  named)  in  my  "contract"  with  the  Treasury  Department. 
That  I  have  never  paid,  or  promised  to  pay  any  officer  of  the  department, 
or  any  friend  or  person  for  them,  one  copper,  either  as  commission,  fee,  or 
present.  I  positively  state  I  never  had  any  understanding  with  any  one  of 
them  in  regard  to  any  future  share  of  profit,  but  that  in  all  things  my  dealings 
have  been  frank,  open,  and  above-board.  If  there  has  been  any  irregularity 
in  my  transactions  with  the  department,  it  has  been  from  ignorance.  I  have 
had  but  one  end  in  view,  viz.,  the  full  success  of  the  "plans"  required  to 
prevent  counterfeiting  and  fraudulent  issues,  well  knowing  my  interest  was  in 
that  success,  for  in  it  was  involved  the  exclusive  use  of  my  "national  paper." 
I  now  demand  that  I  be  fully  informed  of,  and  that  I  receive  a  copy  of,  the 
charges  on  which  I  was  arrested  and  am  held  (and  have  been  for  twenty-four 
days  a  close  prisoner,  on  a  convicted  felon's  fare),  that  I  may  meet  my  accu 
sers  face  to  face,  and  prove  my  innocence  and  their  accusations  to  be  false. 

WASHINGTON,  January  25,  1864. 

A  careful  reading  of  the  above  statement  suggests  the  following  "  ques 
tions,"  viz.: 

Who  are  the  other  parties  referred  to,  with  large  means,  who  saw  the 
necessity  of  having  perfectly  safe  Government  issues  of  indebtedness,  and  who 
agreed  to  furnish  large  means,  &c. ?  Was  it  General  Haupt?  No;  because, 
as  shown  from  his  own  letters  to  Gwynn,  he  was  pecuniarily  embarrassed^ 
and  was  constantly  appealing  to  Gwynn  for  money. 

Was  it  Edward  Hamilton  ?  No ;  he  was  still  more  embarrassed  than  Gen 
eral  Haupt,  as  he  admits. 

Was  it  0.  W.  Bond  ?  No ;  for  every  dollar  he  paid  out  was  first  advanced 
by  Gwynn. 

Was  it  Van  Choate  or  Hart  ?  No ;  for  they  are  constantly  importuning 
Gwynn  for  small  remittances. 

If  none  of  these,  who  were  the  public-spirited  individuals  referred  to  ? 

Stuart  Gwynn,  however,  only  avails  himself  of  these  munificent  offers  to 
the  extent  of  eight  thousand  to  eleven  thousand  dollars,  "  all  he  needed." 

Gwynn  further  informs  us  that  from  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark  he  first  learned  the 

"  broad  plan  "  that  was  laid  down  to  make  the  issues  perfectly  safe,  and  that 

said  plan  necessarily  involved  not  only  a  "new  kind  of  paper,"  but  anew 

'style  of  engraving,  a  new  method  of  printing,  viz.:  by  "hydraulic  presses," 

&c. ;  that  he  entered  into  the  arrangement  heartily,  working  night  and  day, 


278  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

•with  no  expectation  of  receiving  any  pecuniary  compensation,  except  that 
derived  from  the  sale  of  "membrane  paper." 

Stuart  Gwynn  further  states  that  he  never  purchased  any  article  as  the 
agent  of  the  Treasury  Department,  never  called  himself  its  agent.  This 
statement  can  not  he  true,  for  we  find  in  all  of  his  purchases  from  Messrs. 
Poole  &  Hunt,  Woodruff  &  Beach,  and  others,  the  bills  were  rendered  direct 
to  the  Treasury  Department,  and  were  so  charged  on*their  respective  books ; 
besides,  it  is  before  conclusively  shown  in  this  report  that  the  gentlemen 
referred  to  above  had  not  the  least  doubt  of  Gwynn's  official  and  even  confi 
dential  connection  with  the  National  Currency  Bureau. 

In  reviewing  the  subject,  we  find  that,  under  date  of  August  29,  1863,  after 
a  severe  attack  had  been  made  upon  the  system  of  dry  plate  printing,  mem 
brane  paper,  &c.,  by  communications  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  and  among  others,  one  from  Mr.  Wilson,  president  of  the  Conti 
nental  Bank  Note  Company,  Stuart  Gwynn,  over  his  own  signature,  made  a 
proposal  in  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  copy : — 

"  Moved  by  Mr.  Wilson's  insinuation  in  his  letter  to  Secretary  Chase, 
August  27,  he  will  bind  himself  to  Secretary  Chase:  1st.  To  furnish  seventy 
presses,  eleven-inch  rams,  and  such  others  as  the  department  may  require, 
complete,  with  apparatus  required  to  work  them,  as  per  bill  attached,  marked 
'A,'  and  for  the  price  there  named,  and  the  conditions  as  to  use  specified. 
2d.  Binds  himself  to  assume  loss,  if  he  does  not  print  for  one  week  (if  plates 
prepared  and  paper  applied)  three  dry  impressions  per  minute.  3d.  If  he 
fails,  will  remove  them  at  his  own  cost,  and  authorize  Clark  to  retain  and  pay 
over  to  proper  parties  whatever  may  be  due  or  become  due  him." 

This  proposition  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  appears  to  have  been  immediately 
acted  on,  and  we  find  Gwynn  at  once  in  communication  with  various  ma 
chinists  in  reference  to  the  manufacture  of  hydraulic  presses  for  the  United 
States  Currency  Bureau.  Without  even  the  ability  to  pay  for  these  presses 
in  the  first  place,  Gwynn  pledges  himself  to  "remove  them  at  his  own  cost," 
from  the  department  buildings,  if  they  do  not  perform  the  given  amount  of 
work  per  minute  ;  and  without  a  full  and  frank  definition  of  his  position  as  a 
contractor  to  the  Government,  and  under  the  coloring  of  official  position, 
Stuart  Gwynn  caused  expenditures  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  be  made  by  innocent  and  disinterested  parties,  who  were  entirely 
unaware  of  his  nefarious  schemes. 

Without  capital,  and  with  no  moneyed  friends  or  associates,  Stuart  Gwynn, 
as  the  result  plainly  shows,  has  mulcted  these  several  machine-manufacturing 
companies  in  the  sum  of  the  various  balances  due  them  for  work  done  and 
materials  furnished.  For  by  the  error  in  design  of  the  presses,  the  drawings 
for  which  were  furnished  by  Gwynn,  the  presses  are  made  inadequate  to  the 
work  assigned  them,  and  one  by  one  they  are  being  removed  from  the  Treasury 
building,  damaged  beyond  repair,  and  worthless  excepting  as  old  castings. 
These  damaged  presses  can  be  seen  at  this  date,  laid  aside  and  awaiting 


"  PATRIOTISM  "— FAILURE— MUTILATION".  279 

removal  among  the  rubbish  heaps  of  the  grounds  adjacent  to  the  Treasury 
building. 

It  is  shown  by  the  careful  perusal  of  the  papers  accompanying  this  report, 
that  Stuart  G-wynn  and  his  associates,  all  needy  men,  were  ready  to  "  help 
their  country"  as  expressed  in  many  ways  throughout  these  papers,  "from 
motives  of  patriotisms'1  at  any  and  all  times,  and  in  any  possible  way — from 
"iron-clad  armor-plating"  to  "telegraphing  for  Uncle  Sum;"  from  the  sale 
of  the  steamer  NepJion  to  the  charter  of  another,  of  which  "  twenty  dollars 
per  day  profit  can  be  realized,  if  Gwynn  can  secure  the  charter,"  and  finally 
hitting  upon  a  plan  to  assist  the  Treasury  Department  by  making  "  fractional 
currency." 

We  find  the  combination  brought  to  bear  upon  the  Secretary,  so  that 
Stuart  Gwynn  is  permitted  to  enjoy  his  confidence,  General  Haupt  using  his 
official  position  and  associations  to  bring  him  (Gwynn)  to  the  notice  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

The  confidence  of  the  Hon.  Secretary  in  Gwynn  and  his  operations  having 
been  secured  in  the  manner  as  before  shown  in  this  report,  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark's 
official  interposition  was  only  required  by  his  daily  assurances  of  success  in 
Gwynn's  various  insane  projects;  this,  as  the  report  will  show,  was  freely 
accorded  him. 

Gwynn,  without  one  dollar,  assumed  to  pay  hundreds  of  thousands  in  caso 
of  failure  of  a  new  and  untried  project,  and,  with  the  boldest  effrontery,  put 
on  a  style,  and  fitted  up  apartments  in  the  Treasury  building,  so  as  to  convey 
the  impression  that  he  was  what  he  was  not. 

By  such  unworthy  means  as  these,  aided  by  writing  letters  at  times,  as 
well  as  drawing  drafts  upon  official  letter  paper,  he  (Gwynn)  obtained  ua 
credit"  which  under  no  other  circumstances  could  he  have  obtained. 

The  result,  as  now  seen,  is  what  might  have  been  anticipated — an  utter 
failure,  with  no  means  of  responding  to  the  unpaid  accounts  of  those  who 
have  been  so  greatly  deceived  and  so  foully  wronged. 

I  now  have  the  honor  of  directing  your  attention  to  a  subject  of  grave 
importance,  in  connection  with  the  operations  of  Stuart  Gwynn,  involving  no 
less  than  the  permanent  injury  and  mutilation  of  the  Treasury  Department 
buildings. 

This  magnificent  structure,  complete  in  all  its  details,  having  been  designed 
and  constructed,  so  far  as  it  is  finished,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  first 
architectural  talent  of  the  country,  has  received  most  severe  and  unnecessary 
abuse,  under  the  direction  of  Gwynn,  sustained  by  others  connected  with  the 
department,  who  were  entirely  conversant  with  his  designs  and  projects. 

The  north  attic  room  of  the  west  wing  was  selected  by  Gwynn  as  a  recep 
tacle  of  the  seventy-eight  hydraulic  presses  ordered  by  him,  and  to-day  a  dead 
weight  of  nearly  two  hundred  tons  is  sustained  upon  girders  designed  for  no 
such  purpose.  Many  of  the  rooms  in  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  clerks 
in  the  department,  with  their  office  furniture,  &c.,  are  supported  by  heavier 
girders.  The  consequence  of  this  most  unusual  load  for  the  attic  rooms  of  the 
building  may  be  observed  in  the  deflection  of  the  cast-iron  beams  supporting 
its  floors. 


280  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  architect  of  the  building  is  satisfied  that  the  injury  already  sustained 
is  permanent  in  its  character;  and,  even  should  the  dead  weight  be  removed, 
the  beams  must  retain  the  deflection  of  one  to  one  and  a  half  inch,  as,  in  the 
nature  of  the  material,  cast-iroa  can  not  return  to  the  straight  line,  as  might 
be  the  case  with  wooden  girders. 

The  most  startling  of  all  of  Gwynn's  eccentricities,  as  displayed  in  his 
operations  with  the  Treasury,  and  which  is  a  criminal  assumption  of  power 
upon  his  part  and  his  advisers,  is  the  mutilation  of  the  exterior  of  the  edifice, 
together  with  the  imminent  peril  in  which  the  lives  and  persons  of  the  em 
ployees  of  the  department  are  placed  by  his  device. 

T  refer  to  the  arrangement  whereby  one  hundred  tons  dead  weight  is  sus 
pended  by  pulleys  over  the  cornice  of  the  roof  of  a  portion  of  the  structure. 

In  the  court-yard  of  the  new  building,  north,  may  be  witnessed  one  of  the 
most  extraordinary  burlesques  upon  "mechanics,"  of  which  science  Gwynn 
professes  to  be  master,  that  this  country  affords. 

The  cornice,  drilled  through  and  through  to  accommodate  thick  wire  cables, 
supposed  to  be  capable  of  sustaining  so  great  a  weight;  pulleys  and  fixtures 
projecting  in  the  most  unsightly  manner  above  and  beyond  the  cornice ;  and 
this  enormous  weight  of  cast-iron  blocks  or  plates  suspended,  in  a  frame  of 
heavy  timber,  perpendicularly  the  entire  height  of  the  building.  And  what 
is  the  object  of  all  this  machinery,  involving  an  outlay  of  probably  twenty 
thousand  dollars  in  its  first  cost,  and  liable,  as  soon  as  put  into  operation,  to 
damage  irreparably  everything  with  which  it  should  come  in  contact? 

Stuart  Gwynn  finds  that  he  has  not  enough  pressure,  as  he  believes,  to 
perfectly  print  on  his  "membrane  paper"  by  the  hydraulic  presses;  and  al 
though  one  by  one  the  machines  burst  and  become  worthless  under  the  simple 
process  of  hand-printing,  as  has  been  shown  (this  "device  "  is  part  of  a  fixture 
to  increase  "the  pressure  "  upon  each  and  every  part  of  the  rams),  and  prac 
tical  men  in  the  department  are  free  to  say  that,  if  even  the  additional  pressure 
is  obtained  by  this  or  any  other  means,  the  presses  will  all  burst  immediately 
the  additional  pressure  is  applied. 

I  will  endeavor  to  describe  the  peculiar  device  of  Gwynn,  whereby  he 
hopes  to  obtain  this  result,  and  respectfully  suggest  to  the  Hon.  Solicitor 
a  personal  examination  of  the  affair,  that  he  may  fully  realize  the  utter  abor- 
tiveness  of  the  plan  and  its  dangerous  character  to  the  building  and  the  occu 
pants  of  the  rooms  in  that  vicinity. 

This  contrivance,  which  he  calls  a  "  receiver,"  consisted  of  two  cast-iron 
cylinders,  running  parallel  to  each  other,  and  placed  upon  the  top  of  the 
stone-work  of  the  building.  I  respectfully  submit  a  sketch  herewith,  which 
will  aid  in  a  proper  understanding  of  the  design.  In  the  cylinder  there  is  in 
troduced  an  iron  piston-rod,  at  the  end  of  which  are  fastened  two  wire  cables 
(indicated  on  the  sketch  by  red  ink  lines),  running  over  large  iron  wheels  or 
pulleys,  and  to  which,  outside  the  building,  the  heavy  weight  is  attached  by 
means  of  an  iron  pipe  (marked  "  supply  "  on  the  drawing).  Oil  is  supplied  to 
the  cylinders.  By  means  of  a  steam  engine  the  weight  is  to  be  raised,  and  by 
letting  it  fall  again  from  a  certain  elevation,  the  piston  is  pressed  with  great 
force  into  the  cylinder,  working  against  the  oil ;  thus,  by  means  of  pipes  con- 


THE  "  RECEIVER  "—MR.  CLARK'S.  REFUSAL.  281 

veying  the  oil  to  the  different  presses  from  the  cylinder,  the  pressure  on  each 
of  them  is  proposed  to  be  greatly  increased. 

I  am  not  enough  of  an  engineer  to  give  you  a  correct  idea  of  the  working 
of  this  ponderous  apparatus.  According  to  the  laws  of  hydraulics,  however, 
the  pressure  acting  against  the  cylinder  is  equal  to  that  exerted  where  it 
really  is  wanted,  there  being  a  space  left  between  the  piston  and  the  inside 
surface  of  the  cylinders,  which  space  is  filled  with  oil.  Many  persons,  who 
have  examined  this  arrangement,  agreed  in  this:  that  the  cylinders  would  not 
stand  such  a  pressure,  and  so  it  was  proven,  for  the  cylinders  burst  at  the  first 
test,  as  they  did  also  at  the  second. 

Whether  Gwynn  would  have  ever  succeeded  in  getting  by  this  means  an 
increase  of  speed  and  power,  I  can  not  decide ;  but  it  would  not  have  availed 
him  much  in  regard  to  the  quality  of  his  printing,  as  shown  elsewhere  in  this 
report. 

Bearing  in  mind  the  primary  object  constantly  held  in  view  by  Gwynn, 
that  of  creating  a  large  demand  for  his  peculiar  style  of  paper,  which  ho 
designates  "membrane  paper,"  we  find,  because  of  its  peculiar  manufacture, 
it  can  not  be  treated  as  other  paper — that  is  to  say,  it  can  not  be  dampened — 
that  Gwynn,  with  the  aid  and  encouragement  of  parties  inside  the  department, 
has  attempted  to  revolutionize  the  whole  system  of  plate-printing. 

Mr.  ISTeale,  the  assistant  superintendent,  in  his  statement  says,  that,  in  June, 
1863,  he  was  anxious  to  procure  bank-note  paper  and  roller  presses,  to  pro 
ceed  at  once  to  supply  the  fractional  currency  so  much  needed ;  but  that  Mr. 
Clark  would  not  sanction  that  arrangement,  as  the  paper  of  Mr.  Gwynn  was 
to  be  printed  upon  and  hydraulic  presses  to  be  used.  Valuable  time  was  thus 
lost  in  extravagant  experiments,  by  Gwynn  and  Clark,  and  finally,  upon 
Clark's  recommendation,  the  Secretary  permits  Gwyim  to  proceed  to  carry 
out  his  ideas  on  a  large  scale. 

Seventy  to  eighty  hydraulic  presses  are  ordered,  and  against  the  remon 
strances  and  protests  of  the  supervising  architects  of  the  Treasury  building. 
These  presses,  over  two  hundred  tons  dead  weight,  were  placed  in  a  portion 
of  the  building  never  designed  for  any  such  burden.  Not  content  with  this 
— for  everybody,  every  thing,  seemed  for  a  time  to  have  to  yield  before  the 
object  of  selling  patent  membrane  paper  to  the  Government — when  it  was 
found  that  the  presses  did  not  give  force  enough,  the  building  has  to  be 
defaced,  mutilated,  and  permanently  injured,  by  the  most  outrageous  con 
trivance,  hereinbefore  described,  and  which  Gwynn  calls  his  "receiver,"  which 
promises,  like  all  the  rest  of  his  insane  schemes,  to  result  in  a  complete  and 
utter  failure.  And  now,  at  the  date  of  this  report,  workmen  are  engaged  and 
hands  employed  in  tearing  down  one  of  the  walls  of  the  newly  finished  portion 
of  the  north  end  of  the  west  wing  of  the  building,  to  prepare  for  two  more  of 
these  unheard-of  apparatuses,  which  Mr.  Clark,  in  the  absence  of  Gwynn,  has 
decided  to  erect,  according  to  the  original  plans  of  Gwynn. 

This  whole  affair  seems  to  me  so  monstrous  in  its  character,  so  reckless  in 
its  design,,  so  criminal  in  its  intent,  that  I  would  here  most  respectfully  suggest 
to  the  Hon.  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  to  present  the  whole  subject  to  the 
immediate  notice  of  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  so  that  peremp- 


282  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

tory  orders  may  be  issued  for  a  discontinuance  of  the  demolition  and  deface 
ment  of  the  building ;  and  also  for  the  appointment  of  a  commission,  com 
posed  of  practical  and  scientific  men,  who  may  be  authorized  to  fully  investi 
gate  the  truth  or  fallacy  of  the  serious  charges  herein  made. 

On  page  26  of  this  report  the  statement  of  Stuart  Gwynn  reads :  "  I  never 
purchased  any  article,  that  I  can  recollect,  as  the  agent  of  the  Treasury  Depart 
ment;  I  never  called  myself  its  agent;  I  never  said  I  was  authorized  to  pur 
chase  goods  for  it.  I  always  purchased  through  my  friends,  or  as  an  individ 
ual,  or  as  a  trustee  for  other  parties." 

In  order  to  show  that  this  statement  is  entirely  incorrect,  I  herewith  sub 
mit  copies  of  some  of  the  original  invoices  found  among  the  "papers  seized" 
at  the  time  of  Gwynn's  arrest. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  1863. 

Dr.  S.  Gwynn,  for  Treasury  Department,  bought  of  Wm.  S.  Mitchell  &  Co., 
dealers  in  house-furnishing  drygoods. 

August  13.  64£  yards  Brussels,  at  $2.25 $144  75 

u  Making  and  laying,  $9.65 ;  thread,  $1 10  65 

"  17.  64f  yards  Brussels,  at  $2.25 145  69 

"  Making  and  laying,  $9.71 ;  thread,  $1 10  71 

October  1.    Two  cocoa  mats,  $2 4  00 

$335  80 
HAKTFOBD,  October  14, 1863. 

Stuart  Gwynn,  Esq.  (terms  cash),  bought  of  Woodruff  &  Beach,  Iron  Works. 
September  14.  One  segmerital  engine  for  Treasury  Department. .        $800  00 
October       13.  Sixteen  hydraulic  presses  do.         at 


$16,800  00 
Credit: 
October       13.  By  cash 800  00 

$16,000  00 
NORTH  MANCHESTER,  September  30, 1863. 

Stuart  Gwynn,  Esq.,  National  Note  Bureau,  Washington,  D.  C.,  to  M.  Hud 
son,  Dr. 

August  11.  306  Ibs.  waste  silk,  at  38  cents $115  28 

"  18.  315  Ibs.  paper,  at  32  cents 100  80 

September  5.  369£  Ibs.  paper,  at  32  cents 118  24 

"  11.  121£  Ibs.  paper,  at  32  cents 38  .80 

"  24.  492i  Ibs.  paper,  at  32  cents 157  60 

"  30.  459  Ibs.  paper,  at  32  cents 146  88 

$677  60 
Received  payment,  M.  HUDSON,  per  P.  "W.  H. 

NORTH  MANCHESTER,  Octoler  18, 1868. 

S.  Gwynn,  for  U.  S.  Treasury  Department,  to  P.  W.  Hudson,  Dr. 
To  1,000  Ibs.  silk,  at  $1.50 $1,500  00 


AN  INVOICE— A  FREIGHT   BILL.  283 

NORTH  MANCHESTER,  December  11, 1868. 

Stuart  Qwynn,  Esq..  Treasury  Department,  to  M.  Hudson^  Dr. 

November  — .  To  280  Ibs.  spider-leg  web,  at  35  cents $98  00 

December     7.  To  988  Ibs.  spider-leg  web,  at  35  cents 345  80 

"          11.  To  1,166  Ibs.  spider-leg  web,  at  35  cents 408  10 

$851  90 

It  is  not  deemed  necessary  to  multiply  copies  of  instances  of  this  character, 
sufficient  having  been  presented  to  establish  the  fact  that  it  was  not  contem 
plated,  in  any  instance,  to  trust  Stuart  Gwynn  upon  his  own  personal  respon 
sibility.  The  fact  of  his  having  retained  these  bills,  as  rendered,  in  his  pos 
session,  without  making  known  to  the  parties  rendering  them  his  true  relative 
position  toward  the  department,  is  equivalent  to  his  purchasing,  in  the  name 
of  the  department,  goods  for  his  own  use  and  benefit. 

I  would  respectfully  direct  the  attention  of  the  Hon.  Solicitor  of  the 
Treasury  to  the  most  important  fact  developed  in  this  investigation,  which  is 
this :  Stuart  Gwynn,  with  all  his  eccentricities  and  experiments,  his  inven 
tions  and  ideas,  which  have  cost  the  Government  so  much  vexation,  such 
unfortunate  delay,  and  so  large  an  expenditure  of  money,  could  never  have 
proceeded  as  he  has  done,  for  a  single  week,  excepting  by  the  sanction  and 
co-operation  of  S.  M.  Clark,  the  Superintendent  of  the  National  Currency 
Bureau. 

To  what  extent  Clark  has  been,  or  may  be,  directly  interested  in  the  ulti 
mate  success  of  Gwynn's  membrane  paper  is  not  clearly  shown  ;  but  that  he 
was  interested  may  be  inferred  from  the  correspondence  between  Gwynn  and 
Clark,  in  which  the  former  speaks  of  "our  enterprise;"  also,  from  the  tenor 
of  C.  A.  Browne's  Boston  letters  to  Gwynn,  in  which  frequent  mention  is 
made  of  Clark  in  connection  with  the  membrane  paper;  and,  also,  in  the  let 
ters  of  C.  TV.  Bond,  New  York,  where  Clark  is  spoken  of  in  the  same  connec 
tion,  as  well  as  the  fact  that  a  paid  freight  bill  for  hydraulic  presses,  made  out 
in  S.  M.  Clark's  name,  was  found  among  Gwynn's  papers,  a  copy  of  which  is 
herewith  submitted: 

WASHINGTON,  November  10, 1863. 

Mr.  S.  M.  Clark  to  Schooner  J.  P.  Augur,  Dr. 

Freight  from  New  York,  on  sixteen  hydraulic  presses,  weighing  eleven 
thousand  pounds  each,  making  a  total  of  eighty-eight  tons  of  two  thousand 
pounds  each,  at  eight  dollars  per  ton,  as  per  bill  of  lading,  seven  hundred  and' 
four  dollars. 

Received  payment. 

TV.  A.  "WEIGHT,  Captain. 
The  above  presses  have  been  delivered. 

EDWAED  H.  DOUGIIEBTY. 
November  19,  1863.  -s 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  urgent  protests  of  the  supervising  architect  of  the 
Treasury  building,  against  the  mutilation  of  the  edifice,  were  always  met  by  S. 
M.  Clark,  who  claimed  that  the  design  was  to  delay  the  currency  issues. 


284  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

And  should  the  Hon.  Secretary  decide,  as  I  trust  he  will,  that  a  full  in 
vestigation  of  this  subject  shall  be  made  before  the  proper  tribunal,  it  will  be 
clearly  shown,  by  witnesses  now  indisposed  to  testify,  for  reasons  set  forth 
herein,  that  S.  M.  Clark  is,  or  has  been,  a  party  pecuniarily  interested  in  the 
final  success  of  Stuart  Gwynn's  operations  in  connection  with  the  Treasury 
Department.  ^ 

What  is  it  that  received  the  entire  sanction  and  protection  of  S.  M.  Clark? 
A  system  of  dry  plate  printing,  requiring  hydraulic  presses  in  large  numbers; 
many  of  these  presses  have  been  in  the  rooms  assigned  to  them  for  months 
past.  Out  of  seventy  or  eighty  presses,  only  six  are  now  or  have  been  in 
operation,  printing  an  average  of  seventy -five  impressions  daily,  each,  instead 
of  over  fourteen  hundred  each,  as  claimed  for  them  by  Gwynn.  As  early  as 
October  15,  1863,  we  find  Stuart  Gwynn  telegraphing  to  the  manufacturers, 
as  follows : 

WASHINGTON,  October  15, 1868. 
Messrs.  POOLE  &  HUNT,  engineers,  Baltimore : — 

Two  more  press  cylinders  burst  last  night.  What  is  wrong?  Is  the  iron 
bad  ?  Answer  by  telegram. 

S.  GWYNN. 

Showing  the  liability  of  the  presses  to  break  down  was  clearly  understood 
at  that  early  date. 

I  have  not  had  facilities  for  ascertaining  the  total  amount  of  money  ex 
pended  by  Gwynn  in  his  various  operations;  but,  independent  of  the  original 
cost  of  presses,  many  of  which  have  been  paid  for,  there  has  been  expended 
at  least  seventy-five  thousand  dollars  in  various  ways,  made  necessary  by  the 
introduction  of  the  hydraulic  press. 

And  still  the  subject  is  being  pursued,  and  this,  too,  by  the  superintendent 
charged  with  the  great  responsibility  of  promptly  and  faithfully  supplying  the 
country  with  currency  for  daily  circulation. 

Stuart  Gwynn  was  arrested,  and  S.  M.  Clark  takes  hold  of  his  plans  and 
projects  just  where  he  left  off.  And  although  he  has  stated  to  me  and  others 
that  these  presses  will  not  work — that  they  must  continue  to  break  down,  one 
after  the  other,  as  they  have  done  heretofore — yet  he  goes  on  to  perfect  the 
pulley  and  weight  apparatus  outside  the  building,  which  Gwynn  had  com 
menced,  and  even  has  gone  on  to  construct  two  more  such  receivers,  with 
•their  appendages,  at  another  portion  of  the  building. 

This  latter  operation  requires  the  demolition  of  the  brick- work  but  recently 
laid  in  cement,  at  a  great  cost,  and  constituting  the  end  wall  of  the  west  wing 
of  the  extension  as  far  as  completed. 

Surely  it  can  not  be  doubted  that  S.  M.  Clark  has  not  the  public  interest 
and  welfare  as  his  first  object,  in  vipw  of  all  these  facts.  He  has  sanctioned, 
and  is  now  protecting,  the  perpetration  of  the  grossest  follies,  which  are  crim 
inal  when  the  expenditure  of  public  moneys  is  involved. 

From  the  full  and  careful  investigation  of  the  entire  subject,  which  has 
claimed  my  attention  for  nearly  three  months  past,  I  am  convinced,  beyond  a 


THE   COMMITTEE   OF  INVESTIGATION.  285 

doubt,  of  the  entire  and  utter  failure  of  the  plans  and  projects  of  Stuart  Gwynn 
in  connection  with  the  Currency  Bureau. 

Sooner  or  later  this  will  be  demonstrated  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  con 
cerned.  That  the  whole  business  has  not  long  ago  exploded,  and  Stuart 
Gwynn  permitted  to  pursue  his  railroad,  telegraph,  and  Hoosic  tunnel  engage 
ments,  is  owing  entirely  to  the  interference  of  S.  M.  Clark,  in  his  official 
capacity,  who,  having  the  entire  confidence  of  the  Hon.  Secretary  here 
tofore,  has  had  every  facility  to  apologize  for  the  delays  and  shortcomings  of 
Gwynn. 

And,  in  concluding  this  report,  I  here  desire  to  record  my  conviction  that 
Stuart  Gwynn,  as  a  principal,  and  S.  M.  Clark,  as  his  confederate,  have  been 
and  are  now  engaged  in  one  of  the  most  deliberate  and  barefaced  attempts  to 
perfect  an  idea  or  invention  at  the  expense  of  the  public,  and  for  their  own 
benefit,  that  the  records  of  the  Government  can  furnish.  And  I  do  not  believe 
there  could  be  found  a  grand  jury  in  the  country  who  would  hesitate  to  indict 
Stuart  Gwynn  and  S.  M.  Clark  for  conspiracy  to  defraud  the  Government, 
•with  the  facts  before  them  which  are  clearly  set  forth  in  this  report  and  the 
documents  referred  to  accompanying  it. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKEE, 

Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  War  Department. 
Hon.  EDWARD  JORDAN, 

Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  Department. 

To  the  above,  the  Solicitor  returned  an  order  in  the  usual 
form,  requiring  me  to  place  Mr.  Gwynn  in  the  Old  Capitol 
prison.  These  investigations,  although  but  little  known  to 
the  public,  had  awakened  an  intense  curiosity  to  get  further 
light  on  the  mysterious  subject.  Congress  had  heard  rumors 
of  what  had  transpired,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  April,  1864, 
the  Hon.  James  Brooks,  M.  C.,  in  a  bold  and  manly  speech, 
denounced  in  unsparing  terms  ihe  immoralities  and  fraudulent 
transactions  in  the  Treasury  ^Department.  The  result  was, 
the  introduction,  April  30,  of  a  resolution  calling  for  a  Con 
gressional  committee  of  investigation. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Brooks  and  myself,  it  is  well  known,  had 
no  sympathy,  and  also  that  his  party  were  in  the  decided 
minority.  But  I  then  believed,  and  still  believe,  that  he 
was  moved  by  an  honest  and  commendable  motive — to  have 
the  truth  discovered  in  regard  to  the  alleged  wrongs.  When 
the  appointment  of  the  committee  was  announced,  I  was 
often  cautioned  by  my  Republican  friends  not  to  proceed, 
and  denounced  for  my  persistence  in  pushing  the  investiga- 


286  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

tion.  I  was  told  that,  however  authentic  the  disclosures, 
and  even  if  proved  legally,  it  would  injure  seriously  men  in 
high  official  relations ;  that  I  was  endangering  the  credit  of 
the  country  ;  that  the  administration  and  dominant  party 
would  suffer  in  the  approaching  presidential  campaign. 

1  i  What ! ' '  exclaimed  a  prominent  politician,  4 '  do  you 
wish  to  furnish  arguments  for  copperhead  stump  orators 
against  our  party  ?" 

I  answered  :  "If  the  success  of  the  Republican  party  and 
its  continuance  in  power  depend  upon  the  suppression  of 
fraud  and  vices  in  its  officers,  some  other  instrument  must  be 
selected  to  aid  in  such  a  burial  of  corruption.  The  investi 
gation  must  go  on." 

When  it  was  evident  that  neither  threats  nor  persuasion 
would  induce  me  to  conceal  the  truth,  resort  was  had  to 
denunciation  and  detraction,  by  certain  Treasury  officials,  in 
which  Mr.  Chase  was  not  silent. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

INVESTIGATIONS   IN   THE    TREASURY    DEPARTMENT. 

The  Bureau  suspected  of  Complicity  with  Bank  Note  Companies — Mr.  Gwynn  in 
the  Old  Capitol  Prison  —  The  Congressional  Committee  call  for  Documents  — 
They  are  produced — Mr.  Clark's  Status — Report 

IT  was  suddenly  found  that  "Colonel  Baker  was  in  the 
interest  of  the  bank  note  companies,  to  break  up  the  printing 
in  their  department,  and  leave  it  to  the  former.  He  had  not 
capacity  to  make  a  proper  investigation." 

The  committee  in  Congress,  however,  was  organized,  and 
I  quote  here  its  first  resolution  :— 

"WASHINGTON,  May  3,  1864. 

The  committee  met  at  11  o'clock,  A.  M.  Present:  Mr.  Garfield,  chairman, 
and  Messrs.  Wilson,  Brooks,  Davis,  Stuart,  Fenton,  Daw  son,  and  Steele. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Brooks — 

Resolved,  That  Colonel  Baker,  provost-marshal  of  the  War  Department, 
be  directed  to  appear  before  the  committee  of  investigation  upon  the  Treasury, 
with  all  papers,  documents,  depositions,  and  all  written  information  of  any 
kind  he  has  respecting  the  printing  or  publication  of  the  public  money,  or  the 
persons  engaged  therein. 

In  response,  I  appeared  before  the  committee,  with  the 
report  which  has  already  been  introduced.  Before  leaving 
the  committee-room,  I  was  satisfied  that  the  committee  was 
composed  in  part  of  gentlemen  who  did  not  believe  the 
allegations  respecting  the  Treasury  Department,  They  at 
tributed  the  rumors  which  had  led  to  the  inquiry,  to  a  desire 
of  Mr.  Brooks  and  others  to  attack  the  administration,  and 
on  my  part,  to  gain  such  notoriety  as  might  follow  the  pub 
licity  of  scandalous  statements,  which  might  have  no  founda 
tion  in  fact. 

To  leave  the  committee  for  awhile    and  go  to  the  Old 


288  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

Capitol  prison,  where  Stuart  Gwynn  was  confined,  I  wrote 
the  subjoined  statement  :— 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  February  3, 1864. 

Honorable  EDWARD  JORDAN,  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  Department : — 

SIB — I  would  respectfully  suggest,  inasmuch  as  it  is  impossible  for  me 
at  this  time,  owing  to  the  great  demand  on  my  time^n  the  numerous  investi 
gations  now  being  carried  on  by  me  in  the  various  departments,  and  the  mass 
of  facts  and  evidence  in  rny  possession,  which  must  necessarily  be  analyzed  and 
arranged  before  a  complete  conclusion  and  satisfactory  report  can  be  made, 
that  Dr.  Gwynn  be  paroled,  not  to  leave  the  District  of  Columbia  until  allowed 
to  do  so  by  the  permission  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

This  communication  is  written  at  the  suggestion  of  Mrs.  Gwynn  and 
other  friends  of  the  Doctor,  who  represent  that  his  health  is  suffering  in  con 
sequence  of  his  continued  confinement. 

I  would  further  state,  that  certain  developments  are  daily  being  made,  in 
addition  to  facts  already  known  and  proved,  showing  conclusively  Dr.  Gwyim's 
participation  in  fraudulent  transactions  in  the  Treasury  Department.  I  think 
the  interests  of  the  Government  will  not  suffer  by  allowing  Dr,  G.  to  be  dis 
charged  on  his  "parole." 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

The  above  was  returned,  as  not  sufficiently  definite  in 
character ;  in  other  words,  I  was  to  be  responsible  for  all 
arrests  made,  Mr.  Jordan  denying  that  he  gave  any  authori 
ty  for  Gwynn' s  arrest,  consequently  was  unwilling  to  re 
lease  him. 

I  made  the  following  indorsement  on  my  communication 
to  Mr.  Jordan,  of  February  3,  and  sent  it  back  to  him  :— 

WASHINGTON  CITY.  D.  C.,  February  4,  1864. 

On  further  consideration  of  the  matter  referred  to  within,  I  am  convinced 
that  the  interests  of  the  Government  will  not  be  jeopardized  by  allowing  Dr. 
Gwynn  to  be  released  without  requiring  the  usual  parole  in  such  cases  the 
Government  having  in  its  possession  ample  security  for  his  appearance  whea 

wanted. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

Dr.  Gwynn  was  set  at  liberty,  by  Mr.  Jordan's  order, 
the  succeeding  day. 

I  was  now  fully  satisfied,  as  it  subsequently  appeared, 
that  Mr.  Chase,  through  Solicitor  Jordan,  would  not  only 
attack  my  official  acts  in  this  department,  but  would  assist 


A   COMMUNICATION— REPORT.  289 

(as  he  did)  to  embarrass  my  efforts  and  assail  my  official 
character,  by  all  means  available,  before  the  committee.  To 
fortify  my  position  more,  I  will  here  remark,  that  the  course 
of  Solicitor  Jordan,  and  others  referred  to,  will  hereafter  be 
further  noticed. 

The  next  communication  is  in  reply  to  a  call  by  the  com 
mittee,  on  the  War  Department,  for  certain  documents  : — 

WASHINGTON  CITT,  May  23,  1S64. 

SIR — I  am  instructed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  communication  of  the  20th  instant,  asking  that  the  special  committee 
to  inquire  into  matters  pertaining  to  the  Treasury  Department  may  be  fur 
nished  with  copies  of  "all  orders  or  instructions  under  which  Colonel  Baker 
was  detailed  to  investigate  into  matters  belonging  to  the  Treasury  Depart 
ment,"  and  to  transmit,  in  accordance  with  the  above  request,  the  inclosed 
paper,  which  contains  all  the  information  to  be  found  on  the  files  of  this  de 
partment  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  your  inquiry. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

JAS.  A.  HARDIE, 
Colonel,  and  Inspector-General. 
Tnos.  F.  ANDREWS,  Esq.,  Clerk  to  Committee. 

The  documents  were  furnished,  when  a  similar  request 
was  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to  which 
the  report,  at  considerable  length,  was  the  response  : — 

Appendix  U. 

TBKASUEY  DEPARTMENT,  May  30,  1864. 

SIR — I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  20th  instant,  transmitting  a  copy  of 
a  resolution  of  your  committee,  requesting  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  send 
to  the  committee  "  all  orders,  or  instructions,  or  directions,  or  requests  of  any 
kind,  under  which  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker  was  asked  for  or  detailed  to  investi 
gate  matters  belonging  to  the  Treasury  Department,  whether  these  papers  be 
confidential  or  otherwise." 

I  transmit  herewith  a  copy  of  a  communication  addressed  by  me  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  on  the  24th  December,  1863,  requesting  him  to  direct  Col 
onel  Baker  to  make  such  investigations  and  arrests,  and  exercise  such  custody 
of  persons  arrested,  as  I  might  find  needful  for  the  detection  and  punishment 
of  frauds  on  the  Government,  committed  by  persons  in  this  department. 

Upon  this  request,  Colonel  Baker  was  detailed  for  the  service  in  question, 
and  directed  to  act  under  the  instructions  of  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury,  to 
whom  the  matter  was  confided. 

I  understand,  from  the  Solicitor,  that  on  the  day  after  the  arrest  of  Dr. 
Gwynn  by  Colonel  Baker,  he  addressed  an  order  to  the  latter  authorizing  him 
to  confine  Dr.  Gwynn  in  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  and  that  subsequently  he  ad- 
19 


290  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

dressed  to  him  another  communication,  consenting  to  his  release  therefrom. 
The  Solicitor  informs  me  that  he  has  no  copy  of  either  of  these  communica 
tions. 

I  am  not  aware  of  any  other  papers  touching  the  matter  referred  to. 
I  am,  very  respectfully, 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
Hon.  JAMES  A.  GARFIELD, 

House  of  Representatives. 

The  next  communication  which  I  find,  is  respecting  the 
case  of  Mr.  Henderson,  to  whom  reference  has  been  made, 
and  who  was  accused  of  receiving  bribes  while  chief  clerk 
in  the  Kequisition  Office : — 

WASHINGTON,  March  18,  1SG4. 

Hon.  EDWARD  JORDAN,  Solicitor  of  Treasury  Department : — 

SIR — Herewith  I  have  the  honor  to  forward  report  in  the  case  of  G.  A. 
Henderson,  recently  arrested  and  paroled  by  your  order. 

The  facts  and  proofs  developed,  so  far  as  my  investigations  are  concerned, 
are  to  a  great  extent  circumstantial.  The  surveillance  established  over  Mr. 
Henderson,  by  my  direction,  previous  to  his  arrest,  would  seem  to  show  that 
Mr.  H.,  by  some  means  unknown  to  me,  was  not  only  aware  of  such  surveil 
lance,  but  was  well  posted  as  to  all  my  movements.  As  a  proof  of  this  I  sub 
mit  the  following  copy  of  a  letter  left  by  a  colored  boy  at  his  (Henderson's) 
house,  which  letter  was  found  by  myself,  underneath  the  door  of  his  house, 
some  days  after  I  began  my  investigations. 

[COPY  OF  LETTER.] 

"WASHINGTON,  Sunday^  4  o'clock. 

"  Guss — Don't  fail  to  act  the  moment  you  receive  this.  Mr.  Chase  has 
ordered  your  arrest.  I  have  seen  the  papers.  Colonel  B.  will  certainly  arrest 
you  within  forty-eight  hours.  For  God's  sake,  Guss,  never  let  this  happen. 
•.  You  do  not  know  the  movements  now  on  foot ;  Cornwell  was  but  the  begin 
ning.  Guss,  as  you  value  your  liberty,  don't  suffer  yourself  to  be  arrested. 
Cht.  General  S.  Field  and  others  have  been  the  prime  movers.  I  have  been 
consulted,  and  know  all  of  the  plans,  but  am  not  suspected.  You  are  not 
watched  to-day.  Get  a  horse  and  buggy  after  dark  to-night,  and  go  to  Rock- 
ville.  You  will  meet  a  friend  this  side  of  the  village,  who  will  tell  you  all. 
When  you  read  this  burn  it.  Guss,  this  is  not  idle  talk.  For  God's  sake, 

heed  it. 

YOUR  FRIEND. 

No  positive  or  definite  proof  has  as  yet  been  discovered  as  to  who  the 
writer  of  this  letter  is. 

Feeling  the  importance  of  allowing  Mr.  II.  to  hold  no  communication  with 
those  persons  alleged  to  have  paid  him  various  sums  of  money  for  passing 


MR.  HENDERSON— AFFIDAVITS.  291 

warrants  through  the  department  illegitimately  or  irregularly,  I  advised  Mr. 
Field,  the  Assistant  Secretary,  not  to  grant  him  a  leave  of  absence.  Such 
leave  of  absence  was,  however,  granted,  and  during  the  time  that  Mr.  H.  was 
in  New  York,  he  was  in  daily  communication  with  the  very  individuals  from 
whom  he  admits  having  received  some  eight  hundred  dollars  for  services 
rendered. 

I  endeavored,  by  all  means  in  my  power,  to  obtain  from  William  A.  Seaver, 
one  of  the  persons  referred  to  as  being  in  daily  communication  with  Mr. 
H.,  a  sworn  statement  of  his  transactions  with  Henderson,  after  repeated 
promises  on  his  (Seaver's)  part  that  he  would  do  so.  He  finally  declined 
altogether;  but  admitted  to  me,  in  presence  of  his  counsel,  Mr.  John  Develin, 
that  he  paid  Henderson  large  sums  of  money  in  certain  business  transactions, 
not  naming  the  nature  of  said  transactions.  It  will  be  seen  by  Mr.  Hender 
son's  statement,  a  copy  of  which  is  forwarded  with  this  report,  that  he  (H.) 
admits  having  received  one  hundred  dollars  from  a  Mr.  Hunter,  of  Phila 
delphia,  but  that  he  donated  the  same  to  some  benevolent  institution,  the 
name  of  which  he  has  forgotten. 

I  regret  that  there  were  no  means  at  my  disposal  to  compel  the  attendance 
of  witnesses,  whom  I  am  confident  would  have  testified  to  the  following 
facts : — 

1st.  That  Henderson  did  receive  from  W.  A.  Seaver  a  sum  of  money,  for 
the  improper  passage  of  warrants. 

2d.  That  Henderson  received  from  Mr.  William  Hunter,  of  Philadelphia, 
one  hundred  dollars,  in  consideration  of  which  he  (H.)  passed  a  claim  for  six 
teen  thousand  dollars.  An  examination  of  the  books  in  Mr.  H.'s  office  will 
show  that  said  claim  was  preferred  to  many  others  then  on  file ;  and  further, 
that  there  was  no  order  requiring  Mr.  H.  to  prefer  Mr.  Hunter's  claim. 

3d.  That  the  warrant-books  in  Mr.  Henderson's  office  show  that  a  very 
large  amount  of  preferred  warrants,  or  claims,  have  been  improperly  passed 
by  Henderson.  In  order  to  a  full  investigation  of  the  case,  I  would  respect 
fully  recommend  that  the  United  States  District- Attorney  for  this  district  b« 
instructed  to  call  before  the  Grand  Jury  the  following  named  witnesses: 
Charles  Secor  and  W.  A.  Seaver,  New  York ;  Wm.  Hunter,  Philadelphia; 
Messrs.  Baldwin,  Saviile,  McCarty,  and  West. 

Previous  to  the  investigation  of  the  committee,  I  for 
warded  a  number  of  affidavits,  with  the  subjoined  report,  to 
the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  : — 

WASHINGTON,  April  IS,  1S64 

Hon.  EDWARD  JORDAN,  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  Department : — . 

SIR — On  the  1st  instant  I  had  the  honor  to  forward  you  a  report  in  the 
case  of  Stuart  G-wynn.  In  that  report,  I  found  it  necessary  to  refer  to,  and 
comment  somewhat  severely  upon,  the  official  conduct  and  character  of  Mr. 
S.  M.  Clark,  Superintendent  of  Currency  Bureau.  I  now  desire  to  call  your 
attention  to  certain  facts,  involving  not  only  the  official  character  and  conduct 
of  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark,  but  his  moral  and  social  position.  I  challenge  the  records 


292  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  any  department  or  bureau  ever  organized  under  our  Government  to  show 
such  a  system  of  gross  immorality,  such  a  total  disregard  for  even  the  most 
common  or  ordinary  respect  for  decency,  as  is  most  conclusively  and  over 
whelmingly  shown  by  the  affidavits  accompanying  this  communication.  These 
depositions,  however,  constitute  but  a  small  portion  of  the  great  mass  of  tes 
timony  on  this  subject,  which  has  accumulated  within  the  past  few  days. 

For  months  past  the  conduct  of  S.  M.  Clark,  in  connection  with  certain 
female  employees  of  his  department,  has  been  the  subject  of  street  and  bar 
room  gossip  of  this  city,  and  it  was  only  after  most  patient  and  energetic 
investigations,  that  the  testimony  accompanying  this  communication  was  so 
obtained. 

An  old  established  rule  of  the  Treasury  requires  that  the  names  of  all 
persons,  both  male  and  female,  passing  in  or  out  of  the  Treasury  building 
after  certain  hours,  shall  be  registered  by  the  door-keeper.  Mr.  Clark,  how 
ever,  countermanded  the  order,  so  far  as  it  applied  to  female  employees. 

The  reason  for  Mr.  Clark's  interference  in  this  matter  will  be  fully  under 
stood  by  a  careful  reading  of  the  deposition  referred  to.  I  desire  to  state, 
that  no  undue  or  improper  influences  have  been  used  in  procuring  the  sworn 
statements  of  the  female  employees.  On  arrival  at  my  office,  they  willingly 
and  voluntarily  made  the  respective  affidavits  to  which  their  signatures  are 
appended. 

With  this  very  brief  statement,  and  accompanying  papers,  I  leave  the  case 
of  Mr.  Clark  in  your  hands,  feeling  confident  that,  when  you  have  fully  ex 
amined  the  subject,  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark  will  be  summarily,  dishonorably,  and 
disgracefully  dismissed  from  the  department. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  0.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

STARTLING    DISCLOSURES   IN   THE   TREASURY   DEPARTMENT. 

Miss  Ella  Jackson's  Affidavit — Miss  Jennie  Germon — Mr.  Spurgeon  and  others — 
Correspondence  with  Mr.  Garfield,  Chairman  of  Congressional  Committee — 
Minority  Report — Concluding  Statements. 

I  NOW  furnish  the  damaging  affidavits  in  regard  to  Mr. 
Clark's  moral  character,  with  my  own  statement  of  facts  :— 

From  the  Documents  appended  to  the  Official  Report  of  Colonel  Provost- 
Marshal  Baker,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  (Mr.  Chase),  upon  th* 
Printing  of  the  Public  Money  in  Washington. 

[Copy.] 
Statement  of  Miss  Ella  JacJcson. 

WASHINGTON,  April  9, 1864. 

My  name  is  Ella  Jackson.  I  was  originally  from  Baltimore,  Maryland ; 
am  eighteen  years  of  age.  I  went  to  work  in  the  Treasury  Department  on 
the  5th  November,  1862.  I  procured  my  situation  through  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Kellog,  M.  0.  from  Michigan.  I  have  worked  in  various  rooms  in  the  de 
partment  ;  am  at  present  in  the  numbering-room,  where  I  have  been  about 
six  months.  I  know  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark,  Superintendent  of  Currency  Bureau.  I 
also  know  Mr.  G.  A.  Henderson. 

Some  time  last  fall,  I  think  in  September,  I  had  a  conversation  with  Mr. 
S.  M.  Clark  and  Mr.  Henderson,  in  relation  to  them  (Clark  and  Henderson) 
procuring1  two  suits  of  boy's  clothes — one  suit  for  myself,  and  the  other  for  a 
girl  named  Jennie  Germon,  who  was  then  working  in  the  Currency  Bureau. 
Clark  and  Henderson  were  to  furnish  the  male  suits,  and  Jennie  Germon  and 
myself  were  to  put  them  on  and  accompany  them  (Clark  and  Henderson)  to  the 
Canterbury,  a  place  of  amusement  in  this  city,  where  females  are  not  allowed, 
owing  to  the  nature  of  the  exhibitions  or  plays  usually  in  vogue  at  that  place 
of  amusement.  On  the  evening  agreed  upon  between  Mr.  Clark,  Henderson, 
Miss  Germon,  and  myself  to  attend  the  Canterbury,  as  stated  above,  Mr. 
Henderson  sent  me  a  note  written  in  pencil,  in  which  he  stated,  as  near  as  I 
can  recollect,  that  the  suit  could  not  be  obtained  that  night,  but  would  be  all 
ready  by  Monday  noon ;  that  C.  could  not  go  that  evening  to  the  Canterbury, 
but  would  join  us  during  the  evening  and  go  to  supper.  That  the  carriage 


294  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

•would  stop  at  our  door  at  seven  o'clock,  and  we,  Jennie  Germon  and  myself, 
should  come  down  alone  and  get  into  the  carriage. 

This  letter  was  signed,  I  think,  H.  Mr.  Henderson  did  call  at  seven  o'clock, 
as  arranged.  We  went  down,  got  in  and  drove  to  Georgetown,  back  to  the 
Capitol,  and  stopped  at  the  corner  of  First  Street  and  the  Avenue,  got  out 
and  walked  to  the  Buhler  restaurant,  where  we  ibqpd  Mr.  Clark  in  waiting. 
We  all  had  supper,  which  occupied  nearly  two  hours.  Messrs.  Clark,  Hen 
derson,  Jennie  Germon,  and  myself,  then  went  direct  to  the  Central  Hotel, 
corner  of  Sixth  Street  and  the  Avenue.  Mr.  Clark  and  Henderson  went  in 
and  registered  names  on  the  hotel  register.  I  do  not  know  what  names  were 
registered.  Jennie  Germon  and  Mr.  Clark  occupied  a  front  room ;  I  think, 
the  fourth  floor.  Mr.  Henderson  and  myself  occupied  the  next  room  adjoin 
ing.  We  all  remained  until  about  three  o'clock,  when  Mr.  Henderson  got  up 
and  stated  that  he  was  going  home.  Mr.  Clark,  Miss  Germon,  and  myself, 
between  eight  and  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  went  to  the  Buhler  restaurant, 
where  we  all  got  breakfast;  came  down  stairs;  Mr.  C.  left  us  at  the  door, 
and  went  away,  and  we  went  home.  Miss  Germon  was  then  employed  in 
the  press  division  in  Mr.  Clark's  bureau.  Miss  Germon  was  not  discharged 
by  Mr.  Clark,  but  left  of  her  own  accord,  as  she  was  about  to  be  married. 
Some  time  in  the  month  of  December,  1863,  Mr.  Henderson  first  mentioned 
to  me  the  plan  of  going  to  Philadelphia.  After  Mr.  Henderson  mentioned 
the  matter  to  me,  I  spoke  to  Laura  Duvall  about  it;  she  was  willing  to  go. 
A  short  time  after  Mr.  Henderson  mentioned  the  subject,  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark 
Bpoke  to  me  on  the  subject,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  willing  to  go.  I  replied, 
yes.  Afterward,  Clark,  Henderson,  Laura  Duvall,  and  myself,  consulted  to 
gether,  and  agreed  to  all  go  on  the  following  Saturday.  Miss  Duvall  and 
myself  were  to  go  on  the  three  o'clock,  p.  M.,  train,  and  Clark  and  Henderson 
were  to  follow  in  the  next  train.  Miss  Duvall  and  myself  went  down  to  the 
depot,  but  found,  on  inquiry,  there  was  no  three  o'clock  train,  and  at  once 
returned  to  our  house,  No.  276  Pennsylvania  Avenue.  Miss  Duvall  then 
wrote  a  note  to  Mr.  Clark  at  the  Department,  and  sent  it  by  a  boy  named 
Willie,  who  lives  at  my  house.  After  the  boy  had  delivered  Miss  DuvallV 
letter,  I  sent  one  to  Mr.  Clark  by  the  same  boy,  stating  there  was  no  three 
o'clock  train,  but  that  Miss  Duvall  and  myself  would  leave  in  the  five  o'clock 
train.  Mr.  Clark  sent  back  a  reply  to  my  note  by  the  boy  referred  to,  telling 
us  to  go  on,  and  that  he  and  H.  would  follow  by  the  next  train.  Miss  Duva-11 
and  myself  took  the  five  o'clock  train.  On  our  arrival  in  Philadelphia,  we 
went  to  the  Continental  Hotel,  and  registered  our  names,  Miss  Duvall  and 
Miss  Percival.  I  did  not  like  to  register  my  own  name,  as  I  had  relations 
residing  in  Philadelphia.  I  do  not  recollect  the  number  of  the  rooms  we 
occupied.  We  had  no  baggage,  in  consequence  of  which  the  clerk  asked 
for  our  bills  in  advance ;  which  request  we  complied  with.  Mr.  Clark  did 
not  arrive  until  morning,  owing  to  a  delay  on  the  road.  Mr.  Henderson  did 
not  come  on,  owing  to  the  arrival  of  some  of  his  friends  from  Baltimore  that 
evening.  Mr.  Clark  and  Miss  Duvall  occupied  a  room  together  from  about 
ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  until  about  seven  o'clock,  p.  M.  (this  was  on  Sunday).  Mr. 
Clark  went  out.  and  was  absent  until  about  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening, 


STATEMENTS  OF  MISSES  JACKSON  AND  GERMON.       295 

when  he  returned.  Mr.  Clark,  Miss  Duvall,  and  myself,  were  all  in  the  same 
room,  until  about  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  when  we  all  went  to  the  depot  together. 
We  left  Philadelphia,  I  think,  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  arrived  in  Washington 
about  six  o'clock,  A.  M. 

I  have  frequently  worked  at  the  Department  late  at  night;  have  also 
worked  on  Sunday,  when  Mr.  Clark  asked  me  to  do  so.  Clark  has  very 
often  asked  the  two  Miss  Duvalls  and  myself  to  drink  ale  in  his  private 
office;  this  has  usually  been  done  after  eleven  or  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  I 
don't  think  I  ever  drank  more  than  two  glasses  at  a  time  in  Mr.  Clark's 
room.  Don't  think  I  was  ever  drunk  in  the  Department.  In  the  conversa 
tion  I  had  with  Mr.  Clark  and  Henderson  about  going  to  the  Canterbury  in 
male  attire,  both  Mr.  Clark  and  Henderson  informed  me  that  they  had  seen 
Mr.  Sinn,  the  proprietor,  and  made  an  arrangement  for  a  private  box.  I  was 
confident  I  could  carry  out  my  part  of  the  programme. 

In  making  this  statement,  I  desire  to  say,  that  I  have  not  done  so  under 
any  threat,  intimidation,  or  promise,  of  any  kind  or  nature  whatsoever ;  but 
knowing  that  I  have  done  wrong,  and  have  acted  very  imprudently  both 
with  Mr.  Clark  and  Henderson,  I  desire  to  give  a  truthful  and  open  statement 
of  all  my  intrigues  and  improprieties  with  the  gentlemen  alluded  to. 

E.  JACKSON. 

On  this  9th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1864,  personally  appeared  before  me  Ella 
Jackson,  who,  being  duly  sworn,  on  her  oath  said:  That  the  foregoing  state 
ment  she  had  heard  read,  and  knew  the  contents  thereof;  that  all  the  state 
ments  therein  contained  are  true,  of  her  own  knowledge  ;  that  they  are  made 
freely  on  her  part,  without  fear  or  threat,  or  promise  of  reward  or  favor  of 
any  kind  whatsoever. 

A.  G.  LAWRENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  EE. 

Statement  of  Miss  Jennie  German. 

WASHINGTON,  April  12, 1864. 

My  name  is  Jennie  Germon.  I  have  been  employed  in  the  National  Cur 
rency  Bureau  since  it  first  went  into  operation.  I  think  I  was  the  first  lady 
employed  in  that  department.  I  reside  with  my  sister,  Mrs.  Hutton,  at  No. 
556  G  Street,  in  this  city.  I  was  formerly  employed  in  the  Government 
Printing  Office,  but  left  and  went  home  to  my  mother's  to  live.  One  day 
when  I  returned  to  the  house  my  mother  informed  me  that  a  gentleman  named 
Clark,  from  the  Treasury  Department,  had  called  to  see  me ;  that  gentleman 
desired  me  to  call  at  his  office  on  the  following  morning.  I  went  as  desired, 
called  on  Mr.  Clark ;  he  informed  me  that  he  (Mr.  Clark)  wanted  me  to  go  to 
work  for  him  in  his  bureau.  I  went  to  work,  and  worked  until  the  21st  of 
September  last.  I  have  carefully  read  and  heard  read  the  statement  of  Miss 
Ella  Jackson,  in  reference  to  Messrs.  Clark  and  Henderson  making  an  engage 
ment  with  Miss  Jackson  and  myself  to  attend  the  Canterbury  in  male  attire, 
also  in  rektion  to  going  to  the  Central  Hotel.  I  further  positively  swear  that 


296  UNITED   STATES    SECRET   SERVICE. 

all  that  portion  of  Miss  Jackson's  statement  referring  to  rae  is  true  in  every 
particular. 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  May  or  June  last,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect, 
and  just  after  I  had  recovered  from  a  severe  fit  of  sickness,  which  kept  me 
from  the  Department  for  nearly  six  weeks,  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark  came  to  me  in  the 
office,  and  asked  me  to  come  to  his  private  residence,  at  the  same  time  inform 
ing  me  that  his  (Clark's)  wife  was  in  the  country,  t  did  not  at  first  comply 
with  his  request.  On  the  next  Saturday  night,  I  do  not  recollect  the  day  of 
the  month,  I  went  to  Mr.  Clark's  house  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  he 
(Mr.  Clark)  having  given  me  his  address,  and  also  described  the  house.  When 
I  arrived,  I  found  Mr.  Clark  at  supper.  Mr.  Clark  and  myself  occupied  the 
same  room  until  morning.  I  left  Mr.  Clark's  house  about  seven  or  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  saw  but  one  servant  at  Mr.  Clark's  house,  and  she 
was  a  colored  woman.  The  room  we  occupied  was  a  second  story  back  room, 
the  same  occupied  by  Mr.  Clark  and  his  wife  when  she  (Mrs.  Clark)  was  at 
home.  About  two  weeks  after  my  first  visit  to  Mr.  Clark's  house,  he  (Mr. 
Clark)  again  asked  me  to  go  to  his  house  and  spend  another  evening  with 
him  ;  this  request  I  complied  with.  I  recollect  distinctly  a  conversation  I  had 
with  Mr.  Clark.  He  said  his  (Clark's)  wife  was  very  jealous,  and  at  one  time 
told  him  (Clark)  that  she  (Mrs.  Clark)  believed  that  the  Treasury  Department 
was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  house  of  ill-fame. 

Mr.  Clark  has  been  invariably  very  kind.  Soon  after  my  marriage  I  sent 
Mr.  Clark  a  note,  asking  him  to  send  me  some  money ;  he  did  send  me,  I 
think,  eight  dollars. 

On  another  occasion  that  I  recollect,  Mr.  Clark  has  paid  me  as  high  as 
forty  dollars;  these  amounts  were  independent  of  my  wages  earned  in  the 
Department. 

I  desire  to  state  that  I  have  made  this  statement  voluntarily,  without  fear, 
or  promise  of  reward  of  any  kind  or  nature  whatsoever;  but,  rather  than  for 
swear  myself,  I  freely  confess  my  shame  and  disgrace,  trusting  that  no 
publicity  will  be  given  to  my  statement. 

JENNIE  GEKMON. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  this  12th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1864. 

A.  G.  LAWRENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  FF. 

Statement  of  Miss  Laura  Duvall. 

WASHINGTON,  April  9, 1864. 

1  am  eighteen  years  old ;  I  reside  with  my  mother  at  332  G  Street,  in  this 
city.  I  have  worked  in  the  Treasury  Department  since  the  18th  of  Novem 
ber,  1863.  I  procured  the  position  on  a  letter  written  by  Mayor  Wallach,  of 
this  city,  to  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark,  Superintendent  of  Currency  Bureau.  When  I 
first  went  to  work  in  the  Department,  Mr.  Clark  put  me  up  stairs  in  the  press 
room  in  Mr.  Neal's  department.  I  remained  there  but  two  weeks,  when  Mr. 
Clark  put  me  down  stairs  in  the  numbering-room.  In  this  room  I  first  made 


STATEMENTS  OF  MISSES  DUVALL  AND  THOMPSON.      297 

the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Ella  Jackson,  who  was  in  the  same  department.  Mr. 
Clark  first  introduced  me  to  Miss  Jackson.  Some  time  last  fall  or  winter  an 
arrangement  was  made  between  Mr.  Clark,  Miss  Jackson,  and  myself  to  go  to 
Philadelphia.  It  was  understood  that  Miss  Jackson  and  myself  were  to  go  oil 
in  the  three  o'clock  train.  We  went  to  the  depot,  hut  found  that  there  was 
no  three  o'clock  train,  and  came  back  to  Miss  Jackson's  room,  No.  276  Penn 
sylvania  Avenue.  Miss  Jackson  wrote  something  on  a  card,  and  sent  it  to 
the  Treasury  Department  by  a  boy.  Miss  Jackson  and  myself  took  the  five 
o'clock  train  for  Philadelphia,  and  on  our  arrival  there  went  to  the  Continen 
tal  Hotel,  in  accordance  with  the  previous  arrangement  made  with  Mr.  Clark. 
Mr.  Clark,  it  was  understood,  would  follow  in  the  next  train.  He  did  not 
arrive  at  the  Continental  Hotel  until  about  nine  o'clock  the  next  day  (Sun 
day).  On  Sunday  evening,  at  eleven  o'clock,  we  all  left  Philadelphia  for 
Washington,  where  we  arrived  on  Monday  morning,  about  six  o'clock,  A.  M. 

I  desire  to  state  that  I  have  not  made  this  statement  under  any  threat, 
intimidation,  or  promise,  but  have  done  so  voluntarily,  with  my  own  free  will 
and  accord. 

LAURA  DUVALL. 

On  this  9th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1864,  personally  appeared  before  me  Laura 
Duvall,  who,  being  duly  sworn  on  her  oath,  said:  That  the  foregoing  state 
ment  she  had  heard  read,  and  knew  the  contents  thereof;  that  all  the  state 
ments  therein  contained  are  true  of  her  own  knowledge;  that  they  are  made 
freely,  on  her  part,  without  fear  or  threat,  or  promise  of  reward  or  favor  of 
any  kind  whatsoever. 

A.  G.  LAWRENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  GG. 
Statement  of  Miss  Ada  Thompson. 

I  am  an  actress  by  profession ;  my  residence  is  at  276  Pennsylvania 
Avenue.  I  first  became  acquainted  with  Miss  Jackson,  I  think,  on  the  12th 
of  September  last,  when  I  took  rooms  at  No.  276  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  as 
stated  above.  On  the  20th  of  September  last,  Miss  Jackson  came  to  my  room, 
and,  in  course  of  a  conversation,  she  (Miss  Jackson)  informed  me  that  she  and 
a  girl  named  Jennie  Germon  had  made  an  arrangement  with  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark 
and  J.  A.  Henderson  to  dress  in  male  attire,  and  accompany  them  (Clark  and 
Henderson)  to  the  Canterbury.  Miss  Jackson  asked  me  to  fix  her  hair,  so 
that  she  would  look  like  a  boy.  I  did  not  fix  her  hair.  She  went  to  Madame 
Dubois,  who  informed  her  that  she  could  not  arrange  her  hair  without  cutting 
it.  While  Miss  Jackson  was  at  the  hair-dresser's,  a  note  was  left  at  Miss 
Jackson's  room.  The  note  was  written  in  pencil,  and  signed  H.  Handed 
this  note  to  Miss  Jackson  on  her  return ;  when  she  read  it,  she  remarked  it 
was  from  Henderson.  Miss  Jackson  read  the  note  referred  to  in  my  presence. 
It  stated  that  the  suit  could  not  be  procured  before  Monday ;  that  he,  Hender 
son,  would  call  for  them,  meaning  Miss  Jackson  and  Miss  Germon,  at  seven 
o'clock ;  that  they,  Miss  Jackson  and  Miss  Germon,  should  come  down  and  get 


298  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

into  the  carriage,  and  they  would  all  go  where  they  were  to  go  by  some 
previous  arrangement.  The  carriage  called  and  they  all  went  away,  and  did 
not  return  until  the  following  morning.  Shortly  afterward,  Miss  Jackson 
informed  me  that  they  went  to  the  Buhler  restaurant,  met  Mr.  Clark,  had 
supper,  and  then  all  went  to  the  Central  Hotel  and  took  rooms.  That  they 
all,  Mr.  Clark,  Miss  Jackson,  and  Miss  Germon,  got  up  at  about  nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning ;  went  to  the  Buhler  restaurant,  got*  breakfast,  and  then  Mr. 
Clark  went  away,  and  Miss  Jackson  and  Miss  Germon  went  home.  Some 
time,  I  think,  in  December  last,  that  while  I  occupied  a  room  adjoining  Miss 
Jackson's  and  Jennie  Germon's  rooms,  one  morning  about  two  o'clock  I  heard 
a  great  noise  in  their  (Miss  Jackson's  and  Miss  Germon's)  rooms.  On  the 
following  morning,  I  asked  Miss  Jackson  why  there  was  so  much  noise  in  her 
room?  She  replied  that  Clark  and  Henderson  came  home  with  her  and  Miss 
Germon  about  two  o'clock,  and  they  had  all  (meaning  Clark,  Henderson,  Miss 
Germon  arid  herself)  had  a  good  time  at  the  office  (meaning  Clark's  private 
office)  in  the  Treasury  Department.  That  they  had  all  been  drinking  ale,  and 
were  drunk.  On  or  about  the  20th  of  December  last,  Miss  Jackson  informed 
me  that  Clark,  Henderson,  Laura  Duvall,  and  herself  had  made  an  arrange 
ment  to  go  to  Philadelphia  on  the  following  Saturday  evening,  viz.,  December 
26.  That  they  (Miss  Duvall  and  Miss  Jackson)  were  to  take  the  three  o'clock 
train,  Clark  and  Henderson  were  to  follow  in  the  next  train.  They  (Miss 
Duvall  and  Jackson)  went  to  the  depot  at  three  o'clock,  but  found  there  was 
no  train  leaving  at  that  time.  They  came  back  to  my  rooms.  I  wrote  a  note 
for  Miss  Jackson  to  Mr.  Clark,  informing  him  that  there  was  no  three  o'clock 
train,  but  that  they  (Miss  Jackson  and  Miss  Duvall)  would  take  the  five  o'clock 
train,  and  asking  them  (Clark  and  Henderson)  to  follow  in  the  next  train. 
Miss  Jackson  received  a  note  from  Mr.  Clark,  by  the  boy  referred  to.  saying, 
"go  on,  and  we  will  follow  you  in  the  next  train."  Miss  Jackson  and  Miss 
Duvall  did  go  on,  and  stopped  at  the  Continental  Hotel.  Henderson  did  not 
go  on,  owing  to  the  arrival  of  some  friends  from  Baltimore.  They  returned 
to  my  house  at  about  six  o'clock  on  Monday  morning.  Miss  Jackson  fre 
quently  informed  rne  that  she  and  other  girls  working  in  the  Currency 
Bureau  have  frequently  drank  ale  in  Mr.  Clark's  private  office.  During  the 
month  of  December  last,  Miss  Jackson  seldom  came  home  before  two  or  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  She  stated  to  me  that  during  these  times  she  did  HOG 
work  later  than  ten  or  eleven  o'clock;  that  the  balance  of  the  time,  to  two 
or  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  she  spent  in  Mr.  Clark's  private  office.  She 
has  often  come  home  very  drunk.  She  told  me  that  Clark  kept  ale  in  his 
private  office,  and  treated  her  and  the  other  girls.  I  have  often  seen  in  Miss 
Jackson's  possession  obscene  books,  pictures,  and  prints,  which  she  (Miss 
Jackson)  informed  me  were  given  her  by  Clark.  She  has  also  frequently 
informed  me  that  whenever  new  girls  applied  for  situations  in  the  Currency 
Bureau,  Clark  would  come  to  her  and  ask  her  to  find  out  all  about  them  ;  that 
she  would  make  the  inquiries,  and  if  she  (Miss  Jackson)  reported  that  she 
thought  they  (the  girls)  could  be  improperly  used  by  Clark,  they  were 
employed. 

I  have  made  the  above  statement  freely,  without  threat,  intimidation,  or 


T.  C.  SPURGEON— DIAPvY   OF  MISS  JACKSON".  399 

promise  of  reward  ;  that  I  consider  it  ray  duty  as  an  honorable  and  loyal 
woman  to  expose  a  system  of  the  grossest  immorality  and  impropriety  prac 
ticed  by  Mr.  Clark  upon  the  female  employees  under  his  charge. 

ADA  THOMPSON. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  this  10th  day  of  April,  1864,  at  Washington, 
D.  C. 

A.  G.  LAWKENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  HH. 
Statement  of  T.  C.  Spurgeon. 

"WASHINGTON,  April  10,  1864. 

I  have  rooms  at  No.  276  Pennsylvania  Avenue.  I  am  a  printer  by  trade; 
work  at  the  job  printing  office  of  Mr.  Polkinhorn,  on  D  Street,  "Washington. 
I  know  Miss  Ella  Jackson  and  Miss  Jennie  Germon;  they  had  rooms  on  the 
same  floor  I  had.  I  have  carefully  read  the  sworn  statement  of  Miss  Ada 
Thompson,  and  certify  to  the  principal  facts  therein  stated.  I  have  heard 
Miss  Jackson  say  that  she  went  to  the  Central  Hotel,  in  this  city,  with 
Clark,  Henderson,  and  Miss  Germon  ;  but  when  Henderson  called  for  them 
(Miss  Jackson  and  Miss  Germon)  to  take  them  to  the  Central  Hotel,  that  a 
strange  man  got  on  the  carriage  behind  and  saw  where  they  went.  I  have 
heard  Miss  Jackson  say  that  the  man  referred  to,  who  followed  the  carriage, 
as  stated  above,  had  a  sister  or  cousin  in  Mr.  Clark's  employ,  but  he  had  some 
time  previous  discharged  her  ;  that  the  man  who  followed  them  said  he  would 
go  to  Clark  the  next  day  and  tell  him  (Clark)  that  if  he  did  not  at  once  take 
his  sister  or  cousin  back  into  his  (Clark's)  employ  he  would  expose  him 
(Clark) ;  that  Clark  did  take  the  girl  referred  to  back  at  once,  arid  that  she 
(the  girl)  is  still  in  Mr.  Clark's  employ.  I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  girl, 
having  never  heard  it  mentioned.  I  also  heard  Miss  Jackson  make  a  state 
ment  concerning  her  trip  to  Philadelphia,  the  substance  of  which  is  stated  in 
Miss  Thompson's  affidavit.  I  have  often  seen  Miss  Ella  Jackson  come  home 
late  at  night,  or  early  in  the  morning,  drunk,  and  have  repeatedly  heard  her 
say  that  she  was  drunk  from  the  effects  of  ale  given  her  by  Clark,  in  his 
private  office,  in  the  Currency  Bureau. 

T.  C.  SPURGEON. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  me  this  tenth  day  of  April,  1864. 

A.  G.  LAWEENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  I  I. 

Correct  copy  of  the  Diary  of  Miss  Ella  Jackson. 

Friday,  January  1,  1864.  It  is  now  the  first  day  of  the  new  year,  clear  and 
beautiful,  but  I  am  not  happy;  every  thing  reminds  me  of  my  dear  mother. 
Oh,  why  did  you  not  take  me  with  you  ?  Took  a  lesson  in  Bianca.  At  night 
took  a  lesson  at  the  office. 

2d.  The  day  is  beautiful,  but  very — oh,  I  am  tired  of  working,  and  am  now 


300  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

suffering  with  a  bad  cough.  It  is  now  eight  o'clock,  and  I  am  working  that 
infernal  membrane  machine.  Had  a  glass  of  ale,  and  went  home  at  half- 
past  twelve. 

3d.  Very  cold,  but  clear ;  sad  day  for  me.  Mr.  English  called,  and  stayed 
three  hours.  Mr.  S.  was  here  in  the  evening.  Oh,  ma,  ma,  why  did  you 
leave  me! 

4th.  Snowing  very  hard  all  day.  Received  $62 ;  worked  at  night ;  took  a 
lesson  in  Medea.  Mr.  T.  gave  me  a  pack  of  cards.  Had  a  glass  of  ale  with 
S.  M.  C. 

5th.  Stopped  snowing ;  felt  badly  all  day ;  the  sun  shone  beautiful  in  the 
afternoon.  Poor  Mr.  C.  went  to  see  Charlotte  Thompson  play  the  Hunch 
back  ;  can  do  better  than  her  myself. 

6th.  Have  a  wretched  headache ;  Frank  gave  me  her  picture ;  worked  at 
night;  took  a  lesson ;  drank  a  glass  of  ale  with  S.  M.  C. ;  got  home  at  one 
o'clock ;  was  very  tired  and  sleepy. 

7th.  Laura  is  sick;  I  am  not  very  well  myself;  worked  at  night;  was 
snowing  when  I  went  home ;  held  a  conversation  with  Captain  Hudson ;  like 
him  very  much  ;  could  like  him  more  ;  but  am  afraid. 

8th.  Still  snowing ;  am  very  sleepy  ;  bought  me  a  pearl-colored  silk ;  saw 
Mr.  English ;  he  is  a  nice  man  ;  the  afternoon  is  beautiful ;  worked  at  night ; 
went  home  with  Emrna  and  staid  all  night. 

9th.  Got  to  the  office  late ;  presented  Mr.  Droughten  with  a and  broke 

down  in  my  speech ;  drank  wine ;  I  could  not  see  the  Captain ;  Captain  Hay 
came  to  see  me  ;  worked  at  night. 

10th.  Arose  at  ten;  dined  at  two;  Captain  Hudson  came  home  with  me 
last  night ;  Mr.  English  was  here ;  went  to  the  concert  with  Captain  Hudson, 
and  liked  him  very  much ;  he  is  sweet. 

llth.  Bought  a  pair  of  kid  gloves;  came  to  the  office  ;  had  an  awful  head 
ache  all  day ;  went  to  the  theater  with  Captain  Hudson  ;  had  supper ;  I  liked 
him  very  much  in  reality,  but  he  is  only  put  on. 

12th.  Feel  badly ;  went  to  Russell's  to  dinner  ;  went  home,  and  heard  some 
thing  that  worries  me  very  much ;  would  that  I  were  dead !  Went  to  the 
office  in  the  morning;  got  home  at  eleven. 

13th.  Feel  very  badly;  oh!  sick — why  do  I  live?  I  am  nearly  crazy; 
went  home  at  twelve;  Captain  II.  came  to  see  me  in  the  evening;  brought 
me  candy  and  grapes.  Oh,  God  !  that  I  were  dead.  , 

14th.  Feel  wretched  both  in  body  and  rnind.  Oh,  God  !  what  a  life  to  lead  ; 
I  am  nearly  mad;  Captain  H.  spent  the  evening  with  me,  and  I  told  him  all; 
Mr.  T.  called  to  see  me ;  I  went  to  bed  at  one  o'clock ;  the  Major  X.  called. 

15th.  Am  worried.  My  God  !  did  any  poor  devil  ever  wish  for  death  as  I 
do?  but  I  suppose  I  must  be  content  to  live;  if  it  were  not  for  the  sins,  I 
would  so  end  my  miserable  existence.  Captain  spent  the  evening  with  me. 

16th.  Am  very  well  indeed ;  went  to  the  theater  with  Phil  to  see  Mrs.  D. 
P.  Bowers  play  Bianca ;  he  came  home  with  me  and  staid  until  three  o'clock. 

17th.  To-day  is  my  birthday;  Iain  18  years  old;  received  a  letter  from 
M.  Raguet,  which  made  me  feel  sad  all  day ;  Phil  spent  the  evening  witli  me; 
lie  is  sweet;  I  am  now  his;  how  long  will  this  happiness  last? 


DIARY   OF  MISS  JACKSON.  301 

18th.  Very  rainy;  saw  Phil  at  the  office ;  he  spent  the  evening  with  me; 
I  love  him,  and  he  says  he  loves  me ;  but  I  doubt  if  he  does  love  long ;  will  it 
last?  God  knows,  if  I  had  my  say  it  would  last  forever  ! 

19th.  Cloudy;  left  the  office  at  two  o'clock;  Phil  came  to  see  me  in  the 
evening ;  took  me  to  the  theater  ;  came  home  and  ....  until  morning ;  God 
knows,  I  love  that  man  dearly. 

20th.  Got  up  at  half-past  seven ;  feel  quite  bright;  received  a  note  from 
Phil ;  how  very  kind  he  is;  I  believe  he  loves  me  ;  he  was  to  see  me  in  the 
evening;  he  was  here  until  .  .  .  .  ;  he  is  sweet;  I  love  him. 

21st.  Got  up  at  seven;  feel  very  well;  Miss  Bull  came  down  to  see  me; 
Phil  invited  me  to  go  to  the  concert ;  I  feel  sad ;  I  cannot  live  without  excite 
ment  ;  Phil  came  about  nine  o'clock ;  staid  .  .  .  .  ;  he  is  sweet. 

22d.  Worked  in  the  office  all  day ;  received  a  note  from  Phil ;  I  love  him ; 
he  came  here  at  night;  he  is  the  only  man  I  love  in  the  world  ;  he  says  he 
loves  me  ;  how  long  will  it  last  ? 

23d.  Did  not  go  to  the  office  to-day ;  Phil  came  in  about  one  o'clock  to  see 
me ;  went  to  the  theater  in  the  evening  with  Phil ;  went  to  Wilkins's,  and  had 
supper. 

24th.  Got  up  at  half-past  ten ;  went  to  sleep  in  the  afternoon ;  Frank  called 
to  see  me ;  felt  sad ;  in  the  evening  dear  Phil  came  and  staid  until  .  .  .  .  ; 
God  knows,  I  do  love  that  man. 

25th.  The  day  is  beautiful ;  Alice  came  to  see  me;  was  vaccinated  ;  went 
to  the  tiieater  with  Phil  to  see  Vestvali ;  he  came  home  and  staid  until  twelve ; 
how  I  hated  him  to  go  ;  it  had  to  be. 

26th.  Feel  like  the  devil ;  left  the  office  at  one  o'clock ;  was  not  able  to 
work ;  Phil  was  here  in  the  evening ;  had  a  very  pleasant  chat ;  Ada  and 
Charley  were  here  until  ten  ;  Phil  staid  .  .  .  .  ;  God!  how  I  love  that  man! 

27tb.  Feel  a  little  better;  am  not  going  to  the  office  to-day;  am  not  able; 
Mr.  T.  was  here  in  the  evening ;  Phil  was  here  until  .  .  .  .  ;  God  bless  him, 
don't  I  love  him  !  he  is  sweet;  I  love  him. 

28th.  Bought  a  pair  of  slices ;  Phil  was  here  of  course  ;  staid  until  .  .  .  . ; 
Great  Heaven  !  how  I  love  that  man. 

29th.  "Was  in  a  good  mood  all  day;  Phil  has  got  a  son.  My  God  !  will  that 
change  his  love  for  me  ?  Went  to  the  soiree;  had  a  very  nice  time ;  he  came 
home  with  me  ;  how  I  do  love  him ! 

30th.  Gloomy  day;  Phil  leaves  to-night;  what  will  I  do  without  him? 
My  darling  has  gone ;  went  to  the  theater  at  night ;  had  the  blues  most  aw 
fully  ;  how  I  do  miss  Phil. 

31st.  Missed  Phil  very  much  ;  how  I  do  love  that  man  !  should  he  cease  to 
like  me,  what  would  become  of  me  ?  God  only  knows  how  dearly  I  love 
him. 

February  1st.  Received  my  money,  $52.  Phil  did  not  come  home  until 
eleven  o'clock ;  bought  a  set  of  coral  jewelry ;  in  the  afternoon  took  dinner  at 
Russell's  ;  took  a  bath  in  the  evening. 

2d.  How  glad  I  am  that  Phil  has  come.  I  did  miss  him  so  much.  We 
went  to  the  theater. 

3d.  Feel  very  well  indeed ;  was  at  the  office  all  day.     Phil  came,  and 


302  UNITED   STATES   oECRET   SERVICE. 

brought  Lieutenant  Waterbury.  Maggie  Duvall  was  here.  "We  had  a  nice 
time. 

4th.  "Was  at  the  office  until  two  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Maggie  and  Lewis 
and  Phil  and  myself  went  to  see  Vestvali.  "We  had  a  box.  Phil  came  home. 

5th.  Was  at  the  office  all  day;  in  the  evening  went  to  the  soiree;  left  at 
twelve ;  was  very  tired. 

6th.  At  the  office  in  the  evening.  Mr.  Teel  came  to  see  me ;  brought  me 
cloth  for  slippers ;  gave  me  a  ticket  to  go  to  Baltimore.  Phil  came  about  nine 
o'clock. 

Vth.  Got  up  at  eleven.  Mr.  Teel  called,  and  brought  me  a  bottle  of  cham 
pagne.  Phil  came  at  eight.  God  knows,  I  do  love  that  man.  How  will  I  give 
him  up  ? 

8th.  Spent  the  day  in  Baltimore ;  saw  Mr.  Ford.  lie  has  promised  me  to 
play;  saw  Mr.  Grover;  left  at  eight.  Phil  met  me  at  the  depot.  He  is 
sweet. 

9th.  Went  to  the  office;  staid  home  all  the  evening. 

10th.  Maggie  was  here  with  Mr.  Williams.  I  don't  like  him.  We  took 
dinner  at  Paissell's. 

llth.  Went  to  office.  Phil  came  to  see  me  in  the  evening.  God  knows,  I 
love  tli at  man. 

12th.  Was  at  the  office;  Maggie  and  L.  were  here.  Phil  came  at  ten,  and 
brought  his  Uncle  Harry.  I  like  him.  Oh,  Phil,  how  I  love  you,  darling! 

13th.  At  the  office.  Maggie  has  gone  to  Philadelphia.  God!  I  hope 
nothing  will  happen  to  the  poor  girl.  Phil  came  in  the  evening.  I  love  him. 

14th.  Got  rp  at  eleven.     Phil  came  back  at  one  ;  staid  until  three. 

15th.  Havj  not  heard  from  Maggie  yet.  Phil  was  here  at  night.  Fannie 
took  the  room. 

16th.  Phil  was  here  at  night.  Oh,  God,  how  I  love  that  man!  Maggie 
has  come  back.  Captain  Hay  brought  me  a  pair  of  tights. 

17th.  Very  cold.     My  darling  came  at  nine  o'clock.     How  I  do  love  him  ! 

18th.  Saw  H.  at  the  office;  had  a  quarrel  with  Phil.  Great  God!  how 
could  I  give  him  up?  What  would  I  do? 

19th.  Saw  H.  at  the  office.  My  darling  watched  me  very  closely.  Does 
he  love  me  as  much  as  lie  pretends?  I  hope  so,  for  I  love  him  dearly.  He 
knows  it. 

20th.  Left  the  office  half-past  one ;  came  home ;  dressed ;  called  on  Miss 

;  could  not  see  her.  Phil  has  been  taking  Mrs.  Clark  to  the  theater.  He 

came  borne  at  twelve. 

21st.  Feel  very  well;  was  weighed  to-day;  weight,  120  pounds. 

22d.  Maggie  called  here ;  have  a  bad  headache. 

23d.  Called  at  Mrs.  Forrest's ;  took  a  walk  with  Maggie ;  had  my  picture 
taken  ;  dinner  at  Russell's.  Phil  was  here  at  night. 

24th.  My  Phil  is  going  away  to-night.  How  I  will  miss  him !  My  darling 
has  gone  ;  went  to  the  office. 

25th.  Engaged  to  spend  the  day  with  Mrs.  Forrest ;  had  a  nice  time ; 
went  to  the  theater;  got  home  at  half-past  two.  H.  saw  me  home. 

26th.  Went  to  the  office ;  miss  Phil  very  much ;  got  a  letter  froiiVhiin. 


DIARY  OF  MISS  JACKSON.  303 

27th.  Staid  all  night  with  Mrs.  B.  God  knows,  I  wish  Phil  would  como 
home. 

28th.  Got  home  at  tea.     Maggie  was  here. 

29th.  At  home  all  day.     My  darling  has  returned. 

Copies  of  Letters  addressed  to  Miss  Ella  Jackson. 

NOTE    FROM    HENDERSON. 

The  suit  can  not  be  obtained  to-night,  but  will  be  all  ready  by  noon  on 
Monday.  As  C.  can  not  go  this  evening,  and  your  suit  not  being  ready,  we 
will  postpone  Canterbury  until  Monday  night ;  but  to-night,  at  seven  o'clock, 
we  will  take  a  ride,  and  C.  will  join  us  at  supper,  and  then  go  where  we  did 
not  go  in  last  night.  When  the  carriage  stops  at  the  door,  come  down  in 
your  ordinary  dresses,  and  I  will  be  there,  but  will  not  get  out.  H. 

When  you  and  Miss  Norton  have  examined  this,  please  take  care  of  it, 
and  give  it  to  me  this  evening.  It  was  lent  me  by  Captain  Pope.  We  will 
read  it  together  this  eve,  if  you  have  no  objection.  Did  you  try  to  exchange 
rooms?  Do  so,  if  possible. 

MY  DEAR  DOCTOR: — 

You  seem  to  be  much  sought  after  this  morning  and  last  evening  in  very 
critical  cases,  that  I  am  inclined  to  believe  you  might  cure  my  severe  head 
ache,  if  you  would  try;  but  to  be  in  earnest,  if  I  was  ever  mad  in  my  life, 

it  was  to  see  you,  dear  Ella,  consulting  with  that  d d  puppy,  whom  you 

know  I  dislike  so  much,  and  whom  you  pretend  to  dislike  also.  I  hope  it 
won't  occur  again.  If  it  does — so  be  it. 

MY  DEAREST  ELLA: — 

I  discovered  the  mistake  you  made,  just  in  time.  I  discovered  it  in  Sam 
uel's  hands,  and  took  it  away  and  burned  it  up.  I  knew  your  head  ached  so, 
my  darling,  that  you  did  not  know  what  you  were  about,  and  I  was  just 
about  sending  you  word  about  it,  for  fear  you  might  worry,  when  your  friend 
arrived  here  after  it.  It  will  come  down  early.  Tell  Spurgen  (I  don't  know 
how  to  spell  his  name)  that  I  expect  him  to  be  at  home  to  smoke  with  me. 
God  bless  you,  my  dear  Ella.  Affectionately,  your  own 

PHIL. 

P.  S. — Please  don't  give  this  to  any  one  by  mistake. 

NEW  YORK,  January  31,  1864. 

MY  DEAREST  PET: — 

I  arrived  here  this  morning,  as  well  as  a  man  could  be  after  such  a  tedious 
ride  of  twelve  hours,  with  no  one  to  talk  to  that  I  cared  for.  How  many, 
many  times  I  thought  of  you,  darling,  in  the  little  room  at  276,  and  wish  I 
was  only  there  with  you. 

I  found  Mrs.  H.  and  the  "  boy  "  as  well  as  could  be  expected,  and,  I  must 
say.  /  am  proud  of  my  work,  for  he  is  as  pretty  as  a  small  baby  can  be,  and 
will  be  a  beauty — so  the  old  nurse  says ;  he  lias  got  my  eyes,  but  is  not  old 
enough  to  have  the  teeth,  as  you  say. 


304  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Dear  Ella,  you  little  know  how  much  I  miss  you  to-day.  Would  to  Go<5 
I  could  call  on  you  at  the  usual  time ;  but,  as  I  can't,  I  must  make  the  best  of 
it.  I  shall  leave  here  at  ten  o'clock  to-morrow,  which  will  get  me  in  Wash 
ington  about  ten,  or  half-past,  to-morrow  evening.  I  shall  come  right  to 
your  room,  and  hope  to  find  you  there  alone ;  if  not,  I  shall  wait  for  you  to 
come.  I  should  leave  in  the  early  train,  but  have^  some  business  to  attend 
to  in  the  morning. 

Remember  your  promise,  dearest,  and  make  Addie  take  a  house  with  us. 
1  will  willingly  pay  half  the  expenses  she  goes  to. 

With  much  love,  believe  me,  yours  ever, 

PHIL. 

January  15,  1864. 

MY  DEAR  ELLA: — 

What  are  you  going  to  do  this  evening,  and  will  you  please  tell  me  can 
didly  whether  you  have  or  expect  any  engagement?  You  know,  dear  Ella^ 
that  I  arn  only  happy  when  with  you  ;  but,  much  as  I  love  you,  I  don't  want 
to  call  too  often,  so  you  will  lose  what  little  friendship  you  may  now  have  for 
me.  You  little  know  what  a  perfectly  wretched  night  I  passed.  You  ap 
peared  so  cool  to  me  when  I  bid  you  good-night,  that  I  could  hardly  keep 
from  crying.  You  will  laugh  at  this,  I  know,  as  you  always  do  when  I  talk 
serious  to  you,  but  whatever  I  say  I  mean,  and  I  do  say  I  am  madly,  deeply 
in  love  with  you,  dear,  dear  Ella,  and  if  you  don't  believe  me,  why  I  can't 
help  it;  but  one  thing  I  do  pray  of  you  to  do,  and  that  is,  to  tell  me  when 
you  do  not  wish  to  see  me.  Ella,  can't  you  trust  me  with  a  secret ;  if  you 
can't,  why  did  you  tell  me  what  you  did?  God  knows,  I  would  die  bofore  I 
would  even  tell  or  hint  what  you  told  me ;  I  love  you  far  too  well  for  that, 
dear  Ella.  But  because  I  know  what  I  do,  I  don't  want  you  to  feel  obliged 
to  treat  me  well,  for  if  I  never  saw  you  again,  or  if  you  were  to  get  mad  with 
me,  I  would  then  die  sooner  than  tell  what  I  know  of  you. 

Hoping  you  will  believe  what  I  have  said,  dear  Ella, 

I  am,  ever  yours,  truly, 

PHIL. 

Please  answer  some  time  to-day. 

MY  DEAR  ELLA  :— 

Would  you  like  to  go  to  Grover's  this  eve?  I  hear  the  play  (Ticket-of- 
Leave  Man)  is  applauded.  If  you  would  like  to  go,  send  me  word,  and  I 
will  go  down  and  get  seats ;  that  is,  if  you  are  not  in  fear  of  Colonel  Baker. 
Please  write  me  all  about  what  you  hear— I  am  very  anxious  to  know.  Give 

my  compliments  to  Miss  Boswell,  and  tell  her  I  say  go  to ,  a  very  warm 

place.  PHIL. 

EXHIBIT  J  J. 
Statement  of  Mano  Lulley. 

WASHINGTON,  April  11,  ISftl 

I  am  by  birth  a  Hungarian.  I  came  to  this  country  with  Governor  Kos- 
suth,  in  1851.  Have  lived  in  Washington  twelve  years;  at  present  reside  at 


MANO   LULLEY'S  STATEMENT.  305 

400  K  Street.  Have  seven  sons,  all  in  this  city ;  I  have  also  three  daughters. 
On  the  16th  of  July,  1863,  I  applied  to  the  Hon.  Mr.  Harrington,  Assistant 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  Department,  for  permission  to  huild  a  small  build 
ing  in  front  of  the  Treasury  Department,  on  Fifteenth  Street,  for  my  son, 
who  was  a  cripple,  for  the  purpose  of  selling  soda  water ;  this  permission 
was  granted  by  Mr.  Harrington,  and  I  had  the  building  put  up.  Some  time 
in  September,  1863,  I  applied  to  S.  M.  Clark,  through  Mr.  Plantz,  the  private 
secretary  of  Mr.  Chase,  for  a  situation  for  my  little  daughter,  aged  sixteen 
years.  Mr.  Clark  asked  me  to  bring  my  daughter  to  his  office  and  he  would 
see.  I  took  my  daughter  to  Mr.  Clark  as  requested,  and  Mr.  Clark  put  her 
to  work  in  the  bronzing-room,  where  she  remained  three  weeks  and  three 
days,  when  Mr.  Clark  discharged  her,  and  without  assigning  any  reason  for 
her  discharge. 

A  few  days  after  my  daughter's  discharge,  I  went  to  Mr.  Clark  and  asked 
him  why  he  discharged  my  daughter.  He  replied  there  was  no  work.  I 
then  went  to  Mr.  Plantz,  and  asked  him  why  my  daughter  was  discharged — 
whether  she  had  done  any  thing  improper  or  wrong.  He  (Mr.  Plantz)  re 
plied  that  he  had  spoken  to  Mr.  Clark  about  discharging  my  daughter,  and 
he  (Clark)  said  that  Lulley's  son,  who  kept  the  soda  stand  in  front  of  the 
Treasury,  had,  on  a  certain  night,  followed  him  (Clark)  and  another  gentle 
man  and  two  ladies  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue  into  a  certain  restaurant.  Mr. 
Plantz  said  he  told  Clark  that  was  not  right,  that  he  (Clark)  should  not  take 
advantage  of  the  little  girl  in  that  way ;  that  she  (the  girl)  was  not  to  blame. 
About  three  weeks  after  the  conversation  with  Mr.  Plantz  referred  to,  I  went 
again  to  Mr.  Clark,  and  asked  him  again  to  take  my  daughter  back,  stating  at 
the  same  time  that  I  had  heard  the  reason  why  he  (Clark)  had  discharged 
my  daughter  was  because  my  sons  had  seen  him  (Clark)  and  another  gentle 
man  and  two  ladies  enter  a  certain  place  on  the  Avenue.  Clark  said :  "  Bring 
back  your  daughter  on  Monday,  and  I  will  set  her  to  work  again." 

On  Monday  I  took  my  daughter  to  the  Department,  and  Mr.  Clark  put  her 
to  work.  My  daughter  worked  there  one  month.  In  the  mean  time,  how 
ever,  Mr.  Clark  had  directed  my  daughter  to  work  very  late,  until  ten  o'clock. 
She  worked,  I  think,  six  nights,  when  I  refused  to  allow  her  to  go  to  the 
Department  at  night  at  all.  During  the  time  my  daughter  worked  nights,  Mr. 
Gray,  Superintendent  of  the  Sixteenth  Division,  under  Mr.  Clark,  made  the 
following  proposition  to  my  daughter:  That  if  she  (my  daughter)  would  go 
with  him  (Gray)  to  a  certain  hotel  in  this  city,  and  submit  to  his  (Gray's) 
wishes,  he  (Gray)  would  raise  her  (my  daughter's)  salary  to  seventy-five 
dollars  per  month. 

During  the  month  referred  to  above,  my  daughter  was  absent  from  work 
one  half-day.  In  compliance  with  the  rules  of  the  Department,  I  went  the 
following  morning,  and  reported  to  Mr.  Clark  that  my  daughter  was  sick. 
He  (Mr.  Clark)  replied:  "She  must  be  here  in  the  morning;  work  is  very 
brisk."  At  the  end  of  a  month,  my  daughter  was  again  discharged.  Mr. 
Gray  wrote  a  note  to  Mr.  Clark,  in  consequence  of  which  Clark  discharged 
her. 

I  have  made  this  affidavit  voluntarily,  and  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord, 
20 


306  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

feeling  that  my  daughter  has  been  foully  wronged  by  the  base  and  shameful 
propositions  made  to  her  by  Mr.  Gray,  and  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  Mr.  Clark 
would  never  have  taken  my  daughter  back  into  his  employ,  but  for  the  fear 
of  being  exposed  by  my  sons,  who  saw  Mr.  Clark  with  two  girls  employed  in 
the  Department,  as  stated  in  this  deposition. 

MANO  LULLEY. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to,  this  llth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1864. 

A.  G.  LAWRENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  KK. 
Statement  of  Anthony  Lulley. 

WASHINGTON,  April  11, 1S64. 

I  am  the  son  of  Mano  Lulley.  I  have  carefully  read  and  heard  read  the 
statement  of  my  father.  I  am  employed  as  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  S.  Grosen- 
heimer,  at  No.  385  Seventh  Street,  Washington. 

Some  time  in  September  last  ray  brother  and  myself  closed  our  soda  stand 
about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening.  We  then  walked  down  the  Avenue  to 
gether.  When  we  arrived  opposite  the  Kirkwood  House,  we  saw  Mr.  S.  M. 
Clark  standing  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  No.  276  Pennsylvania  Avenue. 
While  standing  there  I  saw  two  ladies  come  down  stairs.  Mr.  Clark  took  one 
of  these  ladies  and  the  other  gentleman  the  other.  My  brother  and  myself 
followed  the  party  down  the  avenue  to  Russell's  restaurant.  We  then  turned 
around  to  come  up  the  Avenue,  when  we  met  Messrs.  Dugan  and  Ilogan.  They 
asked  us  who  that  was  that  went  up  stairs.  We  replied,  Mr.  Clark  and  MLss 
Jennie  Gerrnon;  the  others  we  did  not  know.  Some  time  after  the  conversa 
tion  referred  to  above,  and  after  my  sister  had  been  discharged  by  Mr.  Clark, 
I  met  Mr.  Dugan,  a  detective  officer,  and  informed  him  that  my  sister  had 
been  discharged  by  Mr.  Clark  from  the  Department  in  consequence  of  Clark 
having  heard  that  I  followed  him  (Clark)  at  night.  Mr.  Dugan  replied  that  he 
had  not  told  Mr.  Clark  any  thing  about  it. 

I  have  made  this  statement  voluntarily,  without  promise  of  reward  or 
Compensation  of  any  nature  whatsoever. 

ANTHONY  LULLEY. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  this  llth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1864. 

A.  G.  LAWRENCE,  Notary  Public. 

EXHIBIT  L  L. 

Report  of  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  upon  the  report  of  Colonel  Baker  and 
the  affidavits  "/),"  "#,"  a.F,"  "0,"  "H,"  "/,"  "./,"  UJT." 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  SOLICITOR'S  Omen,  April  19,  1864. 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  transmit  a  report  made  to  me  by  Colo 
nel  L.  C.  Baker,  together  with  a  number  of  affidavits,  affecting  the  conduct 
and  character  of  S.  M.  Clark  and  G.  A.  Henderson. 

In  accordance  with  your  instructions,  I  exhibited  these  affidavits  to  Mr. 
Clark,  stating  to  him  that  I  did  so  bj  your  direction,  and  in  order  that  he 


REPORT  OF  THE  SOLICITOR  OF  THE  TREASURY.   307 

might  have  an  opportunity  to  make  such  explanation  or  reply  as  he  should 
deem  proper.  His  reply  to  me  was,  that  as  to  any  thing  alleged  against  him 
impeaching  his  conduct  or  character  as  an  officer  of  this  Department,  he  denied 
it  utterly ;  and  that  as  to  any  other  matter,  he  scorned  to  make  any  answer. 

I  have  further,  in  obedience  to  your  order,  called  before  me  most  of  the 
persons  whose  affidavits  are  herewith  transmitted,  and  made  such  other  in 
quiries  as  it  has  been  in  my  power  to  make,  touching  the  matter  stated  in  the 
affidavits,  and  the  result  is  an  entire  conviction  that  the  most  material  of  those 
statements  are  true,  particularly  those  contained  in  the  affidavits  of  Ella  Jack 
son,  Jennie  Germon,  and  Laura  Duvall. 

What  action,  if  any,  ought  to  be  taken,  in  view  of  these  facts,  is,  of  course, 
not  a  question  for  me  to  consider. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  high  respect, 

EDWARD  JOBDAN,  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

"* '  9  ' 
UNFOUNDED  CHARGES— MY  OWN  AND  THE  MINORITY  REPORT. 

Alleged  Conspiracy  against  Government  Officers — My  Reply — Mr.  Garfield — Minority 
Report— A.  C.  Wilson— My  Trial  and  Acquittal 

MANY  of  my  readers  will  doubtless  recollect  that,  in  the 
report  of  the  Congressional  committee,  I  was  indirectly 
charged  with  a  conspiracy  against  Government  officers. 
In  answer  to  this,  I  addressed  the  papers  below  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  and  the  Chairman  of  the  committee  : — 

WASHINGTON,  July  4, 1864. 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — 

SIR — My  attention  has  just  been  called  to  what  purports  to  be  a  Majority 
Report,  made  by  the  Treasury  Investigating  Committee,  of  which  the  Hon. 
James  A.  Garfield  was  Chairman,  in  which  certain  charges  are  made  affect 
ing  my  official  conduct  in  connection  with  investigations  in  the  Treasury 
Department. 

The  apparently  responsible  and  respectable  source  from  which  these 
charges  emanate,  and  the  serious  nature  of  said  charges,  viz.,  a  conspiracy 
against  certain  officials  of  the  Treasury  Department,  seems  to  require  that  I 
should  ask  for  an  immediate  investigation. 

I  have,  therefore,  to  request  that  the  matter  be  referred  to  the  Judge- 
Advocate-General,  with  instructions  to  make  out  charges  and  specifications, 
in  order  that  my  case  may  be  brought  properly  before  a  military  court- 
martial.  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

WASHINGTON,  July  4, 1864. 

Hon.  JAMES  A.  GARFIELD,  Chairman  Treasury  Investigating  Committee : — 

SIR — I  have  to-day  seen  what  purports  to  be  a  Majority  Report  of  the 
Treasury  Department  Investigating  Committee,  of  which  you  were  Chairman. 
This  report  charges  me  with  conspiracy  against  certain  officials  in  the  Trea 
sury  Department. 

I  have  this  day  requested  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  War  to  refer  the 
case  to  the  Judge-Advocate-General,  with  instructions  to  prepare  charges 
and  specifications. 

The  apparently  responsible  and  respectable  source  from  which  these  seri- 


GENERAL  GARFIELD.  309 

cms  charges  emanate,  seems  to  require  that  I  should  demand  an  immediate 
investigation  by  military  court-martial.  I  have,  therefore,  respectfully  to 
request  that  you  will,  at  as  early  a  moment  as  convenient,  forward  to  the 
Judge-Advocate-General  such  proofs  as  you  may  have  in  reference  to  this 
charge  of  conspiracy. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  0.  BA.KER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

It  is  hardly  necessary,  perhaps,  to  add,  that  the  Hon. 
Mr.  G-arfield  made  no  reply  to  this  letter.  After  signing  a 
report,  as  Chairman  of  a  Congressional  committee,  and  giving 
it  to  the  people  as  a  document  emanating  from  the  highest 
official  action,  and  after  being  called  upon  to  sustain  the 
grave  accusations,  affecting  both  public  and  private  charac 
ter,  he  refuses  to  reply.  The  conclusion  is  irresistible,  that 
the  honorable  gentleman  did  not  care  to  notice  a  request 
from  so  plebeian  a  source,  although  he  had  pronounced 
judgment  upon  my  official  statements  and  fidelity.  He 
knew  well,  that  there  was  not  a  particle  of  evidence,  nor  a 
single  fact  elicited,  during  that  long  and  exhausting  scrutiny, 
which  gave  the  shadow  of  plausibility  to  an  impeachment  so 
serious.  But  his  friends  in  the  Treasury  Department  must 
be  protected,  whatever  became  of  their  humble  accuser.  In 
the  entire  history  of  my  connection  with  the  Government,  I 
have  never  known  a  baser  and  more  wanton  attack  upon  a 
defenseless  officer  in  its  service. 

The  success  in  defending  a  system  of  fraud  and  grossest 
immoralities,  in  his  view,  it  would  seem,  demanded  the 
sacrifice  of  the  reputation  of  any  inferior  person  who  came 
in  the  way  of  his  purpose. 

When  General  Garfield  was  desired  to  furnish  charges 
and  specifications,  why  did  he  not  do  it  f  As  a  military 
man,  he  was  familiar  with  the  requirements  of  military  law, 
and  the  penalty  of  conviction.  As  a  patriotic  citizen,  and  a 
Member  of  Congress,  it  was  clearly  his  duty  to  have  com 
plied  with  a  just  and  courteous  demand  for  proof  of  the 
allegations — the  right  of  the  humblest,  poorest  man  to  legal 
conviction  or  honorable  acquittal. 

I  shall  conclude  this  painful  record  with  extracts  from 
the  action  of  the  committee  : — 


310  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Mr.  Brooks,  of  New  York,  from  the  minority  of  the  committee,  presented 
the  following 

MINORITY  REPORT: 

That,  in  pursuance  of  the  resolution  of  the  House,  April  30,  1864,  they  have 
attempted  to  give  the  subjects  therein  mentioned  the  investigation  required  by 
the  House ;  but  they  regret  their  inability  so  to  do,  if  not  from  want  of  time, 
from  the  resolutions  and  conclusions  arrived  at  by  the  majority  of  the  com 
mittee,  that  their  powers  were  much  more  limited  than  the  minority  seem  to 
think  they  are,  under  the  words  of  the  broad  resolution — 

"  To  investigate  and  report  upon  the  allegations  (set  forth  in  the  preamble 
of  the  resolution),  and  any  other  allegations,  which  have  been,  or  may  be  made, 
affecting  the  integrity  of  the  Administration  in  the  Treasury  Department." 

One  of  the  members  (Mr.  Brooks),  before  entering  upon  an  examination  of 
the  testimony,  protests  now,  as  he  protested  upon  the  floor  of  the  House, 
April  30.  against  the  misrecitation  of  his  remarks  in  the  House,  April  29,  made 
by  Mr.  Garfield,  in  the  resolution  creating  this  committee  as  to  the  printing 
of  the  public  money.  Mr.  Brooks  did  not  allege,  as  stated  in  the  resolution 
passed  under  the  pressure  of  the  previous  question,  that  this  printing  had  "  led 
to  the  sacrifice  of  millions  and  millions  of  the  public  money,"  but,  as  officially 
reported  in  the  Globe,  did  say — "  had  led  to  the  peril  of  the  sacrifice  of  mil 
lions  and  millions  of  the  public  money." 

The  coinage  of  a  country,  and  the  superintendence  of  that  coinage,  is  the 
highest  trust  which  can  be  given  to  mortal  man — and  hence  at  all  times,  in 
our  own  country,  and  in  all  ages  in  other  countries,  ingenious  and  effective 
checks  and  counterchecks  have  not  only  been  devised  for  man  to  watch  man, 
but  it  has  ever  been  the  effort  of  wise  and  honest  administrations  of  Govern 
ments  to  install  men  in  such  trusts  whose  antecedent  and  existing  characters 
have  been  such  as  to  command  not  only  unlimited  but  universal  confidence. 
The  Mints  of  the  United  States  have  now  been  in  operation  over  seventy-one 
years,  and  the  whole  amount  of  their  coinage,  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  as  shown 
in  the  December  (1863)  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  was,  up  to  the 
end  of  the  then  fiscal  year,  but  eight  hundred  and  eighty-nine  million  six  hun 
dred  and  thirty-five  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-seven  dollars.  The 
suspension  of  specie  payments  having  banished  this  coin  from  circulation,  all 
but  the  copper  (a  very  small  portion  thereof),  the  vacuum  was  filled  by  paper. 
Of  this  paper,  as  shown  by  the  testimony  annexed  to  the  report,  eight  hundred 
and  fifty  million  dollars  have  been  furnished  by  Spencer  M.  Clark,  from  the 
Treasury  Note  Office,  within  the  short  period  of  only  twenty-one  munths — 
an  amount  in  paper  within  thirty-nine  millions  of  the  whole  seventy-one  years' 
coinage  of  the  United  States  Mints.  The  trust,  therefore,  reposed  in  this  Mr. 
Clark  has  been,  in  about  a  single  year,  equal  to  that  which  has  been  hitherto 
divided  for  seventy-one  years  among  numerous  superintendents  or  directors 
of  the  Mints,  while  the  opportunities  for  dishonesty  or  fraud  in  printing  are 
in  the  ratio  of  the  power  of  the  printing  press,  operated  by  hydraulics  or  steam, 
to  the  crucible  or  matrix  of  the  Mint.  Hence,  in  the  selection  of  a  Superin- 


MINORITY   REPORT.  311 

tendent  of  the  Printing  Bureau  of  Currency  and  Securities,  not  only  the  present 
but  the  antecedent  character  of  that  superintendent  should  be  of  the  very 
highest  order — while  the  checks  upon  him  from  without  and  within  should  be 
as  severe  and  searching  as  human  ingenuity  can  devise.  It  appears  by  the 
testimony,  that  in  one  night  in  May,  sixty-four  million  dollars  was  in  the  vault, 
under  the  custody  and  control  of  the  superintendent. 

THE    ANTECEDENT    CHARACTER    OF    THE    SUPERINTENDENT    OF    MONEY    FEINTING. 

The  committee,  therefore,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  such  a  vast  trust 
and  treasure  as  this  were  in  proper  hands,  felt  it  their  duty,  first,  to  investi 
gate  the  antecedents  of  the  superintendent,  and,  next,  his  administration  of 
by  far  the  most  important  bureau  in  the  great  Department  of  the  Treasury. 
Their  attention  was  first  called  to  an  official  report  of  the  Committee  on  Ex 
penditures  on  Public  Buildings,  in  1862  (Thirty-Seventh  Congress,  Second 
Session,  Report  No.  137),  in  which  it  appears  that  this  Mr.  Clark  was  then 
acting  engineer  in  charge  of  the  Bureau  of  Construction  under  the  Treasury 
Department — a  place  given  him,  it  appears  by  the  testimony  submitted  by  that 
Department,  without  any  training  or  previous  qualification  as  an  engineer. 
This  report  distinctly  and  effectively  charges  and  proves  that  the  now  Super 
intendent  of  the  Bureau  of  Printing  the  Public  Money  was,  in  June,  1861, 
guilty  of  gross  collusion  and  fraud,  and,  as  engineer  in  the  Treasury  Depart 
ment,  connived  with  contractors  (Edward  Learned  &  Co.)  to  defraud  the 
United  States  in  the  matter  of  marble  contracts  for  the  Charleston  (S.  C.) 
Custom  House,  out  of  very  large  sums  of  money,  in  which  they  were  thwarted 
then,  but  in  a  small  part  only,  by  the  intervention  of  the  then  Secretary  Dix. 
It  is  unnecessary  here  to  recite  this  testimony,  as  it  is  already  matter  of  record 
in  the  archives  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  can  there  be  seen  and 
read  at  length.  The  committee  then  (and  a  committee,  too,  created  by  a  Re 
publican  House)  unhesitatingly  advised  the  removal  of  this  S.  M.  Clark. 

This  disclosure,  in  an  important  official  document,  led  your  committee  into 
a  further  investigation  of  the  character  of  the  now  Superintendent  of  the 
Printing  Bureau;  and  it  appeared,  by  his  own  testimony,  that  serious  charges 
had  been  made  against  him  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  officially,  or  semi 
officially,  by  Alexander  C.  Wilson,  of  New  York.  These  charges  are  of  the 
gravest  character,  and  such  as,  if  made  against  any  man,  in  any  position,  de 
serve  inquiry.  They  affect  the  whole  business  and  moral  career  of  Clark. 
They  show  him  to  have  no  qualification  whatever  for  the  very  high  and  im 
mensely  responsible  position  in  which  he  is  placed.  They  affect  both  his  pri 
vate  and  public  life,  and  declare  him  to  be  both  a  bankrupt  in  business  and 
in  morals.  The  fifth  allegation  is  of  "immorality,"  with  specification  and 
detail,  and  of  such  a  nature  that  your  committee  deemed  it  proper  to  have  it 
investigated,  and  for  that  purpose  the  following  resolution  was  submitted, 
May  25  :— 

u  Resolved,  That  in  order  to  verify  the  fifth  allegation,  that  of  immorality 
(alleged  by  A.  C.  Wilson),  Daniel  Buck,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  be  subpreuaed 
to  appear  before  this  committee." 


312  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Which  resolution,  your  committee  regret  to  say,  was  voted  down,  and  the 
following  substituted : — 

"  Resolved,  That  the  allegation  of  Mr.  "Wilson  against  S.  M.  Clark  relates  to 
matters  of  general  character  prior  to  his  official  appointment,  not  to  his  con 
duct  since  his  appointment,  and  the  committee  decline  to  investigate  them." 
(Ayes  4,  noes  3.)  * 

THE    EXISTING    CHARACTER    OF    THE    SUPERINTENDENT    OF   MONET    PRINTING. 

This  resolution  precluding  and  forbidding  any  investigation  of  the  qualifi 
cation  and  character  of  S.  M.  Clark,  and  seeming  to  sanction,  that,  no  matter 
what  may  have  been  a  man's  private  life,  all  that  is  no  disqualification  for  the 
greatest  public  trust  ever  given  to  any  one  man  (such  as  that  of  the  superin 
tendence  of  the  printing  of  nearly  nine  hundred  millions  of  money) — your 
committee  were  obliged  to  give  up  all  further  investigation  into  the  antece 
dents  of  S.  M.  Clark,  and  to  confine  themselves  to  matters  within  the  brief 
period  of  his  money  superintendence. 

But  this  brief  period  discloses,  officially,  very  important  and  very  suggest 
ive  facts — even  under  all  the  restraints  that  have  been  put  upon  the  investiga 
tion  by  the  resolution  to  close  the  testimony  submitted  and  passed  in  the  sit 
ting  of  this  committee,  June  1  (ayes  4,  noes  3).  Your  committee,  under  that 
resolution,  have  been  limited  as  to  all  investigation  into  character,  with  but 
one  exceptional  case,  to  the  official  reports  made  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  first,  by  Colonel  Lafayette  0.  Baker,  a  provost-marshal  of  the  War 
Department,  and,  next,  by  Edward  Jordan,  Esq.,  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury, 
who  reinvestigated  the  report  of  the  provost-marshal,  Baker. 

OFFICIAL    REPORT    OF    PROVOST-MARSHAL   BAKER. 

It  appears  from  the  testimony  that,  in  December  last,  one  Charles  Corn 
wall,  a  clerk  in  the  Redemption  (Treasury)  department,  was  detected  in  steal 
ing  some  thirty-one  or  thirty-two  thousand  dollars,  and  that,  about  that  time, 
one  G.  A.  Henderson,  in  the  Requisition  Warrant  department,  was  detected  in 
misplacing  for  money  the  order  of  bills  on  file  to  be  paid,  wherefor  he  received 
no  inconsiderable  rewards.  These  frauds,  or  rather  crimes,  creating  a  good 
deal  of  alarm  in  the  Treasury  building,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by  letter 
marked  "Confidential,"  December  24,  1853  (see  testimony),  asked  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  to  direct  Colonel  Baker  "to  make  such  investigations  and  arrests 
and  exercise  such  custody  of  persons  arrested  as  I  (he)  may  find  needful,"  &c. 
Colonel  Baker  having  been  put  at  the  service  of  the  Treasury  Department,  as 
thus  confidentially  requested,  he  commenced  his  investigations  as  shown  in  his 
report  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  with  the  papers  annexed. 

CONFIRMATION    AND    INDORSEMENT    OF    THAT    REPORT    BY    THE    SOLICITOR    OF   THE 

TREASURY. 

This  report  was  subsequently  submitted  to  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury, 
Mr.  Jordan,  who,  in  a  letter,  April  19,  1864,  writes  to  the  Secretary: — 

"I  have  further,  in  obedience  to  your  order,  called  before  me  most  of  the 


MINORITY  REPORT.  313 

persons  whose  affidavits  are  herewith  transmitted,  and  made  such  other  in 
quiries  as  it  has  been  in  my  power  to  make,  touching  the  matter  stated  in  the 
affidavits,  and  the  result  is,  an  entire  conviction  that  the  most  material  of  these 
statements  are  TRUE,  particularly  those  contained  in  the  affidavits  of  Ella 
Jackson,  Jennie  G-ermon,  and  Laura  Duvall" 

THE    DISCLOSURES    IX    THESE  REPORTS  OF  GROSS  IMMORALITIES   IN   THE  TREASURY. 

These  affidavits  disclose  a  mass  of  immorality  and  profligacy,  the  more 
atrocious  as  these  women  were  employees  of  Clark,  hired  and  paid  by  him  with 
the  public  money.  These  women  seem  to  have  been  selected  in  the  Printing 
Bureau  for  their  youth  and  personal  attractions.  Neither  the  laws  of  God  nor 
of  man,  the  institution  of  the  Sabbath,  nor  common  decencies  of  life  seem  to 
have  been  respected  by  Clark  in  his  conduct  with  these  women.  A  Treasury 
bureau — there,  where  is  printed  the  money  representative,  or  expression  of 
all  the  property  and  of  all  the  industry  of  the  country — there,  where  the  wages 
of  labor  are  more  or  less  regulated,  and  upon  the  faith  and  good  conduct  of 
which  depends,  more  or  less,  every  man's  prosperity — is  converted  into  a  place 
for  debauchery  and  drinking,  the  very  recital  of  which  is  impossible  without 
violating  decency.  Letters  go  thence,  arranging  to  clothe  females  in  male 
attire  to  visit  "the  Canterbury."  Assignations  are  made  from  thence,  &c. 

The  facts  set  forth  in  these  affidavits  are  vouched  for  by  a  military  officer 
(Colonel  Baker)  of  the  Government,  who  has  now  been  three  years  in  the 
confidential  employ  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  who  seems  to  have  his  unlim 
ited  confidence.  Indeed,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  had  such  confidence 
in  this  officer,  and  in  the  value  of  his  services,  that  he  "  confidentially  "  re 
quested  the  use  of  his  services  in  the  Treasury  Department.  The  Solicitor  of 
the  Treasury,  another  high  and  acute  legal  officer  of  the  Government,  and 
trusted  by  it  in  the  most  important  and  confidential  matters,  after  a  strict  and 
personal  investigation,  expresses  "  an  entire  conviction  "  that  these  affidavits 
are  true.  But  beyond  this  official  testimony,  is  collateral  evidence,  confirming 
and  strengthening  the  testimony  of  these  women.  It  appears  that  in  Septem 
ber  last,  on  or  about  the  18th  or  20th,  a  note  signed  "H."  (marked  No.  8  in 
the  testimony)  came  into  the  possession  of  Miss  Ada  Thompson,  an  actress, 
then  residing  at  276  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  and  who  is  presumed  by  Colonel 
Baker  to  be  a  person  of  good  repute.  This  note  invited  Miss  Jackson,  then  an 
employee  in  the  Treasury  Printing  Bureau,  to  go  with  him,  "H."  (Henderson), 
then  also  an  employee  in  the  Treasury,  and  with  "  C."  (stated  to  be  Clark  in 
the  testimony  of  Miss  Ada  Thompson),  to  some  place  well  known  to  the  pur- 
ties.  This  place  turned  out  to  be  "the  Central  Hotel,"  a  hotel  in  this  city 
(Washington)  indicated  as  a  disreputable  place.  The  hotel  register,  Septem 
ber  19,  shows  the  names  of  four  persons  who  that  night  occupied  rooms  27 
and  28.  The  handwriting  on  the  register  is  shown  by  Hamilton  Seville,  an 
experienced  clerk  in  the  Treasury  Department,  and  an  apparent  expert  in 
handwriting,  to  be  that  of  Henderson,  who,  while  assuming  names  for  himself 
and  Clark,  and  the  women  with  them,  vainly  attempted  to  disguise  his  hand 
writing.  Seville  also  swears  very  positively  that  the  note  signed  "  H."  is  in 
Henderson's  handwriting.  The  testimony  of  Anthony  Lulley  then  goes  to 


314  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

show  that,  in  September,  between  the  18th  and  20th,  he  (Lulley)  saw  Hender 
son  with  Clark  in  a  restaurant,  as  stated  in  the  affidavits  of  Ada  Thompson 
and  T.  C.  Spurgeon,  whence  they  all  subsequently  went  to  the  Central  Hotel. 
Such  corroborating  testimoy  as  this — a  note,  handwriting,  the  affidavits  of 
parties  whose  characters  are  not  questioned,  one  woman  and  two  men,  the 
eyes  of  one  of  them  seeing  Henderson  and  Clark  together  with  women  em 
ployed  in  the  Treasury,  and  the  hotel  register  in  Henderson's  handwriting — - 
are,  of  themselves,  without  any  other  testimony,  irresistibly  convincing. 
When  to  all  this  we  add  the  examination  and  the  report  of  the  Solicitor  of  the 
Treasury,  of  his  "entire  conviction,1'  who  can  doubt  that  S.  M.  Clark  is  an 
unfit  man  to  be  trusted  with  the  printing  of  nearly  nine  hundred  millions  of 
the  public  money? 

This  testimony  was  so  convincing  to  your  committee,  that  they  would 
not,  of  themselves,  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  go  a  step  further,  but  for  the 
intimation  thrown  out  by  some  of  the  majority  of  the  committee,  that  it  was 
not  conclusive  to  them.  Hence  they  acted  upon  a  letter  from  Col.  Baker, 
May  19,  1864,  to  the  Chairman  of  the  committee,  and  caused  to  be  sum 
moned  a  lady  now  married,  Mrs.  Betty  Pumphries,  formerly  Miss  Weedan, 
and  whose  associations  seem  to  be  all  of  the  most  respectable  character.  Her 
father  is  a  worthy  mechanic,  employed  in  the  Navy  Yard ;  her  husband  is  a 
policeman,  and  accompanied  her  to  the  Committee-room.  She  swears, 
positively,  that  a  colored  woman,  named  Catharine  Dodson,  offered  her 
money,  when  employed  by  Clark,  a  hundred  dollars  at  one  time,  and  a  thou 
sand  dollars  at  another,  in  the  name  of,  and  in  the  presence  of  Clark,  which 
she  rejected  with  indignation.  Clark  subsequently  came  to  her  and  said,  "So 
you  do  not  want  to  speak  with  me  any  more."  u  He  made  a  good  friend,  but 
a  bad  enemy."  "  Talk  with  Catharine."  "Catharine  can  talk  with  ladies 
better  than  I  can."  Miss  Weedan,  now  Mrs.  Pumphries,  was  employed  in  the 
printing  department  five  months,  and  left  of  her  own  accord.  The  testimony 
of  this  lady,  however,  is  positively  contradicted  by  the  colored  woman, 
Catharine  Dodson,  who,  it  is  but  proper  to  add,  is  stigmatized  in  the  letter  of 
Colonel  Baker  referred  to,  as  "Clark's  procuress." 

There  is  other  testimony  from  two  other  ladies  of  good  character,  Miss 
Sarah  Lulley  and  Miss  Clara  Donaldson,  implicating  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Gray, 
Mr.  Clark's  superintendent  of  the  bronzing  department,  and  Mr.  Dougherty, 
Mr.  Clark's  assistant.  It  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  them,  save  to  show  that 
Miss  Lulley,  the  daughter  of  a  distinguished  and  honorable  Hungarian,  who 
came  over  with  Kossuth  in  1848,  and  whom  Kossuth  highly  cherished,  wan 
dismissed  from  a  place  of  value  to  her  father,  solely  because  her  brother  had 
traced  Clark  and  Henderson,  together  with  Ella  Jackson  and  Jenny  Gerinon, 
to  a  restaurant  on  the  19th  of  September,  whence  they  subsequently  went  to 
the  Central  Hotel,  or  because  she  "would  not  comply  with  the  wishes  of  Mr. 
Gray,"  representations  concerning  which  was  made  to  Mr.  Clark  himself;  or, 
to  show  that  Miss  Donaldson  again  connects  Clark  with  Laura  Duvall  (as  well 
as  Dougherty,  his  trusted  assistant  in  immoralities),  in  the  matter  of  select 
ing  out  Miss  Duvall  and  Miss  Jackson  from  all  other  ladies,  and  sending 
them,  in  the  Treasury,  oyster  suppers  at  night. 


MINORITY  REPORT.  315 

At  this  stage  of  the  testimony,  as  to  the  conduct  and  character  of  Clark, 
and  of  his  sub-superintendent,  in  the  Printing  Bureau,  your  committee  regret 
to  be  obliged  to  state  all  further  examination  upon  this  subject  was  closed  by 
order  of  the  majority  of  the  committee.  No  opportunity  was  given  to  fortify 
what  had  been  proved,  or  to  go  further  and  establish  additional  facts.  It  was 
not  necessary  to  go  further  to  satisfy  the  minority  that  Clark  was  an  unfit 
person  to  preside  over  a  printing  money  bureau  where  were  two  or  three 
hundred  ladies,  but  the  regret  is  expressed  because  the  opportunity  was  not 
given  to  bring  the  majority  to  a  like  conclusion. 

THE    PRINTING   BUREAU — FRACTIONAL    CURRENCY. 

These  examinations  having  been  pursued  as  far  as  permitted,  your  com 
mittee  then  directed  their  attention  to  the  condition  of  the  Printing  Bureau, 
as  a  mint,  or  coiner  of  currency.  What  first  arrested  their  attention  was  the 
fractional  currency.  The  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  December, 
1863,  exhibits  the  silver  coinage  of  the  country  to  have  been,  from  1793  to  the 
close  of  the  year  ending  June  30,  1863,  in  all,  $132,954,860,  of  which  only 
$4,251,720  was  in  dollars,  the  remaining  being  in  small  coins,  from  fifty  cents 
to  three  cents.  The  copper  coinage  was  $3,241,923.  The  silver  coined  at 
the  mints  of  Philadelphia,  New  Orleans,  and  San  Francisco,  under  the  act  of 
February  21, 1853 — from  1853  to  1863 — is  reported,  in  December  last,  to  havo 
been,  in  these  eleven  years,  $49,655,730.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in 
estimating  on  his  December  report,  1862,  what  resources  he  should  have  from 
the  fractional  currency,  then  ordered  by  Congress,  says : — 

"  The  issue  of  fractional  currency  has  reached  the  sum  of  $3,884,899.  The 
best  lights  lead  to  the  estimate  that,  before  specie  payments  can  be  resumed, 
not  less  than  $4,000,000  will  be  required  by  the  wants  of  the  community. 
The  sum  of  $36,115,200  not  yet  issued  may,  therefore,  be  counted  on  as  an 
additional  resource." 

A  very  low  estimate,  inasmuch  as,  by  the  law  of  currency  and  of 
circulation,  paper,  when  supplying  this  vacuum  of  coin,  ever  runs  far  beyond 
the  displaced  coin,  in  amount  of  issue,  and  of  loss  by  circulation.  The 
small  silver  coins  of  our  country  were  purposely  made  by  Congress  inferior 
in  real  value  to  gold,  to  prevent  their  exportation,  and  hence  were,  prior 
to  our  suspension  of  specie  payments,  rejected  by  the  banks,  and  by  mer 
chants  generally,  who  had  deposits  to  make  in  bank,  thus  limiting  their 
circulation,  and  the  demand  upon  the  Mint  for  their  coinage.  The  silver 
dollar  (few  or  none  of  late  years  coined)  must  weigh  41 2-J-  grains,  whereas  the 
half  dollar  weighs  but  1 92  grains,  and  the  quarter  but  96  grains.  It  was  then 
fairly  to  be  inferred  that  when  this  coin  went  out  of  circulation,  and  with  a 
nominal  value  considerably  higher  than  its  real  value,  and  a  paper  circulation 
as  legal  tender  took  its  place,  of  full  value,  that  the  volume  of  paper  would 
considerably  outrun  the  volume  of  displaced  silver.  Some  estimates  ran  up 
as  high  as  sixty  millions  of  fractional  currency,  many  to  fifty  millions,  and 
hence  the  forty  millions'  estimate  of  the  Secretary  was  far  within  the  limits 
of  the  general  expectation. 


316  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 


PERILOUS    MODE    OF    PRINTING    MONET. 

Your  committee  were  amazed  to  find,  upon  examination,  that  in  A.pril 
last,  when  this  committee  was  created,  the  recognized  issue  of  the  fractional 
currency  was  under  twenty  millions !  They  cannot  account  for  this  discrep 
ancy  of  reality  and  of  estimate.  Upon  the  discovery,  however,  of  the  great 
discrepancy,  they  directed  their  attention  to  the  mode  and  manner  of  printing 
this  fractional  currency,  which  to  them  is  utterly  unsatisfactory.  The  white 
paper  upon  which  it  is  printed  has  been  very  loosely  purchased  and  received, 
and  very  loosely  handled.  It  came  into  the  hands  of  one  lady  in  the  Bureau 
of  Printing,  and  instead  of  being  turned  out  to  the  public  in  a  far  different 
direction,  returned  all  of  it  to  her  hands,  and  she  passed  it  over  to  Mr.  Clark. 
Whatever  system  of  checks  and  balances  Mr.  Clark  may  have  for  his  own 
guidance,  there  is  no  check  over  him.  He  keeps  no  ledgers,  balances  no 
books,  for  an  accountant  to  see  and  understand  at  a  glance.  The  eye  is 
wearied  and  the  mind  fatigued  by  innumerable  figures  of  his,  but  no  clear, 
close  ledger,  such  as  every  merchant  or  corporation  has,  shows  continuously 
his  day's  work,  or  the  summary  of  that  work,  to  be  detected  by  a  single  glance 
of  his  eye.  The  whole  arrangement  of  this,  the  most  important  of  the 
Government,  is  loose,  slovenly,  unsatisfactory,  and  susceptible  of  a  considera 
ble  amount  of  fraud.  A  plate  printer  of  his,  James  Lamb,  selected  at  random 
from  the  fractional  currency  workmen,  testifies :  "  There  was  no  security  to 
prevent  the  fractional  currency  from  being  taken  or  abstracted,"  when  he 
was  at  work  on  the  hydrostatic  presses ;  and  he  adds,  "  I  could  have  taken, 
off  ten  sheets  a  day,  from  October  to  December."  Mr.  Lamb  was  very  sharply 
cross -questioned,  but  adhered  to  this  testimony  to  the  end.  Nor  has  there 
been  shown  to  your  committee  any  satisfactory  disposition  that  had  been  made 
of  the  numerous  spoiled  sheets  of  the  fractional  currency,  sheets  of  the  fifty- 
cent  sort,  say,  upon  which  two  or  three  parts  may  be  damaged,  while  the 
remaining  parts  are  good.  Indeed,  the  whole  "spoilt  sheet"  management 
of  Treasury  notes  and  of  bonds,  especially  of  the  coupons,  seems  to  us  to  be 
in  a  very  unsatisfactory,  if  not  dangerous  state. 

We  are  fortified  in  these  views  by  a  report  of  January  2,  1864,  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  marked  D  and  E,  and  signed  by  Mr.  Field,  the 
Assistant  Secretary,  Mr.  Taylor,  the  First  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury,  and 
Mr.  Chittenden,  the  Register  of  the  Treasury,  and  subsequently  countersigned, 
February  19,  1864,  by  a  Senator  from  Rhode  Island,  Hon.  Mr.  Sprague. 
These  gentlemen,  in  this  report,  offer  many  valuable  suggestions  and  recom 
mendations  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  which  is  not  done  as  advised. 
They  desired  that  some  distinctive  mark  should  be  placed  upon  each  sheet; 
which  is  not  done.  They  detail  the  mode  and  manner  by  which  Mr.  Clark 
should  be  held  responsible  for  every  sheet  put  in  his  possession ;  which  is  not 
done.  They  recommend  a  system  of  checks  upon  requisitions  for  paper;  to 
which  no  attention  has  been  paid.  They  deem  it  desirable  that  daily  returns 
should  be  made  to  the  Secretary  as  to  each  and  every  sheet ;  which  is  not 
done.  They  find,  as  this  committee  found,  that,  through  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Clark  alone  passes  all  paper  into,  and  out  of,  the  several  divisions,  and  they 


MINORITY  REPORT.  317 

recommend  another  counting  division ;  to  which  no  attention  has  been  paid. 
They  recommend,  and  think  the  existing  laws  demand,  that  the  imprint  of 
the  red  seal  should  be  affixed  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  himself,  under  his 
especial  direction,  by  an  officer  directly  responsible  to  him — an  imprint  now 
done  by  Mr.  Gray,  the  appointee  and  employee  of  Mr.  Clark  alone.  Six. 
distinct  and  very  important  recommendations  are  offered  by  these  gentlemen, 
holding  high,  offices  in  the  Treasury,  to  no  one  of  which  has  any  attention 
been  paid. 

MISPRINT    OF   BONDS  — LOSS    OF    $20    NOTES — ACCIDENTAL   ISSUE   AS   TO    TIME    OP 
INTEREST-BEARING   NOTES. 

The  inattention  to  these  recommendations  and  the  neglect  of  these  pre 
cautions  are  greatly  to  be  deplored — for,  without  them,  an  unscrupulous  man 
may  rob  the  Treasury  of  thousands  and  thousands  of  dollars.  Apart  from  the 
perils  of  fraud,  the  existing  system  tempts  and  leads  to  carelessness  and  theft. 
Mr.  John  Oliphant,  who  has  charge  of  the  loan  branch  in  the  Treasurer's 
office,  exhibited  to  the  committee  a  $1,000  ten-forty  bond,  erroneously  printed, 
which,  with  all  others  of  the  like  kind,  Congress,  since  this  discovery,  has 
been  obliged  to  legalize  by  statute.  The  number  or  amount  of  these  in  cir 
culation  he  did  not  know.  Mr.  Clark,  it  would  seem,  discovered  this  error 
some  time  before  it  was  made  known  to  the  loan  branch  in  the  Treasurer's 
office.  The  peril  of  error  in  the  printing  of  large  bonds  is  obvious  without 
comment,  and  again  demonstrates  the  necessity  for  separation  of  work,  and 
of  check  and  counter-check.  The  testimony  of  Mr.  John  G.  Clark,  a  teller  in 
the  banking-house  of  Riggs  &  Co.,  also  discloses  the  fact  that  an  interest- 
bearing  note  of  twenty  dollars  (if  not  other  notes)  had  been  issued  without  any 
date  of  issue  upon  it,  or  any  series  of  numbers.  Taken  to  the  Treasury 
Department  by  the  teller,  Mr.  Clark,  the  remark  there  was,  "  It  was  evidently 
stolen.  It  must  have  been  stolen  from  the  bureau  over  which  Mr.  Clark 
presides."  Four  or  five  of  these  notes  were  reported  to  be  missing  from  the 
bureau.  Clark  explained  that  the  twenty-dollar  note,  and  three  or  four 
others,  had  been  stolen  by  a  scrubbing  woman  employed  by  him,  and  that  the 
sheet  upon  which  it  had  been  printed  had  been  put  into  the  vault  as  muti 
lated  money.  There  would  seem  to  be  no  need  of  emigrating  to  the  placers 
of  California  when  scrubbing  women  can  thus  pick  up  twenty- dollar  notes. 
Mr.  John  G.  Clark  further  testified  that,  in  April,  four  thousand  dollars  of 
interest-bearing  notes  were  paid  him,  dated  in  advance,  the  12th  and  16th  of 
May.  The  Treasurer  told  him  they  had  got  out  by  accident.  "  They  were 
intended  for  San  Francisco,  but  by  accident  they  got  out  here."  These  are 
but  accidental  illustrations  of  a  "  perilous  "  printing  of  the  public  money. 

TESTIMONY    OF    REGISTER    OF    THE    TREASURY  AND  OF  THE  ASSISTANT    SECRETARY. 

The  testimony  of  Mr.  Chittenden,  the  Register  of  the  Treasury,  is,  as  to 
this  business  of  printing  money,  very  significant,  as  well  as  important.  Hen 
derson  and  Clark,  it  seems,  there  again  turn  upas  companions — "intimate 
associates."  Mr.  Henderson  advanced  in  his  style  of  living  very  much — far 
beyond  what  heads  of  departments  were  able  to  afford.  He  was  understood 


318  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

to  keep  two  or  three  horses,  to  have  bought  a  fine  house,  and  to  have  fur 
nished  it  elegantly.  "  I  heard  yesterday  (May  3)  he  was  in  Clark's  division, 
though  not  employed  there" — and  there,  in  a  money  bureau,  after  being 
removed  for  gross  frauds  in  his  duties  as  requisition  or  warrant  clerk — there, 
where  not  even  a  Member  of  Congress  can  go,  without  a  written  order  from 
the  Secretary  himself! 

The  responsibility,  or  power,  which  Mr.  Clark  has,  in  himself,  or  of 
himself,  that  is,  exclusively  in  himself,  are  worthy  of  note.  It  seems,  by  the 
testimony  both  of  Mr.  Chittenden  and  of  Mr.  Field,  that  in  Mr.  Clark's  depart 
ment  is  done  all  the  printing  of  the  interest-bearing  Treasury  notes,  of  the 
bonds  of  the  United  States,  of  the  certificates  of  indebtedness,  and  of  other 
securities,  even  to  the  affixing  of  the  red  seal,  which  was  once  thought  to  be 
a  great  check  and  security.  The  apparently  written  names  of  Mr.  "Chitten 
den  "  and  of  Mr.  "  Spinner  "  are  printed  by  Mr.  Clark.  The  red  seal  was 
formerly  affixed  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  Secretary,  but  Mr.  Clark 
has  had  the  "machine"  sent  down  stairs,  and  placed  in  his  (Clark's)  posses 
sion  !  Mr.  Field  expressively  says  (holding  a  fifty-dollar  one-year  interest- 
bearing  note)  : — 

"  The  paper  on  which  it  is  printed  is  contracted  for  by  Mr.  Clark.  The 
paper  is  delivered  to  him.  The  printing  is  done  under  his  direction;  and  the 
fac-similes  of  the  signatures  of  the  Register  of  the  Treasury,  and  of  the 
Treasurer,  are  affixed  under  his  direction ;  and  the  seal  is  impressed  under  his 
direction.  So  that  this,  which  comes  to  him  as  blank  paper,  contracted  for 
by  him,  leaves  his  hands  with  all  the  attributes  of  money,  in  the  form  of 
perfected  and  perfect  obligations  of  the  Government.  The  engraving  of  the 
plates  is  also  done  under  his  direction." 

Nearly  nine  hundred  millions  of  money  and  of  obligations  have  been  thus 
printed  by  this  Clark!  Mr.  Chittenden  and  Mr.  Field  are  very  emphatic  in 
their  criticisms  upon  this  mode  of  making  money.  Clark  himself  said  to  both 
Messrs.  Chittenden  and  Field,  "  Nothing  hindered  him  from  taking  any  sum 
of  this  money,  and  putting  it  into  circulation,  and  passing  it  as  money," 
though,  he  adds,  "  It  would  not  be  forty-eight  hours  before,  under  his  system, 
an  over-issue  would  be  detected;"  but  by  this  time  he  might  be  across  the 
rebel  lines,  or  be  off  to  Europe,  with  large  sums  converted  into  gold.  No 
language  can  adequately  condemn  such  irresponsibility — even  in  a  superintend 
ent  of  unimpeachable  and  irreproachable  character. 

We  have  labored  under  some  difficulty  in  the  procuring  of  witnesses  in 
Mr.  Clark's  department,  because  "a  very  intelligent  man,"  a  Mr.  Corbin,  Mr. 
Chittenden  reports,  was  dismissed  by  Clark,  because,  upon  his  (Chittenden's) 
request,  he  (Corbin)  drew  up  a  statement  of  fact,  in  writing,  upon  Clark'a 
hydraulic  printing.  Another  expert,  Charles  A.  Jewett,  has  been  sharply 
attacked,  and  deprived  of  employ,  because  of  his  disbelief  in  Clark's  capa 
city  or  purity.  We  have  already  shown  how  and  why  two  ladies  were 
dismissed.  Such  action  on  the  part  of  Clark  seems  to  have  struck  both  the 
males  and  females  under  him  with  a  species  of  terror,  for  fear  they  should 
lose  their,  to  them,  valuable  places.  But  while  terror  is  thus  inspired  on  the 
one  side,  reward  is  given  on  another.  To  Mr.  John  D.  Larman,  who  seems 


MINOKITY  REPORT.  319 

to  be  a  worthy  man,  having  charge  of  the  machinery  in  the  bureau,  a  valua 
ble  gold  watch  was  presented  by  Clark  since  this  investigation  commenced. 

There  is  a  mass  of  testimony  before  us  as  to  the  cost  of  printing,  and  upon, 
controversies  or  alleged  controversies  said  to  exist  between  Clark  and  certain 
bank-note  companies,  Clark  having  represented  himself,  at  an  early  period  of 
the  examination,  as  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy  by  these  bank-note  companies. 
The  most  of  this  testimony  seems  to  us  irrelevant,  though  necessarily  taken, 
after  Clark  began  the  assault.  We  have  little  or  nothing  to  do  with  costs  or 
controversies  of  this  nature.  As  a  general  thing,  in  every  department,  it  costs 
the  Government  more  to  do  work  than  it  can  have  it  done  for  by  contract,  or 
by  private  individuals — but  the  important  question  here  is  not  "  cost,"  but 
"character,"  "security,"  &c.  Is  a  man  like  Clark,  with  his  antecedents  and 
present  character,  a  fit  man  to  be  trusted  with  the  almost  irresponsible  print 
ing  of  millions  upon  millions  of  public  securities?  Are  the  checks  and  guards 
upon  his  bureau  powerful  enough  to  force  him  to  be  honest  ?  We  do  not 
object  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  keeping  a  money  printing  office,  if  he 
thinks  best,  though  we  deem  the  Treasury  building  a  very  unfit  place  for 
such  printing — but  we  insist  upon  its  being  printed  by  a  man  of  irreproacha 
ble  character,  and  with  all  possible  guards  and  checks  even  upon  him.  The 
t;  cost "  is  nothing  when  compared  with  safety  and  security.  If,  as  Clark 
alleges,  the  bank-note  companies  attempted  to  buy  him  off,  or  bribe  him  otf, 
as  to  which  there  is  no  proof,  but  much  proof  to  the  contrary,  all  this  is 
nothing  to  us,  if,  as  Clark  states,  he  has  not  been  bought  or  bribed.  The 
singular  susceptibility  of  Clark,  however,  to  approaches  of  the  kind  is  worthy 
of  note.  In  the  matter  of  the  Charleston  Custoin-House  job,  there  was  a 
conspiracy  against  him  in  the  last  Congress.  In  this  Congress,  the  bank-note 
companies  are  conspiring  against  him.  He  seems  ever  to  be  the  victim  of 
conspiracies,  and  the  conspiracy  now  is  not  only  of  the  bank-note  companies, 
but  of  about  every  ofticer  in  the  Treasury  building  working  with  him.  Tho 
Comptroller  of  the  Currency,  Mr.  McCulloch,  employs  the  bank-note  com 
panies  to  print  the  forthcoming  three  hundred  millions  of  currency  of 
the  new  National  banks,  and  finds  no  fault  with  these  "conspirators."  One 
of  these  conspirators,  the  Old  American  Bank-Note  Company,  has  printed 
money  for  years,  holding  the  dies  and  bed-plates,  not  only  for  about  all  of  the 
State  banks,  north  and  south,  over  a  thousand  banks  in  number,  but  for  tho 
"banks  of  Canada  and  the  British  Provinces,  and  for  the  South  American 
States,  and  for  Russia  and  Greece,  in  Europe.  The  whole  world  has  borne 
tribute  to  their  high  art  as  designers  and  engravers,  and  to  their  honesty, 
purity,  and  reliability.  What  civilization  and  art  everywhere  confide  in,  Mr. 
Clark  sets  down  as  a  conspiracy  against  him ! 

MEMBRANE    PAPER,    HYDRAULIC    PRINTING,    ETC. 

Nor  have  we  much  to  say  upon  the  experiments  with  hydraulic  printing, 
and  membrane  paper,  going  on  in  the  Treasury  building.  These  are  novel 
ties,  expensive  novelties,  far  better  fitted  for  the  study  and  the  laboratory  of 
the  experimenter  than  for  practical  work  in  these  times.  The  worst  that  can 
be  said  of  them  all  is,  that  it  wastes  time  and  expenditure,  and  damages  aad 


320 


UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 


endangers  the  Treasury  building  itself.  While  the  experiments  were  going 
on  in  the  Treasury  building,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  compelled,  by 
his  inability  to  have  printed  there  in  time  his  interest-bearing  Treasury  notes, 
to  make  a  six  per  cent,  temporary  loan  of  fifty  million  dollars.  The  loan  was 
made  September  8,  1863,  and  was  not  finally  paid  till  June  12,  1864  —  the  in 
terest  at  six  per  cent,  all  the  while  accruing,  because  this  Secretary  could  not 
obtain  in  time  fifty  millions  of  legal  tender  notes  from  the  Printing  Bureau. 
To  show  the  cost  of  the  delay  resulting  from  these  experiments,  we  annex 
the  report  of  the  New  York  Clearing-House  upon  thirty-five  millions  only  of 
this  loan,  the  other  fifteen  millions  having  been  taken  in  Philadelphia  and 
Boston,  at  like  cost  to  Government. 


,  Esq.,  Cashier  :— 


NEW  YORK  C 

Saturday,  January  16,  1864. 


SIR  —  Interest  upon  the  temporary  loan  of  September  8,  1863,  to  the 
Treasury  of  the  United  States  has  been  received  by  the  Loan  Committee,  at 
the  rate  of  six  per  cent,  per  annum,  from  September  8,  1863,  to  the  several 
dates  upon  which  the  two-years  five-per-cent.  legal-tender  Treasury  notes 
were  paid  to  the  committee  by  John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,  Assistant  Treasurer  U. 
S.,  and  as  per  the  following  statement,  viz.  :  — 

1864. 
January    5—6  per  cent,  on  $14,560,000  for  119  days,  $205,600  00 


6— 

>j 

8— 

9— 

11— 

12— 


6,160,000 
4,620,000 
3,217,000 
1,655,000 
3.518,000 
1,270,000 


120 
121 
122 
123 
125 
126 


121,846  15 

92,146  15 

64,693  52 

33,554  67 

72,486  26 

26,376  93 


Amount  of  loan,  $35,000,000  Interest,  $696,703  68 

Estimated  on  the  basis  of  182  days  for  the  six  months  from  September  8, 
1863,  to  March  8,  1864. 

From  the  above-named  amount  of  interest,  that  which  has  accrued  upon 
the  two-years  legal-tender  five-per-cent.  U.  S.  Treasury  notes,  from  Decem 
ber  1,  1863,  to  the  dates  of  payment,  at  the  rate  of  two  and  a  half  per  cent, 
for  the  183  days,  from  December  1,  1863,  to  June  1,  1864,  has  been  deducted 
as  follows,  viz. : — 

1864. 
January    5—5  per  cent,  on  $14,560,000  for  35  days,  $69,617  49 


6— 

7— 

8— 

9— 

11— 

12— 


6,160,000 
4,620,000 
3,217,000 
1,655,000 
3,518,000 
1,270,000 


36 
37 
38 
39 
41 
41 


30,295  08 
23,352  45 
16,700  27 

8,817  62 
19,704  65 

7,286  88 


Principal,  $35,000,000        Interest,  $175,774  44 

Total  amount  of  interest  on  Loan  at  6  per  cent $696,703  68 

"  "  "  Notes  at  5  per  cent 175,77444 


Cash  Balance  received  by  Loan  Committee $520,929  24 


MINORITY  REPORT.  321 

The  interest  thus  received  has  been  divided  among  the  Associated  Banks 
in  proportion  to  the  interest  of  each  in  the  joint  loan  of  September  8,  1863. 

The  interest  apportioned  to  your  bank  is  $ ,  and  will  be  paid  to 

you  by  George  D.  Lyman,  Secretary  of  the  Loan  Committee,  on  and  after  this 
day.  Respectfully  yours, 

C.  P.  LEYERICH, 
Chairman  Loan  Committee. 

To  this  loss  in  interest  of  $520,929.24,  should  be  added  the  loss  of  interest 
on  the  fifteen  millions  paid  in  Boston  and  Philadelphia. 

In  conclusion,  your  committee  have  to  say,  that  upon  all  that  branch  of 
the  investigation,  charged  upon  the  committee  by  the  House,  and  involved 
in  the  remarks  of  the  Hon.  F.  P.  Blair,  now  in  our  military  service  in  Georgia, 
we  have  not  been  permitted  to  take  any  testimony  whatever.  An  effort  was 
made  in  committee,  June  3d,  to  investigate  the  alleged  fraudulent  subscrip 
tions  for  the  eleven  millions  excess  of  the  five-twenty  bonds,  said  by  Mr. 
Blair  then  to  have  been  twelve  per  cent,  above  par,  and  to  have  yielded  a 
million  and  a  quarter  dollars  profit  to  the  takers — but  the  resolution  to  inves 
tigate  was  voted  down — ayes  3,  noes  4.  We  regret  that,  in  this  respect,  we 
have  failed  to  discharge  the  duty  imposed  upon  u$  by  the  House,  but  it  is  not 
our  fault,  as  the  record  shows. 

To  show,  however,  our  further  sense  of  the  high  duty  imposed  upon  us  by 
the  House,  and  our  desire  to  discharge  that  duty,  we  again,  on  the  27th  June, 
made  another  effort  in  the  following  resolution : — 

Whereas,  Major-General  Frank  Blair,  in  several  letters  read  by  him,  on 
the  floor  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  from  persons  he  vouches  for  as 
responsible,  has  charged  that — 

Treasury  officials,  by  means  of  outsiders,  are  now  engaged  in  the  most 
gigantic  robberies  of  modern  times,  exceeding  the  former  operations  of  Clive 
in  India. 

And  whereas,  specifications  by  name  and  place  are  giten  in  several  of  these 
charges:  Therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  committee,  and  devolves  upon  it,  by  the 
ample  powers  given  in  the  House  resolution  creating  it,  to  enter  upon  a  full 
and  complete  examination  of  these  charges. 

The  resolution  failed  to  pass  by  the  following  vote : — 
Ayes — Brooks,  Stuart,  Dawson,  Steele. 
Noes — Garfield,  Wilson,  Fenton,  Davis. 

This  painful  record  is  aggravated  by  the  fact,  in  the  very  sitting  when  a 
gallant  officer  of  the  army  was  thus  ignored,  the  Superintendent  of  Money 
Printing,  whose  character  we  have  above  described,  was  permitted  to  file  a 
letter  denying  charges  against  him,  as  if  in  testimony,  while  to  the  minority 
of  your  committee  was  refused  the  opportunity  again  to  bring  Clark  before  us, 
and  to  re-examine  him,  or  others,  as  to  the  denials  made,  though  such  a  re- 
examination  was  apparently  desired  by  him,  and  earnestly  desired  by  us.  Your 
committee  are,  therefore,  constrained  to  say  that  they  have  not  been  permit- 
21 


322  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

ted,  in  spirit  or  in  fact,  to  examine  into  but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  allega 
tions  made  by  the  newspaper  press,  or  by  Mr.  Brooks,  or  by  General  Blair, 
>»n  the  floor  of  the  House. 

Your  committee,  in  conclusion,  beg  leave  to  offer  the  following  resolu 
tions  : — 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  be*  directed  at  the  earliest 
practicable  day  to  carry  into  execution,  in  the  Money  Printing  Bureau,  the 
recommendations  of  Mr.  B.  Field,  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  L. 
E.  Chittenden,  Register  of  the  Treasury,  as  set  forth  in  a  report  signed  by 
them  June  2,  1864,  and  subsequently  reconsidered  and  recommitted  by  them, 
and  the  lion.  IV.  Sprague,  Senator  from  Rhode  Island,  February  19,  1864. 

Resolved,  That  Spencer  M.  Clark,  the  Superintendent  of  the  Money  Print 
ing  Bureau,  is  an  unfit  man  to  preside  over  that  bureau. 

JAMES  BROOKS, 
JOHN  T.  STUART, 
W.  G.  STKELE, 
JOHN  L.  DAWSON". 

Mr.  FENTON  submitted  the  following  report: — 

The  undersigned,  a  member  of  the  select  committee,  of  which  the  Hon. 
Jas.  A.  Garfield  is  chairman,  to  examine  in  relation  to  matters  connected  with 
the  Treasury  Department,  begs  leave  to  say  that  he  concurs  in  the  conclusion 
of  the  committee  as  to  the  policy  of  doing  the  work  of  the  printing  of  the 
public  securities,  obligations,  and  national  bank  currency,  in  the  Treasury 
Department,  and  as  to  the  care  and  generally  correct  manner  in  which  such 
work  has  been  there  conducted ;  nor  does  he  see  any  reason,  from  the  evidence 
submitted  to  the  committee,  to  dissent  from  their  conclusions  with  reference 
to  the  immoralities  charged  to  have  been  committed  in  the  Printing  Bureau 
of  the  Treasury  Department. 

The  undersigned,  however,  is  not  able,  upon  the  testimony  which  has  been 
submitted  to  the  committee,  to  agree  with  the  majority  in  their  conclusions 
in  reference  to  the  conspiracies  of  the  New  York  bank  note  companies  to  get 
Mr.  Clark  out  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and  to  prevent  the  publication  of 
the  public  securities,  obligations,  and  national  bank  notes  in  that  department, 
in  order  to  secure  the  same  to  themselves. 

R.  E.  FENTON. 

EXHIBIT  BB. 

Response  of  Alexander  0.  Wilson,  of  New  Yorlc,  to  the  Secretary  of  Ifie 
Treasury,  calling  for  charges  against  S.  M.  Clarlc. 

NKW  YORK,  August  27,  1868. 

gIR — in  response  to  your  demand  for  my  charges  against  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark, 
of  the  Treasury  Department,  I  had  the  honor  to  say,  in  my  letter  of  the  17th 
instant,  that  those  charges  relate  not  merely  to  Mr.  Clark's  present  position 
in  your  service,  but  to  events  in  the  course  of  his  entire  career,  which  prov«» 


A.  C.  WILSON  ON  MR.  CLARK.  323 

his  unfitness  to  hold  any  office  of  trust  under  Government.  The  facts  are  far 
more  abundant  than  this  present  recapitulation  will  indicate;  but  the  diffi 
culty  of  inducing  men  to  testify,  without  the  compulsion  of  a  subpcena,  pre 
vents  me,  at  present,  from  offering  testimony ;  and,  therefore,  I  refrain  from 
reciting  statements  in  regard  to  which  the  evidence  is  not  immediately  ac 
cessible. 

In  the  case  of  Mr.  TV.  L.  Ormsly,  the  honorable  Secretary  laid  down  the 
indisputable  principle,  that  no  man  should  have  any  thing  to  do  with  the  manu 
facture  of  government  money  upon  whose  character  there  rests  the  slightest 
taint.  Mr.  Clark  is  no  subordinate  in  this  manufacture,  as  is  Mr.  Ormsly. 
He  holds  a  foremost  place.  Every  thing  is  confided  to  his  integrity.  He 
occupies  a  position  requiring  spotless  honesty,  the  highest  skill,  and  the  utmost 
ingenuity. 

The  record  of  Mr.  Clark's  career  will  show  that,  wherever  he  has  been 
known,  out  of  Washington,  he  would  be  invested  with  no  office  of  trust;  that 
wherever  he  resided  and  conducted  business,  prior  to  his  employment  in  the 
Department,  he  left  behind  him  a  tainted  reputation — a  reputation  for  ques 
tionable  honesty,  for  enormous  extravagance,  for  bad  personal  habits,  for 
addiction  to  visionary  and  unsuccessful  projects,  for  being,  in  fact,  a  reckless 
pretender  and  charlatan.  ^ 

This  general  reputation,  I  undertake  to  prove,  adheres  to  him  still,  even 
in  his  actual  employment  in  your  service. 

My  charges  against  Clark  are  as  follows,  viz. : — 

1.  Reputation  for  dishonesty  and  unreliability. — Inquiry  at  the  localities 
where  he  has  done  business,  among  which  are  Hartford,  Brattleboro',  Sims- 
bury,  and  New  York,  attests  that  those  who  know  Clark  thoroughly  decline 
to  trust  him,  and  believe  him  to  be  freely  accessible  to  corrupt  influences. 

2.  Actual  dishonesty. — The  failure  of  the  flour-dealing  firm  of  Clark  &  Cole- 
man,  in  1855,  elicited  from  the  insolvents  an  offer  to  pay  seventy  cents  on  the 
dollar:  fifty  per  cent,  in  the  paper  of  Ezra  Clark,  Jr.,  a  brother  of  Morton, 
who  was  said  to  be  a  debtor  of  the  firm,  and  twenty  per  cent,  in  the  paper  of 
Coleman  &  Clark.     None  of  these  notes  were  paid.     Coleman  paid  hi$  pro 
portion,  and  obtained  from  his  creditors  a  release;  but  nothing  whatever  was 
paid  by  Clark  or  his  brother.     I  find,  from  inquiries  made  of  leading  mercan 
tile  houses  in  the  flour  trade,  that  the  failure  was,  and  is,  regarded  as  dis 
graceful,  if  not  fraudulent,  and  as  utterly  destructive  of  Clark's  credit. 

A  transaction  in  connection  with  the  improvements  in  the  Assistant  Trea 
surer's  office  in  this  city,  raises  an  irresistible  presumption  of  fraud  on  the 
part  of  Clark,  who  was  superintending  some  of  the  work,  subject  to  the  direc 
tions  of  the  Assistant  Treasurer.  Though  instructed  to  do  nothing  without 
the  explicit  orders  of  Mr.  Cisco,  Clark  privately,  and  on  his  own  responsi 
bility,  proceeded  to  make  a  contract  for  the  safes,  selecting  a  pattern,  the 
patent  right  of  which  belonged  to  the  Messrs.  Cornell,  machinists,  of  New 
York.  The  natural  course  for  him  would  have  been  to  have  contracted  with 
the  Messrs.  Cornell.  Instead  of  doing  so,  however,  he  made  a  contract  with 
one  North,  a  lockmaker,  at  New  Britain,  Connecticut,  and  left  North  to 


324  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

sub- contract  (of  course,  with  a  handsome  profit  to  himself)  with  the  Messrs. 
Cornell. 

3.  Dishonesty  or  incompetency . — The  report  of  the  House  Committee  on 
Expenditures  on  Puhlic  Buildings,  June  10,  1862,  convicts  Clark  of  either  one 
or  the  other  of  these   qualities ;  and  as  the  Honorable  Secretary  promptly 
removed  Clark  from  the  post  he  then  occupied,  we  are  to  assume  that,  at  that 
time,  he  believed  him  to  be  either  dishonest  or  incapable.     A  cursory  reading 
of  a  printed  letter,  addressed  by  Clark  to  the  Secretary,  and  marked  "  pri 
vate,"  doubtless  to  keep  it  out  of  the  hands  of  members  of  the  committee, 
who  would  be  likely  to  resent  its  scurrilous  flings  and  innuendoes,  impressed 
me  at  first  as  a  successful  refutation  of  the  report ;  but  upon  referring  care 
fully  to  the  report  itself,  I  find  the  so-called  reply  leaves  the  material  points 
untouched.     That  report  I  therefore  make  part  of  my  case. 

4.  Business  incompetency. — Clark  has  failed  in  every  business  enterprise 
he  ever  undertook,  and  in  every  case  inquiry  shows  the  failure  was  due  to 
his  visionary,  unpractical  character,  combined  with  improvident  and  extrava 
gant  or  immoral  habits.     He  failed  as  a  maker  of  rules  at  Hartford  and  Brat- 
tlcboro' ;  he  failed  as  the  superintendent  of  copper  smelting- works  at  Sims- 
bury,  Connecticut ;  he  failed  as  a  flour  merchant  in  New  York.     Prior  to  his 
employment  in  Washington,  his  only  success  seems  to  have  been  as  clerk  and 
bar-tender  at  the  Carleton  House,  a  second-class  hotel  of  this  city,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  those  capacities  for  three  or  four  years. 

5.  Immorality. — An  incident  which  occurred  during  the  latter  portion  of 
Clark's  residence  in  New  York,  did  as  much  as  any  thing  else,  unless  his  reck 
less  speculations  be  excepted,  to  destroy  the  credit  of  the  firm  of  Clark  & 
Coleman,  and  procure  its  failure.     The  facts,  which  were  reported  in  the 
papers  of  the  day,  may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows  :  a  brothel  in  the  Eighth 
"Ward  had  made  itself  especially  offensive  to  the  police,  as  the  resort  of  the 
most  profligate  and  dissolute  of  the  community.     It  was  found  necessary  to 
break  it  up.     A  descent  was  planned,  the  inmates  were  arrested,  and  among 
them  was  S.  M.  Clark,  the  subject  of  these  charges.     On  the  following  day 
lie  was  placed  on  the  stand  and  compelled  to  testify :  and  this  confession  of 
his  guilt — the  guilt  of  a  married  man,  past  middle  age,  with  a  grown-up 
family,  was  printed  in  all  the  newspapers.     With  such  a  stain  upon  his  pri 
vate  character — and  the  facts  were  in  the  mouths  of  everybody  at  the  time — 
it  can  hardly  be  wondered  at  that  the  credit  of  Clark  &  Coleman  declined, 
until  it  reached  the  point  of  failure ;  and  that  the  ill  repute  of  Clark  was  a 
principal  cause  of  the  disaster  is  not  only  currently  alleged  by  merchants  in 
the  same  line  of  business,  but  may  justly  be  interred  from  the  circumstance 
that  Coleman,  resuming  business  after  the  failure,  has  since  been  a  successful 
and  prosperous  man. 

G.  Charlatanism  and  imposture. — The  unsafe  and  unprofessional  manner 
in  which  the  Treasury  building  had  been  carried  on,  reasonably  prompted 
the  House  Committee,  in  the  report  already  referred  to,  to  question  Mr. 
Clark's  attainments  as  an  engineer.  In  reply  to  an  inquiry  on  this  head,  he 
is  reported  as  saying :  "  I  have  qualified  myself  for  duties  of  engineer,  but 
never  adopted  it  as  a  profession." 


MR.  WILSON   INTERROGATED.  325 

Question.  Have  you  ever  been  engaged  in  practical  duties  of  engineer? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  and  when  ? 

A.  In  Brattleboro',  Vermont,  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  New  York  city. 

Q.  In  what  connection  at  Brattleboro',  Vermont? 

A.  In  planning,  laying  out,  and  erecting  a  water-power  and  factory. 

Q.  What  factory? 

A.  One  for  the  manufacture  of  rules  and  mathematical  instruments — the 
first  of  its  kind  started  in  this  country. 

Q.  How  long  were  you  so  engaged  there  ? 

A.  I  think  about  six  years  in  Brattleboro',  in  constructing  water-power, 
in  building  factory,  making  machinery  for  carrying  on  the  business,  and  then 
carrying  on  the  business.  The  rest  of  the  time  that  I  was  in  Brattleboro'  I 
was  cashier  of  a  bank. 

Q.  Were  you  ever  employed  by  anybody  as  an  engineer  while  in  Brattle 
boro'? 

A.  I  was  frequently  consulted  upon  engineering,  but  never  professionally 
employed. 

Q.  In  what  public  work  were  you  engaged  at  Hartford,  Connecticut  ? 

A.  No  public  work.     There  was  none  building  there. 

Q.  In  what  were  you  engaged  as  an  engineer  in  that  city  ? 

A.  In  planning  and  building  a  mill  for  the  reduction  and  separation  of  ores 
from  copper-mines  in  that  vicinity,  and  also  in  designing  some  private  dwell 
ings,  but  not  professionally. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  size  of  the  mill  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  by  sixty  feet,  but  it  is 
only  a  matter  of  recollection.  It  had  two  steam-engines,  one  of  twelve  and 
one  of  twenty  horse-power,  running  day  and  night. 

Q.  What  was  its  height  ? 

A .  It  was  all  in  one  story. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  how  long  you  were  engaged  on  the  work  ? 

A.  On  the  work,  and  superintending  running  of  machinery,  for  about  two 
years. 

Q.  How  long  in  constructing  the  building  ? 

A.  Somewhere  between  six  months  and  a  year. 

Q.  Of  what  material  was  the  building,  and  what  its  cost? 

A.  The  basement  portion  was  of  stone;  the  upper  portion  of  wood.  I 
think  the  building  and  its  appurtenances  cost  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand 
dollars. 

Q.  How  high  above  the  ground  line  did  the  masonry  work  extend  ? 

A.  About  six  feet. 

Q.  Were  you  interested  as  owner  or  proprietor  of  business  in  the  factory  ? 

A.  I  was  to  have  been  interested  as  a  compensation,  but  my  employers  failed 
in  carrying  out  their  enterprise,  and  no  interest  has  ever  been  awarded  to  me. 

Q.  Were  you  engaged  on  any  public  work  in  New  York? 

A.  My  occupation  of  this  character  there  was  confined  to  consultation 
with  others  in  reference  to  dwellings. 


V 

326  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  to  have  been  consulted  officially  about  any  public 
work  then  going  on  in  New  York  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Had  you  the  professional  charge  of  any  public  building  or  work  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  your  salary  at  Brattleboro',  Vermont,  or  your  pay  for  con 
struction  of  building  ? 

A.  It  was  my  own.  I  first  began  it  in  connection  with  a  partner,  and 
subsequently  acquired  full  title. 

We  remarked,  that  it  is  true  that  S.  M.  Clark  was  proposed  as  cashier  of 
the  Bank  of  Brattleboro' ;  but,  on  account  of  his  bad  character,  was  totally 
unable  to  procure  the  legal  bond,  and  never  signed  or  acted  as  cashier.  It  is 
true  that  he  superintended  a  small  rule-shop  in  Brattleboro',  but  it  is  untrue 
that  he  had  any  thing  whatever  to  do  with  the  construction  of  that  or  any 
other  building  in  the  village.  The  building  he  refers  to  as  erected  near  Hart 
ford,  was  simply  a  small  wooden  shed  of  unplaned  boards  to  cover  one  or  two 
steam-engines.  Thus  a  man,  through  whose  hands  a  thousand  millions  of 
money  will  probably  pass  during  the  coming  year,  was  unable,  in  the  town 
where  he  was  born  and  thoroughly  known,  to  procure  the  security  required 
for  the  cashiership  of  a  county  bank.  The  cutting-machine  used  in  separating 
the  notes  in  the  Department  is  not  the  invention  of  Clark;  similar  machines 
have  been  used  in  this  city  for  twenty  years.  Such  paper  as  Clark  manufac 
tures  in  the  Department,  with  so  many  securities  to  preserve  the  secrecy  of 
the  method,  the  company  for  which  I  act  will  contract  to  deliver  to  Govern 
ment,  at  a  much  lower  rate  than  its  present  cost.  With  the  same  audacity  as 
made  him  claim  to  be  an  engineer  on  the  strength  of  having  built  an  engine- 
shed,  he  claims  to  be  an  engraver  and  printer  of  bank  notes,  and  yet  he  re 
quired  us  to  engrave  two  vignettes  for  surface  printing,  and  only  abandoned 
the  project  when  the  impossibility  of  doing  the  thing  was  demonstrated. 
And  it  is  the  universal  opinion  of  experts,  who  are  conversant  with  Clark's 
preparations  for  dry  printing,  and  who  have  been  acquainted  with  the  machine 
he  uses  for  a  number  of  years,  that  upon  any  thing  of  a  practical  scale  the 
experiment  will  be  a  failure.  His  visionary  and  superficial  character  has 
now,  in  fact,  full  swing,  enjoying,  as  it  does,  the  generous  resources  of  the 
Department ;  but  if  it  fare  no  better  than  it  has  done  in  the  conduct  of  his 
private  business,  it  must  result  in  disaster  to  the  Government.  These  are  my 
charges.  I  am  quite  sensible,  sir,  that  some  of  them  are  unattended  with  the 
weight  of  evidence  they  may  strike  you  as  demanding.  Other  allegations  I 
have  already  intimated  I  might  easily  make,  could  I  extort  the  truth  from 
witnesses  whom  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  compromise,  but  who  would  testify 
freely  before  a  properly  authorized  tribunal.  With  the  approval  of  the  hon 
orable  Secretary,  I  therefore  propose  to  procure  a  committee  of  investigation, 
either  in  the  Senate  or  House,  early  in  the  approaching  session  of  Congress; 
and  I  undertake  to  prove,  with  the  aid  of  the  process  which  such  committee 
will  have  at  its  command,  every  point  I  now  allege  as  to  the  unfitness  of  Clark 
to  occupy  the  position  he  fills  under  Government.  I  have  referred  to  the 
warm  friendship  Clark  exhibited  toward  us  in  the  earlier  part  of  our  inter- 


MR.   WILSON   ON  MR.   CLARK.  327 

course — a  friendship  dictated,  as  he  took  frequent  occasion  to  say,  by  his 
irrepressible  dislike  to  the  American  Company,  and  its  practice  of  corrupting 
everybody  surrounding  the  honorable  Secretary.  He  would  have  no  inter 
course  with  them ;  he  would  see  that,  however  sincere  their  repentance,  they 
should  never  again  have  work  from  the  Department;  that  while  he  intended 
to  print  the  banking  currency  in  the  Department,  he  would  influence  the 
entire  printing  of  Treasury  notes  to  us.  In  making  this  pledge,  which  was 
wholly  unsolicited,  he  took  occasion  to  mention  that  he  had  been  thrown  out 
of  his  position  in  the  Department ;  that  although  he  would  be  ultimately 
cared  for  by  the  Secretary,  he  would  be  obliged  to  live  for  the  present  on 
borrowed  money ;  in  short,  he  presented  the  matter  in  such  a  form  that  I 
would  have  been  blind  not  to  see  that  he  was  inviting  the  tender  of  a  bribe 
from  this  company.  Be  assured,  sir,  no  such  tender  was  made.  On  the  same 
afternoon,  namely,  of  June  25,  Mr.  Clark  visited  the  American  Bank  Note 
Company,  was  admitted  to  a  scrutiny  of  all  their  interior  arrangements,  and 
from  that  day  the  kindness  we  had  previously  experienced  from  him  has  been 
converted  into  rudeness,  if  not  downright  insult,  and  marked  unfriendliness, 
if  not  open  hostility.  Corruption  is  easily  concealed ;  but  we  cannot  shut 
our  eyes  to  the  inference  that  a  change  so  abrupt  had  causes  independent  of 
the  public  interest.  In  submitting  these  charges,  I  consider  it  of  great  im 
portance  that  the  Secretary  should  comprehend  the  motives  that  actuate  me 
in  the  affair.  It  is  not  of  my  own  seeking.  Mr.  Clark's  peculiar  mode  of 
doing  business  forced  it  upon  me.  I  bear  Mr.  Clark  no  malice,  but  I  do  feel 
an  honest  indignation  that  a  man,  whose  notoriously  bad  reputation  and  per 
sonal  dealings  with  myself  have  convinced  me  that  he  is  entirely  unfit  for  the 
responsible  position  he  occupies  under  the  Secretary,  should,  in  the  plenitude 
of  the  power  he  knows  he  unworthily  holds,  assume,  in  the  most  offensive, 
arrogant  manner,  to  be  the  arbiter  of  the  fortunes  of  the  company  of  which  I 
have  the  honor  to  be  president.  When  the  Continental  Bank  Note  Company 
commenced  with  the  Government,  it  laid  down  the  rule  not  to  corrupt  or  be 
corrupted,  and  by  that  rule  it  will  stand  or  fall.  I  have  never  asked  any 
favor  of  Mr.  Clark,  neither  would  I  lay  myself  open  to  any  arrangement 
where  there  could  be  any  reciprocity  of  illicit  favors.  I  never,  by  insinua 
tion  or  request,  endeavored  to  obtain  any  thing  from  Mr.  Clark,  except  what 
rightfully  belonged  to  the  company  under  its  engagements  with  the  Depart 
ment.  It  is  Mr.  Clark's  sudden  change,  from  apparently  excessive  friendship 
to  actual  excessive  hostility,  based,  I  am  convinced,  on  bad  motives,  and 
manifested  by  a  highly  improper  and  unjust  course  in  his  dealings  with  me  as 
President  of  the  Continental  Bank  Note  Company,  that  forces  me  to  resist  his 
action,  and  in  so  doing  undertake  to  satisfy  the  Secretary  that  his  confiding 
nature  has  allowed  Clark  to  obtain  too  much  of  his  confidence.  It  is  there 
fore  from  a  sense  of  duty  to  the  company  over  whose  interests  I  preside,  and 
to  the  Secretary,  with  whom  I  have  important  and  confidential  relations,  that 
I  act  in  this  very  disagreeable  business. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c.,  &c., 

ALEXAXDEB  C.  WILSOH. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


328  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

I  wish  now  to  refer  to  a  most  singular  episode  in  the 
jourse  of  the  investigation.  It  will  not  be  forgotten,  first, 
;hat  my  connection  with  it  was  not  of  my  seeking ;  but  I 
was  called  to  it  at  Mr.  Chase's  special  request.  When  it 
was  discovered — as  I  claim,  and  challenge  evidence  to  the 
contrary — that  I  would  not  bend  to  party  dictation,  and 
shield  the  guilty,  my  official  acts  and  labors  were  not  only 
ignored,  but  an  attempt  deliberately  made  to  brand  me 
before  the  Committee  as  a  conspirator.  Second,  that,  not 
withstanding  Stewart  Gwynn  was  arrested  and  committed 
to  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  and  then  released  by  order  of 
Solicitor  Jordan,  he  was  induced  and  encouraged  to  begin 
and  prosecute  four  different  actions  against  me,  in  the  crimi 
nal  courts  of  the  District,  by  the  very  men  who  had  earnest 
ly  invoked  my  aid  in  the  exposure  of  his  frauds. 

The  recSfds  of  the  Court  before  which  I  was  tried,  but 
honorably  acquitted,  exhibit  the  testimony  of  the  Solicitor 
in  no  enviable  light.  It  was  a  topic  of  general  remark 
among  members  of  the  legal  profession,  that,  when  on  the 
witness  stand,  he  was  evasive  and  indirect  in  his  answers, 
and  clearly  driven  to  dodge  the  plain  facts  in  the  case. 

I  have  thus  briefly  recorded  the  foregoing  experience, 
that  the  merits  of  a  controversy  may  be  understood,  in  the 
progress  of  which  I  was  the  target  of  unjust  and  cruel  cen 
sure.  I  doubt  not,  the  people  will  be  surprised  to  learn 
that  a  conspicuous  object  of  this  inquiry,  S.  M.  Clark,  still 
holds  (June,  1866)  his  position  in  the  United  States  Treasury 
Department. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

A    PERILOUS    ADVENTURE. 

Pope's  Defeat  —  Banks's  Advance  —  The   Importance  of  communicating  with  him  — 
The  Successful  Attempt—  Rebel  Pursuers—  The  Escape. 


of  the  most  disastrous  defeats  of  the  Union  army 
was  that  of  General  Pope,  when  he  was  driven  through  the 
mountains  of  the  Blue  Eidge  by  General  Lee,  in  the  autumn 
of  1863.  General  Banks  had  left  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
bat  knew  nothing  of  the  perilous  condition  of  the  army 
he  was  hastening  to  join,  nor  the  danger  that  wou]d  attend 
his  advance,  with  Lee's  entire  army  across  his  path.  To 
save  his  battalions,  it  was  necessary  to  communicate  to  him 
the  movements  of  the  two  armies.  Excepting  the  route  from 
Washington  to  Centreville,  the  rebels  had  full  possession, 
and  the  road  was  exceedingly  perilous.  Innumerable  rumors 
were  floating  about  Washington,  to  the  effect  that  Banks  had 
met  Lee,  and  was  annihilated.  The  Secretary  of  War  was 
unable  to  obtain  any  information  of  him.  He  had  dispatched 
two  messengers  with  instructions  to  him  not  to  attempt  a 
junction  with  Pope.  One  of  them  was  captured,  and  the 
other  came  back,  after  several  fruitless  attempts  to  get  be 
yond  Centreville,  and  refused  to  risk  his  life  further. 

Secretary  Stanton,  in  this  emergency,  sent  for  me,  and 
asked  me  if  I  had  a  man  on  my  force  daring  and  sagacious 
enough  to  carry  the  dispatches  to  Banks. 

"If  you  will  prepare  your  messages,"  said  I,  "I  will 
see  that  they  are  delivered  ;  or,  at  any  rate,  that  an  attempt 
is  made  to  deliver  them." 

I  got  ready  at  once  for  the  uncertain  excursion,  and 
reported  to  Mr.  Stanton  for  orders.  He  gave  me  the  dis 
patches,  which  I  concealed  under  my  clothes,  next  to  my 


330  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

body,  and,  mounting  the  celebrated  racehorse  "«Patchen," 
I  galloped  away  from  the  Capital  at  six  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  reaching  Centreville  at  ten.  I  reported  to  Gen 
eral  McDowell,  and  requested  a  fresh  and  fleet  horse.  I 
waited  an  hour,  when  the  black  clouds,  which  had  been 
gathering  overhead  for  some  time,  began  to  pour  down  a 
steady  rain,  and  the  air  grew  chill  and  dismal. 

The  darkness  was  almost  impenetrable  to  the  vision.  The 
roads  were  in  a  wretched  condition — muddy,  broken,  and 
frequently  obstructed.  No  horse,  fit  for  such  a  journey — a 
journey  requiring  one  sure  of  foot,  swift,  and  perfectly 
trained — could  be  found  at  that  hour  of  the  night,  in  the 
disorder  of  the  army,  and  "Patchen"  had  already  carried 
his  owner  thirty -five  miles  along  a  rough  and  toilsome  route. 

These  were  the  considerations  which  urged  me  to  remain 
at  McDowell's  head-quarters  until  the  journey  might  be  com 
menced  with  better  auguries  of  safety.  The  darkness,  how 
ever,  in  itself  was  not  unfavorable  to  the  enterprise.  By 
its  help,  I  might  hope  to  pass  through  regions  occupied  by 
the  rebels,  which  would  be  utterly  closed  to  me  in  daylight 
or  moonlight.  I  could  depend  on  "Patchen,"  in  every 
emergency,  to  the  extent  of  his  strength,  while  a  strange 
horse  might  give  me  infinite  trouble,  and  involve  me  in 
great  danger.  But,  above  all,  Banks'  s  army  must  be  saved, 
and  hours  were  precious. 

As  the  only  alternative,  I  remounted  "Patchen,"  and 
plunged  into  the  darkness.  It  was  eight  miles  from  Ma- 
nassas  by  the  direct  route,  but  I  took  the  Gainesville  road, 
which  would  increase  the  distance  to  twenty -four  miles. 
After  pursuing  my  benighted  way,  often  guided  solely  by 
the  instinct  of  the  noble  animal  that  bore  me,  at  daybreak 
I  came  upon  traces  of  the  army  for  which  I  was  searching. 
An  interview  with  General  Banks  immediately  followed, 
which  conveyed  to  him  the  first  intelligence  of  Pope's 
defeat,  with  orders  to  march  for  Alexandria  as  rapidly  as 
possible. 

Having  accomplished  the  object  of  my  adventure— to 
the  great  relief  of  that  officer,  who  was  intensely  anxious 
to  hear  from  Washington— within  an  hour  I  was  on  my 
way  with  dispatches  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  determined, 


THE  PURSUIT.  331 

without  delay,  to  risk  a  daylight  journey  back,  and  re 
traced  my  way  to  Bristow  Station,  from  which,  to  avoid  a 
circuitous  course,  I  started  for  the  rebel  lines.  After  riding 
two  miles,  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  rebel  army,  in  rapid 
march  eastward,  toward  the  old  Bull  Run  battle-ground. 
There  were  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery,  in  detached 
squads,  occupying  the  entire  country  ahead,  with  occa 
sionally  a  small  opening  between  them.  Prudence  would 
have  dictated  a  speedy  retreat,  and  as  wide  a  circuit  as 
would  really  be  necessary  for  safety ;  but  I  was  very 
anxious  to  save  the  distance.  I  rode  down  to  within  three 
hundred  yards  of  the  line,  and  attempted  to  discover  an 
opportunity  for  slipping  through. 

I  loitered  in  the  rear  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and 
finally  observed  an  opening  —  a  break  in  the  train  ;  and, 
though  I  should  certainly  be  seen,  and  must  take  my 
chances  with  the  bullets,  I  determined  to  make  the  effort 
to  pass  at  this  point.  I  took  my  six-shooter  in  my  right 
hand,  partly  concealing  it  at  my  side,  grasped  the  reins 
firmly  with  my  left,  and  started,  at  first  slowly  and  cau 
tiously,  down  the  road.  Before  I  had  gone  far,  I  was  dis 
covered  and  hailed.  I  made  no  answer,  and  immediately 
became  a  target  for  every  soldier  within  hearing  distance. 
I  now  nerved  myself  for  a  quick  and  desperate  venture, 
and  gave  my  horse  the  spurs.  It  was  necessary  either  to 
turn  back,  or  to  pass  within  thirty  feet  of  a  whole  squad 
of  infantry  —  that  being  the  only  opening.  I  again  lay 
down  upon  the  neck  of  "Patchen,"  who  shot  by  like  an 
arrow.  As  he  passed  the  troops,  they  fired,  and  the  bullets 
flew  thickly  about  him  ;  but  horse  and  rider  escaped  unhurt. 
I  raised  myself  in  the  saddle,  and,  with  pistol  in  hand, 
waved  an  adieu  to  my  disappointed  foes  ;  then  bending 
again  to  "  Patchen' s"  neck,  he  bore  me  rapidly  from  their 
sight.  A  cavalry  force,  who  had  heard  the  firing,  now 
appeared  in  the  distance,  and  began  to  discharge  their  car 
bines  at  me. 

The  cavalry  at  first  numbered  as  many  as  forty.  They 
continued  the  pursuit  for  a  mile,  when,  one  by  one,  they 
began  to  lag  behind,  firing  generally  an  ineffectual  parting 
shot.  It  was  not  long  until  only  six  or  eight,  who  had 


332  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

remarkably  good  horses,  followed  me,  and  they  were  too 
far  behind  to  fire  with  any  accuracy  of  aim.  Sometimes, 
however,  I  became  entangled  in  brush,  or  temporarily 
impeded  by  mud  ;  and,  on  two  or  three  occasions,  the 
foremost  man  rode  to  within  twenty  yarcis  and  fired. 

For  nine  miles  I  did  not  slacken  my  pace.  Only  three 
of  the  party  were  now  chasing  me,  the  rest  having  fallen 
behind.  My  horse  was  covered  with  foam  and  dust,  and 
began  to  show  signs  of  failing  strength — the  necessary  result 
of  so  long  travel,  at  so  rapid  a  pace.  My  powers  were 
strained  to  their  utmost  capacity.  I  had  ridden  almost 
continuously  over  a  hundred  miles,  through  mud,  and 
rain,  and  darkness  ;  but  this  closing  excitement  called  up 
the  latent  powers  which  every  man  possesses,  but  which 
only  lend  their  aid  in  the  direst  emergency.  I  saw  a  little 
hill  ahead,  and  spurred  on  to  get  fairly  over  it  before  the 
other  party  reached  its  foot.  I  passed  over,  and  was  out 
of  sight  for  the  minute.  I  wheeled  sharply  round,  and 
turned  into  a  thick  clump  of  pines,  a  little  to  the  right,  and 
there  dismounting,  stood  holding  by  the  saddle. 

I  remained  perfectly  still,  and  the  party  rode  past.  They 
went  on  for  a  considerable  distance,  when  one  of  them, 
perceiving  that  there  was  nobody  ahead,  turned  his  horse 
about,  and  rode  back.  He  came  toward  the  pines,  glancing 
eagerly  this  way  and  that.  He  was  not  more  than  twenty 
yards  from  me,  when  a  movement  of  "Patchen"  revealed 
his  hidden  man.  My  pursuer  saw  at  a  glance  ray  position, 
and  raised  his  carbine  to  fire. 

A  crisis  had  come  in  the  encounter,  and,  raising  the 
pistol  still  in  my  hand,  I  discharged  it  at  my  enemy.  The 
horse  sprang  forward,  and  his  rider  fell.  I  then  leaped 
into  the  saddle,  gave  the  wounded  man,  who  was  on  the 
point  of  rising,  another  shot,  and  rode  out  into  the  beaten 
path.  The  other  two,  hearing  the  report  of  the  pistol, 
returned  to  the  pursuit,  while  I  struck  off,  at  a  right  angle 
with  the  path,  to  pass  them  unobserved.  They  saw  me, 
however,  and  dashed  forward  with  great  speed,  one  of  them 
firing  his  carbine,  in  the  desperate  endeavor  to  prevent  my 
escape.  Each  backward  glance  revealed  the  frenzied  excite- 


nil'1'1  '  ^[''iiii'iii  V'"t 


THE  ESCAPE.  333 

ment  of  my  foes,  and  their  determination,  at  all  hazards,  to 
take  me,  either  dead  or  alive. 

I  now  came  to  the  banks  of  Bull  Run,  where  the  final 
struggle  for  dear  life  and  liberty  was  at  hand.  The  stream 
was  swollen,  and  it  would  require  the  best  exertions  of  my 
good  steed  to  swim  it.  I  knew  that  if  the  pursuers  reached 
the  bank  before  I  reached  the  other  side,  I  should  be  at  the 
mercy  of  their  bullets.  On  the  other  hand,  I  knew  that 
the  Union  forces  occupied  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream- 
that  being  the  boundary  of  the  picket  line — and  that  if  I 
should  succeed  in  getting  across  safely,  the  peril  for  that 
day  was  over. 

I  spurred  my  horse  to  his  final  effort  of  speed,  and  was 
well  ahead  when  I  arrived  at  the  stream.  I  plunged  into  it, 
and  "Patchen"  bravely  breasted  the  swift  current.  It  was 
only  eight  or  ten  yards  wide,  and  this  distance  was  soon 
accomplished ;  but  the  bank  on  the  north  side  was  almost 
perpendicular,  and  the  horse  made  two  or  three  ineffectual 
efforts  to  scale  it.  I  heard  distinctly  the  shouts  of  the  two 
men  behind  me,  and,  cheering  ' '  Patchen ' '  with  encouraging 
words,  which  he  evidently  understood  as  well  as  his  rider, 
he  sprang  forward,  and  in  a  moment  stood  proudly  on  the 
top  of  the  bank,  while  the  echo  of  a  shot,  intended  for  me, 
died  away  over  the  waters  from  which  I  had  just  emerged. 

I  dismounted,  and  went  to  the  edge  of  the  declivity  to 
watch  the  movements  of  my  pursuers.  The  first  galloped 
down  to  the  margin  of  the  stream,  and,  after  considerable 
urging,  his  horse  commenced  swimming  across.  Before  I 
had  occasion  to  fire,  the  Union  pickets  upon  the  bluff,  hav 
ing  heard  the  enemy's  shot,  made  their  appearance.  I 
shouted  to  them,  and  told  them  I  was  the  bearer  of  dis 
patches  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  was  chased  by  rebels. 
Immediately  four  or  five  bullets  were  on  the  way  to  the 
Confederate  horseman,  who  was  midway  in  the  stream. 
He  tumbled  from  his  saddle,  and  floated  down  the  river, 
whose  current  was  tinged  with  his  blood.  His  comrade 
took  the  hint  and  disappeared  in  the  distance. 

Relieved  from  the  peril  of  pursuit,  I  remounted  "  Patch- 
en,"  and  moved  leisurely  toward  Washington,  where  I 
arrived  at  three  o'clock,  p.  M.,  and  reported  to  the  War 


334  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Department.  I  had  ridden  one  hundred  and  twenty-four 
miles  since  about  six  o'clock  of  the  preceding  afternoon, 
without  a  moment's  sleep.  I  went  to  my  quarters  utterly 
prostrated  with  exhaustion.  From  the  time  the  pursuit 
began,  to  have  my  pistol  ready  in  my  Bright  hand,  I  had 
constantly  held  the  rein  in  my  left,  which  became  so  badly 
swollen,  it  required  careful  dressing  for  more  than  a  week. 
Poor  "Patchen"  looked  more  dilapidated  than  his  master, 
and  required  good  nursing  for  over  a  fortnight. 

Mr.  Stanton  expressed  his  satisfaction  at  the  result  in  a 
characteristic  manner,  by  simply  saying  to  me,  after  reading 
my  dispatches  and  hearing  my  story:  "Well,  go  and  tell 
Mr.  Lincoln." 


CHAPTER    XXYI. 

COTTON    SPECULATIONS. 

Mania  for  Speculation — Law  of  Congress  in  regard  to  Owners  of  Cotton — Illict 
Traffic  at  Norfolk,  Virginia — Frauds  committed  by  a  Paymaster  and  his  Associate 
— Reports  of  their  Cases. 

ONE  of  the  most  remarkable  facts  noticed  during  the 
rebellion,  was  the  general  tendency  of  the  mercantile  world 
to  plunge  headlong  into  speculation.  It  would  not  be 
assuming  too  much,  indeed,  if  I  were  to  say  that  men  of 
all  classes,  and  in  all  circumstances  in  life,  ventured  into 
the  wide  and  tempting  field,  regardless  of  every  other 
feeling  but  the  sordid  one  of  amassing  wealth,  at  the 
expense  of  the  very  life-blood  of  this  then  distracted 
country  —  a  sad  commentary  on  the  patriotism  and  self- 
abnegation  of  a  free  people,  who  assume  to  be  the  first  in 
the  rank  of  enlightened  nations ;  and  did,  truly,  make 
noblest  sacrifices. 

Probably  never  in  the  world' s  history  were  the  oppor 
tunities  so  many  and  great  for  speculation  as  during  the 
secession  war,  nor  more  extensive  operations  than  in  the 
uland  of  cotton,"  through  the  permits  granted  for  traffic  in 
the  staple  of  the  South. 

A  law  of  Congress,  dated  July  2,  18 — ,  regulating  the 
traffic,  explicitly  sets  forth  that  no  permit  can  be  granted, 
excepting  to  those  who  are  actual  bond  fide  owners  of 
cotton ;  that  applications  for  it  must  be  accompanied  by 
the  sworn  affidavit  of  the  applicant  that  he  has  cotton 
located  at  a  given  point  in  the  rebellious  States,  and  that 
he  has  not  aided  or  abetted  the  revolt  in  any  way.  On  such 
conditions  alone,  permits  were  granted  to  trade  in  cotton. 
To  attempt  to  detail,  or  even  refer  to  the  numerous  instances 
of  fraud  would  be  impossible  here.  I  shall  confine  myself 
to  a  few  only. 


336  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

At  Norfolk,  Virginia,  I  found  a  number  of  persons  carry 
ing  on  an  illicit  and  surreptitious  traffic  with  the  disloyal 
States.  I  communicated  the  subjoined  documents  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  :  — 


T(,  D.  C.,  January  20,  1365. 

Hon.  C.  A.  DANA,  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  :  — 

SIR  —  Some  days  since,  a  communication  was  referred  to  this  office,  from 
the  War  Department,  for  investigation  in  relation  to  certain  parties  and  illegal 
transactions  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Norfolk,  Va. 

As  soon  as  practicable,  I  sent  two  officers  to  Norfolk  to  make  investiga 
tions,  who  have  procured  a  statement  from  one  John  Daniels,  a  citizen  of 
Norfolk,  Va.,  substantially  as  follows  :  — 

That  during  the  latter  part  of  the  last  year,  one  G.  M.  Lane,  upon  the 
recommendation  of  Major-General  Butler,  procured  permission  to  carry  to 
North  Carolina  articles  not  of  a  contraband  nature,  consisting  of  cordage, 
hoop-skirts,  ladies'  wearing  apparel,  &c.,  which  could  be  of  no  service  to  the 
Confederates,  to  sell  the  same,  and  receive  in  exchange  cotton,  tobacco,  &c., 
with  the  privilege  of  shipping  the  same  to  any  northern  port. 

Upon  the  application  for  this  permission  being  approved  by  the  President, 
Mr.  Lane  appointed  one  J.  G.  Holliday,  of  Portsmouth  Va.,  to  go  within  the 
rebel  lines.  Holliday  went,  and  after  making  arrangements  for  the  delivery 
of  the  cotton,  returned.  Lane  then  proceeded  to  load  his  steamer,  the  Phil 
adelphia,  not  with  the  articles  specified  in  the  permit,  but  with  coffee,  salt, 
pork,  molasses,  army  shoes,  hats,  &c.,  and  cleared  for  ,  but 

proceeded  up  the  Chowan  to  Nottaway  River,  to  a  point  as  near  the  rebel 
head-quarters  at  Murfree's  depot  as  the  steamer  could  go  (about  one  and  a  half 
mile),  where  the  exchange  of  these  goods  was  made  with  Major  J.  R.  White, 
agent  of  the  Confederates  for  supplies,  Mr.  Lane  receiving  on  board  cotton  to 
the  amount  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  -five  bales. 

Thomas  J.  Hobday,  a  citizen  of  Portsmouth,  Virginia,  was  present  during 
the  discharge  of  these  goods  and  the  exchange  of  them  for  this  cotton,  and 
saw  the  cotton  when  it  was  brought  down  in  the  Confederate  government 
wagons. 

Under  the  protection  of  this  permit,  Lane  has  received  and  shipped  proba 
bly  three  or  four  hundred  bales  of  cotton,  for  which  he  has  received  large 
fees  from  R.  B.  Smith  &  Co.,  of  Norfolk,  and  has  thus  deprived  Mr.  Farring- 
ton,  the  appointed  cotton  agent  for  the  United  States  Government,  of  the  one- 
fourth  thereof. 

General  Butler's  brother-in-law,  Mr.  H.,  is  the  partner  of  this  Lane,  and 
has  received  from  parties  for  shipping  cotton,  in  one  case,  a  fee  of  seven 
thousand  dollars,  and  other  fees  in  other  cases. 

Witnesses,  E.  L.  Bishop,  a  citizen  of  Norfolk,  Virginia,  and  C.  L.  Cole, 
President  of  the  First  National  Bank  at  Norfolk,  C.  C.  Poole,  George  A.  John 
son,  late  adjutant-general  under  Major-General  B.  F.  Butler,  and  J.  C.  Jones, 
have  several  stores  at  and  near  Corn  Jack,  Canituck  County,  North  Carolina, 


REPORT  ON  COTTON  TRAFFIC,  337 

and  are  reported  to  have  sold  in  two  months  about  $200,000  worth  of  goods, 
a  large  portion  of  which  sales  are  believed  to  have  been  of  contraband 
goods. 

The  above-named  parties  are  familiarly  called  Shipley,  Johnson  &  Co. 

Upon  protection  being  afforded  to  Roach  and  Hutchins,  detectives  on  the 
provost-marshal's  force  at  Norfolk,  they  will  testify  to  the  full  particulars  of 
the  transactions  of  the  above  parties,  who  are  reported  to  be  especial  favorites 
of  Brigadier-General  Shipley,  in  command  of  the  district  at  Norfolk. 

The  following  several  firms  doing  business  at  Norfolk  are  generally  under 
stood  to  be  enjoying  peculiar  privileges  for  shipping  cotton  through  Lane  and 
his  partner  Hildreth,  viz. :  "  Renshaw  &  Boot,  Kobb  &  Nash,  R.  B.  Smith  & 
Co.  (Smith,  George  J.  Wallace,  and  S.  Fisher),  H.  W.  Presby,  Thompson, 
Harney  &  Dunlow,  Lane,  Hildreth  &  Holliday,  before  mentioned,  Sherman 
&  Co.  (Sherman,  Logan,  Hurst,  and  James  Carr),  Mr.  Kennedy,  McKay  Baker 
Richmond  &  Whitlock." 

Mr.  Kennedy  is  the  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Nor 
folk,  and,  having  a  permit  to  bring  salt  to  Norfolk,  has  shipped  it  to  North 
Carolina. 

An  investigation  was  being  had  at  Fortress  Monroe,  in  reference  to  the 
illegal  trading  in  cotton  by  Richmond  &  "Whitlock,  during  which  time,  detec 
tives  Roach  and  Hutchins  obtained  authority  to  proceed  to  North  Carolina  for 
the  purpose  of  arresting  such  parties  as  could  testify  thereon,  and  made  the 
arrest,  among  others,  of  one  Mr.  Jourdan,  who  is  now  believed  to  be  at  Ports 
mouth,  who  stated  that  information  had  gone  out  from  military  head-quarters 
to  the  Confederate  agents  of  the  mission,  with  a  description  of  the  persons  of 
said  detectives,  who,  upon  learning  that  fact,  desisted  from  their  efforts  to 
make  further  arrests. 

Information  was  given  by  Samuel  Patterson,  navy  contractor  in  Norfolk, 
to  the  officers  sent  there  by  me,  that  overtures  had  been  made  to  him  (Patter 
son),  by  parties  in  Norfolk,  to  go  to  North  Carolina,  and  there  make  arrange 
ments  for  shipping  cotton.  On  inquiring  into  the  probable  profits  to  arise 
from  the  business,  Mr.  Patterson  received  a  detailed  statement,  in  which  one- 
half  of  all  the  profits  were  designated  to  go  to  H.  A.  Risley,  supervising 
special  agent  of  the  Treasury  Department. 

In  view  of  these  and  many  other  facts  in  this  case,  which  will  be  developed 
by  a  further  investigation,  I  have  respectfully  to  ask  for  an  order  which  will 
authorize  the  attendance  of  such  witnesses  as  may  be  required  to  give  further 
testimony  in  this  case. 

That  there  has  been  carried  on  by  the  parties  referred  to,  and  at  the  points 
designated  above,  a  very  large  unlawful  contraband  trade,  is  susceptible  of 
the  strongest  possible  proof. 

It  can  also  be  clearly  shown  that  a  large  portion  of  the  goods  referred  to 
have  gone  directly  to  the  rebel  General  Lee's  army. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKEK, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

22 


338  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  January  22, 1865. 

Lieutenant-General  U.  S.  GRANT,  United  States  Army : — 

SIR — On  or  about  the  1st  inst.  there  was  forwarded  to  this  office  from  the 
War  Department,  for  investigation,  a  communication  in  reference  to  an  alleged 
illegal  or  contraband  traffic  being  carried  on  by  treasury  agents,  commissioned 
officers,  and  others,  between  Norfolk  and  Richmond^  Virginia,  via  the  Dismal 
Swamp  and  Albemarle  Canals. 

On  the  20th  instant,  I  had  the  honor  to  forward  to  the  War  Department 
the  result  of  my  investigations. 

Mr.  Dana,  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War,  informs  me  that  the  parties 
implicated  will  be  tried  by  a  military  commission,  at  Norfolk,  Virginia. 

With  a  view  to  elicit  all  the  facts  connected  with  this  important  case,  I 
have  respectfully  to  ask  that  my  agents,  who  have  worked  up  the  case  thus 
far,  be  directed  to  report  to  the  Judge- Advocate  of  said  commission,  with 
such  facts  and  testimony  as  they  may  have  obtained. 

If  a  rigid  and  thorough  investigation  is  had,  sufficient  will  be  shown  to 
prove,  very  clearly,  that  the  supplies  shipped  from  Norfolk  under  the  permit 
of  H.  A.  Risley,  Supervising  Special  Agent  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and 
with  the  knowledge  and  approval  of  General  Shipley,  at  Norfolk,  have  gone 
directly  to  Richmond,  and  have  been  purchased  by  rebel  quartermasters  aiid 
commissioners,  for  the  use  of  General  Lee's  army. 
I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  January  80,  1865. 

Hon.  E.  B.  WASIIBTTRXE,  Chairman  Committee  on  Commerce: — 

SIR — Herewith  I  have  the  honor  to  forward  a  brief  statement  and  series 
of  questions,  which  I  trust  will  materially  aid  your  honorable  committee  in 
the  prosecution  of  their  investigations. 

A  law  of  Congress  was  passed  July  2,  after  which  all  trade  with  insur 
rectionary  districts  was  prohibited. 

Nothing  was  then  done  in  the  cotton  business  until  some  time  early  in 
September,  when  a  party,  composed  of  D.  Randolph  Martin,  General  W.  P. 
Dole,  Indian  Agent,  Mr.  McCulloch,  Mr.  Harrington,  and  Simeon  Draper  and 
his  brother,  met  on  several  occasions,  to  devise  some  plan  to  make  money  on 
cotton. 

It  was  then  decided  that  the  law  could  only  be  evaded,  or,  they  could 
only  avail  themselves  of  the  evasion,  by  getting  parties  who  owned  cotton  in 
the  South  to  make  affidavit  to  that  effect,  and  the  contracts  with  the  Govern 
ment  to  be  made  in  their  names,  and  contracts  made  with  parties  making 
affidavits,  to  give  one-half  the  profits  (after  giving  the  quarter  to  Government) 
to  them,  for  their  influence  in  getting  the  necessary  papers. 

This  was  done  in  some  instances,  copies  of  which  are  annexed,  marked 
"A." 


CORRESPONDENCE   ON   COTTON   TRADE.  339 

This  has  been  a  slow  and  tedious  business  at  best ;  few  persons  could  be 
found  who  would  make  necessary  oath;  various  interviews  were  had  and 
various  suggestions  were  made,  and  finally  it  was  concluded  that  the  oaths 
might  be  dispensed  with,  and  the  party  need  only  say  he  owned  or  controlled 
any  given  amount  of  cotton  or  other  products,  and  then  they  could  safely  say 
they  controlled  cotton,  and  could  get  the  necessary  papers  out  in  their  own 
names,  thereby  simplifying  matters  materially.  Finally,  the  regulations  were 
agreed  upon,  but  it  was  thought  best  not  to  have  them  made  public,  until 
parties  inside  of  the  ring  could  secure  large  amounts  of  cotton  at  low  prices; 
and  notwithstanding  that  the  Executive  order  bears  date  September  24,  1864, 
it  was  not  made  public  until  December  2,  1864,  when  it  was  published  in  the 
New  York  Herald ;  and  during  that  long  interval,  Mr.  H.  A.  Risley,  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  made  various  contracts  and  issued  various  certificates 
with  the  Executive  order  attached,  similar  to  the  one  accompanying  this 
report,  marked  "B." 

One  to  T.  C.  Durant,  for  seven  thousand  bales  of  cotton,  to  come  out  of 
the  ports  of  Pensacola  and  Fernandina. 

One  to  D.  Randolph  Martin,  for  five  thousand  bales,  at  the  same  place ; 
one  to  A.  H.  Lazare  and  others,  for  seven  thousand  bales;  one  to  Samuel 
Norris,  and  others  for  thirteen  thousand  bales. 

Norris  and  Lazare  having  made  affidavits  that  they  owned  cotton,  their 
names  were  inserted  first  in  the  permits,  they  to  have  one-half  of  the  profits, 
B.  F.  Camp  two-sixths,  and  the  parties  who  really  got  the  scheme  up,  only 
one-sixth  of  the  profits.  Who  Camp  represented  I  am  unable  to  say. 

No  agents  were  appointed  under  the  order  of  September  24  for  about  a 
month,  and  then  Mr.  Draper's  friend,  Mr.  Cuttler,  was  appointed  for  New 
Orleans,  with  whom  his  brother  now  is ;  and,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Martin, 
Mr.  Ellery  was  appointed  at  Memphis,  and  Mr.  Adams  at  Nashville.  No 
other  appointments  were  made  at  that  time,  notwithstanding  there  were  the 
ports  of  Pensacola,  Fernandina,  Beaufort,  Port  Royal,  and  Norfolk  named  as 
places  of  purchase. 

Soon  after,  however,  Mr.  Risley  was  appointed  for  Norfolk,  a  place  very 
convenient  to  Washington,  but  not  in  a  cotton  district,  and  where,  in  no  event, 
could  a  bale  of  cotton  be  brought  without  passing  other  ports  named  in  the 
order  of  the  President.  Mr.  Risley  then  commenced  making  contracts  for  all 
ports  of  the  Confederate  States,  from  Matamoras  to  Nashville ;  and  all 
attempts  to  appoint  agents  for  other  points  seemed  unavailing,  as  Mr.  Risley's 
friends  got  all  the  facilities  they  wanted  through  him,  while  the  parties  that 
the  law  contemplated  to  aid,  were  compelled  to  sell  their  cotton  to  such  men 
as  Mr.  Risley  chose  to  favor  with  authority.  And  here  I  make  the  assurance 
that  no  permit  has  ever  been  granted  to  any  person  actually  owning  a  bale  of 
cotton  in  the  Confederate  States,  excepting  in  one  or  two  instances,  and  then 
in  very  small  amounts;  and,  from  the  best  information  I  can  obtain,  Mr.  Ris 
ley  has  contracted  to  purchase  from  speculators  who  claim  to  own  cotton,  a 
larger  amount  than  there  is  in  the  whole  Southern  Confederacy. 

Mr.  Risley  has  given  to  parties  in  New  York,  and  elsewhere,  special  per 
mission  to  load  vessels  with  goods,  and  has  appointed  agents,  or  agreed  to 


340  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

appoint  them,  to  go  in  said  vessels  to  superintend  the  exchange  of  cargoes  of 
goods  for  cotton,  which,  in  fact,  makes  a  wholesale  trade  with  the  Confeder 
acy,  and  virtually  breaks  the  blockade. 

The  parties  to  whom  Mr.  Risley  has  extended  his  favors  most  liberally,  are 
represented  by  the  following  gentlemen  : — 

Leonard  I.  Sweat,  Marshal  Lamon,  Thurlow  J^eed,  Wm.  P.  Dole,  D. 
Randolph  Martin,  B.  F.  Camp,  Prescott  Smith,  and  his  former  clerk,  Mr.  Con- 
natty  ;  and  it  appears  that  any  favor  they  have  asked  has  been  granted.  One 
permit  has  been  granted  to  Mr.  Weed's  friend,  Colonel  Noble,  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  bales  of  cotton,  extending  all  over  the  Confederate  States, 
and  the  one  to  his  clerk,  Connatty,  which  now  calls  for  fifty  thousand  bales, 
but  was  originally  issued  for  only  fifteen  thousand. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  the  clerk,  Connatty,  is  not  at  this  time  in  the 
employ  of  Mr.  Risley,  but  received  his  cotton  permit  while  he  was  the  confi 
dential  clerk  of  Mr.  Risley.  He  (Connatty)  probably  knows  more  about  the 
administration  of  Risley's  department  than  any  other  person,  but,  I  think, 
will  testify  with  a  great  deal  of  reluctance. 

If  you  desire,  I  will  write  a  series  of  questions  to  be  propounded  to  Ris 
ley,  B.  F.  Camp,  J.  Randolph  Martin,  and  others ;  but  I  think  the  answers  to 
those  already  propounded  will  suggest  those  to  be  asked  the  other  witnesses 
named  above. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

From  the  voluminous  testimony  elicited  by  the  Congres 
sional  Committee,  I  extract  that  of  three  witnesses  : — 

LEONIDAS  HASZELL  called,  sworn,  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman : 

Question.  Be  good  enough  to  state  to  the  committee  your  residence  and 
business. 

Answer.  I  am  living  temporarily  in  Washington ;  my  residence,  however, 
is  in  New  York.  I  have  no  particular  business  at  this  time ;  I  was  in  the 
army  last  summer. 

Q.  In  what  capacity  were  you  serving  in  the  army  ? 

A.  As  major. 

Q.  In  what  branch  of  the  service  ? 

A.  As  a  staff  officer  of  General  Fremont. 

Q.  Have  you,  since  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion,  been  connected  in 
trade  with  the  rebellious  States?  If  so,  when,  with  whom  connected,  and  to 
what  extent  ? 

A.  Within  a  few  months,  about  September,  I  undertook  to  do  something 
under  the  law  regulating  the  trade  between  the  United  States  and  the  insur 
rectionary  States.  About  that  time  I  resigned  my  commission.  Before  Gen 
eral  Fremont  withdrew  from  the  Presidential  canvass,  I  had  conversations 


WITNESSES  ON  THE   COTTON  SPECULATIONS.  341 

with  Mr.  Martin,  of  the  Ocean  Bank,  and  Mr.  Dole — with  Mr.  Dole  first,  and 
Mr.  Martin  afterwards.  »Mr.  Dole  wished  me  to  use  all  the  efforts  I  could  to 
induce  General  Fremont  to  withdraw.  It  did  not  require  any  effort  on  my 
part;  I  did,  however,  express  my  opinion  to  him.  He  did  withdraw.  Mr. 
Dole  expressed  himself  very  much  gratified,  and  said  any  thing  he  could  do 
for  me  in  regard  to  the  cotton  trade  he  would  be  very  glad  to  do.  He  intro 
duced  me  to  D.  Randolph  Martin.  I  had  been  in  the  army  for  a  long  time, 
and  made  no  money.  The  representations  made  to  me  by  Mr.  Martin  were 
flattering  rather  than  otherwise.  We  were  talking  over  the  matter.  He  told 
me  about  the  regulations  that  would  be  adopted,  and  made  suggestions  about 
them.  He  told  me  how  these  regulations  would  operate,  &c.  It  looked  very 
fair.  I  had  known  parties  who  professed  to  have  bought  out  cotton.  It  was 
finally  decided  that,  for  their  influence  in  getting  this  permit,  which  I  foresaw 
would  take  considerable  time  and  trouble,  Mr.  Martin  and  his  friend  should 
have  two-sixths  of  the  profits  of  the  transactions ;  that,  as  a  sort  of  broker 
age,  I  should  have  one-sixth  of  the  profits,  and  the  other  half  go  to  the  parties 
who  had  out  the  cotton.  I  spent  considerable  time  and  labor  in  the  matter, 
and  got  up  a  couple  of  applications  of  that  kind,  or  got  parties  to  make  out 
applications.  There  seemed  to  be  a  long  delay  in  getting  the  regulations  fixed 
and  the  permits  signed.  The  result  was,  Mr.  Martin  informed 'me  that  these 
two  particular  cases  could  not  be  got  through  ;  that  the  President  or  Secre 
tary  would  not  sign  them ;  but  as  his  friend  Ellery  was  appointed  at  Mem 
phis,  if  I  would  go  there  he  would  do  any  thing  he  could  do  for  me.  But  after 
making  some  investigations,  I  saw  plainly  I  could  get  no  cotton  in  Memphis. 
It  was  a  kind  of  business  I  could  not  very  well  do,  and  I  declined  to  go  to 
Memphis,  so  that  the  matter  with  these  gentlemen  all  fell  through.  They  got 
their  permits  and  went  on,  but  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  them.  My  mind  had 
been  directed  to  making  something  out  of  cotton,  and  I  disliked  to  abandon 
the  project.  I  met  B.  F.  Camp  accidentally,  and  learned  something  of  the 
manner  of  getting  these  things.  He  said  to  me  that  if  I  would  give  him  the 
same  interest  I  had  agreed  to  give  Mr.  Martin  he  would  get  me  a  permit.  1 
told  him  to  do  it,  and  Mr.  Camp  undertook  it.  After  quite  a  long  time  Mr. 
Camp  did  bring  me  two  permits,  or  whatever  they  are  called,  that  he  had 
obtained. 

Q.  In  whose  names  were  these  permits  or  certificates  issued  ? 

A.  The  first  one  was  to  Lazare,  Camp  &  Brooks,  and  the  second  to  Norris, 
Champion  &  Camp. 

Q.  Who  are  Champion  and  Camp  ? 

A.  J.  D.  Champion  and  B.  F.  Camp. 

Q.  Who  is  Lazare  ? 

A.  Mr.  Lazare  is  a  gentleman  I  got  acquainted  with  at  Cairo,  in  the  win 
ter  of  1861 ;  he  had  a  contract  for  baking  bread  for  the  post  of  Cairo.  I  met 
him  in  New  York,  and  in  the  course  of  conversation  he  told  me  he  had  cotton 
in  Mississippi,  and  that  he  had  General  Sherman's  permit  to  get  it  out,  or 
permitting  the  party  of  whom  he  had  purchased  it  to  bring  it  out.  His  rep 
resentation  was  very  fair,  and  the  order  of  General  Sherman  seemed  to  be 
valuable. 


342  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Did  you  see  General  Sherman's  order  ? 

A.  Yes.  When  the  permits  came  back,  this  One  for  Lazare,  Camp  & 
Brooks,  Lazare,  not  understanding  that  Brooks  was  to  be  a  partner,  declined 
to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it.  Mr.  Brooks  is  a  young  man  from  California, 
son  of  a  very  warm  friend  of  mine.  I  wanted  to  be  represented  in  the  busi 
ness  some  way.  • 

Q.  And  Mr.  Brooks's  name  was  put  in  for  yours? 

A.  Substantially  for  me. 

Q.  Is  that  the  contract  you  refer  to  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Who  is  the  certificate  given  to  now  ? 

A.  It  appears  now  to  be  given  to  Henrie  Lovie,  Camp  &  Brooks. 

Q.  Is  it  the  same  contract  originally  given  to  Lazare,  Camp  &  Brooks  ? 

A.  It  is  the  same  paper. 

Q.  How  did  Mr.  Lovie's  name  come  to  be  there  ? 

A.  I  will  explain  all  that  I  know  about  it.  Mr.  Lazare  concluded  not  to 
have  any  thing  to  do  with  the  matter.  Martin  was  to  have  half  of  the  net 
profits,  provided  that  permits  were  obtained  that  would  allow  goods  to  bo 
taken  into  the  rebel  country.  Martin  presumed  that  that  permit  would  take 
goods  in  where  cotton  was  to  be  brought  out.  Mr.  Lazare  did  not  so  under 
stand  it.  He  concluded  he  could  get  a  permit  as  well  as  Martin,  and  declined 
to  sign  the  contract.  This  paper  was  handed  to  me  by  Camp,  at  the  Treasury 
Department,  and  was  taken  to  New  York  to  be  signed,  but  Lazare  declined 
to  operate  on  this,  and  declined  to  sign  the  contract.  It  went  along  that  way 
for  some  time.  I  felt  very  much  annoyed  about  the  matter ;  I  had  spent  a 
good  deal  of  time  in  reference  to  it.  I  finally  found  a  Mr.  Tibbits,  who  was 
stopping  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  He  appeared  to  be  a  very  fine  man.  He 
said  he  could  make  use  of  the  contract  and  operate  under  it.  He  said  he 
would  introduce  me  to  his  partner,  and  he  did  so.  I  found  his  partner  to  be 
Mr.  Lovie,  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine.  It  was  proposed  that  Lovie  should 
take  the  place  of  Lazare  in  the  operation.  I  told  Camp  there  was  an  impedi 
ment  in  the  way;  that  I  would  not  advise  anyone  to  operate  under  the 
permit  without  Lazare's  consent  at  least.  Camp  said  if  I  would  give  him  the 
permit,  he  would  get  the  President's  authority  to  alter  it.  As  the  certificate 
had  not  been  signed,  I  saw  no  objection  to  that,  any  way.  The  same  day  I 
met,  for  the  first  time,  Mr.  Conatty,  who  was  there,  at  the  Astor  House,  Avir.h 
Mr.  Risley,  doing  some  business.  I  said  to  him,  that  Mr.  Camp  desired  to 
send  these  papers  back  to  Mr.  Risley  to  have  some  alterations  made,  and  that 
if  he  would  go  down  with  me  I  would  introduce  him  to  Mr.  Tibbits,  who 
would  explain  to  him  the  alterations  he  would  like  to  have  made.  We  went 
down  to  a  Mr.  KimbalPs  office  in  Wall  Street.  I  handed  Mr.  Conatty  the 
papers.  Mr.  Kimball  said  the  only  alteration  required  was  to  have  Mr. 
Lovie's  name  substituted  for  that  of  Mr.  Lazare.  Mr.  Conatty  took  the 
papers,  came  on  to  Washington,  and  in  a  few  days  they  were  returned  as 
they  are  now.  I  should  have  remarked  that  Tibbits  said,  that  if  we  could 
get  a  part  of  Louisiana  it  would  be  a  great  advantage  to  us.  Subsequently 
Tibbits  and  Camp  had  a  conversation,  in  which  I  do  not  believe  they  agreed 


TESTIMONY  CONTINUED.  343 

well,  and  after  that  Tibbits  declined  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it.  The 
contract  had  been  reduced  to  writing,  but  it  had  never  been  executed  ;  noth 
ing  more  was  done  about  it;  I  took  the  papers;  Camp  asked  me  for  them 
several  times,  but  I  kept  them  ;  the  last  I  knew  of  them  they  were  at  my 
boarding-house,  at  the  Irving  House,  New  York. 

Q.  Do  you  understand  that  the  regulations  of  the  Treasury  Department 
require  some  man  to  say  that  he  has  cotton  in  his  control  before  any  cer 
tificate  can  be  granted  ? 

A.  So  I  have  understood.  I  suppose  parties  made  general  statements  in 
regard  to  the  matter.  I  would  not  like,  myself,  to  say  I  controlled  a  certain 
amount  of  cotton  unless  I  had  it  within  my  control. 

Q.  Lazare  was  the  man  who  was  supposed  to  have  cotton  within  his  con 
trol,  was  he  not  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  he  was  the  one  upon  whom  this  whole  thing  was  bottomed  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  'upon  him  entirely. 

Q.  The  certificate  was  issued  upon  the  ground  that  he  had  purchased  and 
had  the  control  of  cotton  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  You  will  find  his  affidavit  in  the  Treasury  Department,  that 
he  had  cotton  in  his  control. 

Q.  Was  it  the  rule  in  the  Treasury  Department  that  such  an  affidavit 
should  be  filed  before  a  certificate  could  be  issued  ? 

A.  It  is  not  now,  as  I  understand.  We  presumed  it  would  be  then,  and 
therefore  the  affidavit  was  filed. 

Q.  What  other  reasons  had  Mr.  Lazare  for  drawing  out  of  the  transaction 
beside  the  one  you  have  stated  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  any  thing  else;  I  had  but  little  conversation  with 
him  after  I  found  he  was  dissatisfied  with  the  arrangement  that  had  been 
made. 

Q.  Was  this  alteration  made  at  your  suggestion  ? 

A.  Not  on  my  suggestion.     Camp  told  me  he  could  have  it  made. 

Q.  Did  you  speak  to  Mr.  Conatty  about  it  ? 

A.  I  told  Mr.  C.  to  see  Mr.  Tibbits,  and  handed  him  the  papers. 

Q.  Was  the  alteration  made  there  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  where  the  alteration  was  made. 

Q.  Did  you  talk  with  Mr.  Risley  about  this  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  tell  Mr.  Conatty  that  you  had  talked  with  Mr.  Risley  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  told  Mr.  Conatty  that  Mr.  Camp  had  said,  not  that  Mr.  Risley 
could  make  the  alterations,  for  I  did  not  suppose  Mr.  Risley  could  alter  any 
thing  except  his  own  certificate,  but  that  he  could  get  the  alteration  made. 

Q.  Who  was  it  proposed  should  make  the  alteration  ? 

A.  Mr.  Camp  said  he  would  get  the  President  to  have  the  alteration 
made ;  I  presumed  it  was  made  by  his  order,  and  up  to  the  present  time  ] 
have  no  knowledge  that  it  was  not  made  by  order  of  the  President. 

Q.  Are  you  certain  you  never  told  Mr.  Conatty  that  you  had  talked  with 
Mr.  Risley,  and  obtained  his  consent  to  have  the  alteration  made  ? 


344  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  not  seen  Mr.  Risley ;  I  have  never  had  fifteen  minutes 
conversation  with  him. 

By  Mr.  Perry : 

Q.  Was  not  this  change  made  at  the  Astor  House,  New  York  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell ;  I  gave  the  papers  to  Mr.  Conatyy,  who  came  on  here, 
and  while  he  had  the  papers  the  change  was  made.  I  do  not  know  when  it 
was  made,  or  who  made  it. 

Q.  How  long  were  the  papers  out  of  your  possession  ? 

A.  I  suppose  not  more  than  three  or  four  days  at  most. 

Q.  Do  I  understand  any  thing  was  ever  done  under  that  contract  ? 

A.  Not  a  thing. 

Q.  Be  good  enough  now  to  state  in  regard  to  the  certificate  in  which  the 
name  of  Norris  appears.  Who  was  Norris  ? 

A.  Norris  was  an  old  Californian  from  1842;  a  man  of  a  great  deal  of 
property  in  real  estate,  and  well  known.  He  became  deaf  from  pounding 
given  him  hy  squatters.  Subsequently,  he  traded  his  farm  for  land  in  Texas, 
and  his  property  in  Texas  was  taken  by  the  rebels.  When  General  Banks 
proposed  to  go  there  last  year,  he  went  in  advance  of  the  army,  secured  some 
cotton,  and  paid  for  it.  as  he  alleges,  and  as  I  have  reason  to  believe  he  did ; 
some  six  thousand  bales  in  all.  The  rebels  told  him  they  would  not  burn  his 
cotton,  but  would  let  him  get  it  out,  if  he  could.  I  met  him  at  the  Metro 
politan  Hotel,  in  New  York,  and  told  him  about  this  proposed  venture.  It 
occurred  to  me,  as  I  knew  he  was  a  loyal  man,  and  a  man  who  really  owned 
cotton,  or  controlled  it,  at  any  rate,  he  would  be  a  good  man  to  be  interested 
with.  He  made  an  affidavit  that  he  owned  cotton,  which  affidavit  is  on  file 
in  the  Treasury  Department.  I  asked  Mr.  Martin  to  obtain  a  permit  for  Mr. 
Norris,  to  get  his  cotton  out.  Norris  had  agreed  also  to  give  Mr.  Martin  one- 
half  of  the  profits,  but,  as  I  remarked  before,  Mr.  Martin  failed  to  get  the  cer 
tificate. 

Q.  Was  any  thing  further  done  with  that  certificate? 

A.  Yes,  I  gave  that  case  also  to  Mr.  Camp. 

Q.  For  how  many  bales? 

A.  Thirteen  thousand.  Mr.  Norris  only  claimed  six  thousand,  but  when 
the  certificate  came  back  it  was  for  thirteen  thousand,  and  the  names  of 
Champion  and  Camp  were  also  in  it. 

Q.  Who  had  the  other  seven  thousand  bales? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  Were  Champion  and  Camp  in  situations  to  own  or  hold  property  in 
the  rebel  States? 

Q.  Champion  may  have  been;  I  do  not  know.  I  should  suppose  Camp 
was  not.  I  do  not  know  why  it  came  back  in  that  way.  Norris  declined 
to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it  in  that  shape,  and  nothing  was  ever  done 
under  it. 

Q.  Have  you  been  connected  with  any  further  transaction  in  relation  to 
this  matter  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  one  other. 


TESTIMONY  CONTINUED.  345 

Q.  State  the  circumstances,  and  what  was  done. 

A.  Some  time  after  this  meeting  with  Conatty  in  New  York,  in  January, 
I  think,  Conatty  told  me  he  could  get  me  a  permit  to  operate  in  Augusta. 
There  was  a  man  from  Augusta  in  New  York,  who  told  me  he  had  cotton 
there,  and  gave  me  a  memorandum  of  the  place  where  his  cotton  was  in 
Augusta.  He  told  me  he  would  give  me  an  interest  in  that  cotton,  and  I 
agreed  to  go  into  it.  Mr.  Conatty  proposed  that  he  should  have  one-quarter 
of  the  profits,  to  which  I  assented.  He  asked  me  if  he  should  use  my  name. 
I  said  yes,  and  Mr.  Conatty  then  got  a  permit,  in  the  name  of  Conatty  & 
Haskell,  for  twenty  thousand  bales  of  cotton.  I  never  saw  Mr.  Risley  about 
it  at  all. 

Q.  Who  made  the  application  ? 

A.  Mr.  Conatty.     I  had  no  words  with  Mr.  Risley  on  the  subject. 

Q.  Have  you  that  permit  now  ? 

A.  It  is  in  the  hands  of  a  man  from  Savannah. 

Q.  In  whose  hands  is  it  in  Savannah  ? 

A.  In  the  hands  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Bell. 

Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Bell? 

A.  He  was  years  ago  in  California.  He  was  an  elector  in  1856,  on  the 
republican  ticket,  in  California.  I  think  he  has  been  in  the  East  ever  since. 

Q.  What  did  you  send  out  to  purchase  this  cotton  with  ? 

A.  Nothing. 

Q.  WTho  was  going  to  furnish  the  money? 

A.  Mr.  Bell  was  going  to  furnish  the  money. 

Q.  What  were  you  and  Mr.  Conatty  to  do  ? 

A.  Nothing  at  all.     W^e  put  in  our  talent — nothing  else. 

Q.  Have  you  heard  any  thing  of  the  operation  since? 

A.  I  heard  indirectly  from  Bell,  but  I  do  not  think  he  has  been  doing  any 
thing  under  the  permit. 

Q.  Are  these  the  only  transactions  you  have  had,  in  reference  to  this 
description  of  trade  ? 

A.  Yes  ;  they  are  the  only  transactions  I  have  had  any  thing  to  do  with. 

Q.  Have  there  been  any  transfers  made  to  you,  in  connection  with  any 
cotton  transactions  with  other  parties? 

A.  Yes ;  Mr.  Norris  gave  me  a  contract  for  one-sixth  interest  in  his  cotton, 
which  contract  I  suppose  he  has  abandoned,  as  he  has  done  nothing  under  it. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  cotton  transactions  in  which  Beverley  Tucker  has 
been  engaged? 

A.  I  know  of  one  in  which  some  parties  undertook  to  have  him  engaged. 

Q.  Who  were  the  parties  who  undertook  to  have  him  engaged  ? 

A.  Mr.  Durant. 

Q.  Who  is  the  Beverley  Tucker  you  refer  to? 

A.  There  is  only  one  I  know  of  by  that  name. 

Q.  Who  do  you  understand  him  to  be  ? 

A.  I  understand  him  to  be  a  rebel,  in  Canada. 

Q.  What  do  you  understand  the  transaction  between  him  and  Mr.  Durant 
to  have  been  ? 


346  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  I  understand  Mr.  Durant  undertook  to  contract  with  Mr.  Tucker  to 
$et  out  cotton. 

Q.  What  do  you  know  about  it  ? 

A.  I  know  he  undertook,  through  Colonel  -Baker,  to  make  some  arrange 
ment  with  Beverley  Tucker,  but  it  was  not  carried  out,  as  I  did  not  suppose 
it  would  be.  • 

Q.  What  arrangements  were  there? 

A.  The  arrangements  were,  as  I  understood  them,  to  make  a  contract  by 
which  Mr.  Durant  was  to  deliver  a  certain  amount  of  goods  for  a  certain 
amount  of  cotton,  to  be  delivered  by  Beverley  Tucker. 

Q.  What  kind  of  goods  ? 

A.  Pork,  I  think  it  was ;  there  was  some  talk  about  salt,  but  I  think  pork 
was  the  article  to  be  contracted  for. 

Q.  How  large  a  contract? 

A.  It  strikes  me,  for  ten  thousand  bales  of  cotton. 

Q.  Will  you  state  what  you  know  about  this  paper,  which  purports  to  be 
a  draft? 

No.  1. 

"  For  and  in  consideration  of  one  dollar,  to  me  in  hand  paid  by  Leonidas 
Haskell,  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby  acknowledged,  and  for  other  valuable 
considerations,  I  hereby  agree  to  pay  over  to  the  said  Haskell  one-tenth  part 
of  all  profits  which  may  be  made  in  any  transaction  with  Beverley  Tucker,  in 
ten  thousand  bales  of  cotton,  as  well  as  in  any  other  cotton,  or  any  other  mer 
chandise  taken  in  or  out  of  the  Confederate  lines,  under  the  regulations  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  in  which  said  Durant  and  Tucker  may  be  interested. 
The  profits  shall  be  estimated  by  reckoning  the  actual  cost  of  the  merchandise 
and  the  actual  cost  of  the  cotton  at  the  point  of  purchase,  adding  only  cost  of 
transportation  and  United  States  taxes.  No  other  charge  shall  be  made 
against  the  business.  I  also  agree  to  pay  said  Haskell  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
on  demand,  for  expenses.  A  true  and  accurate  account  of  said  business  shall 
be  kept,  subject  to  examination  by  said  Haskell." 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  a  copy  made  by  Mr.  Durant  himself,  which  was  never 
fulfilled. 

Q.  Was  an  instrument  of  that  kind  signed? 

A.  I  think  so ;  I  never  saw  it,  but  I  think  it  was  signed. 

Q.  And  by  that  you  became  interested  to  the  extent  of  one-tenth? 

A.  Yes.     Mr.  Durant  proposed  to  give  me  an  interest  to  that  extent. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  further  has  been  done  in  the  matter  thus  far? 

A.  I  do  not  think  any  thing  has  been  done  with  it. 

Q.  Was  there  any  other  instrument  between  you  and  Mr.  Durant? 

A.  No,  sir;  none  that  I  know  of. 

Q.  Any  thing  of  this  kind  ? 

No.  2. 

"  For  and  in  consideration  of  one  dollar,  to  me  in  hand  paid  by  Leonidas 
Haskell,  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby  acknowledged,  and  for  other  valuable 


TESTIMONY  CONTINUED.  347 

considerations  and  services  to  be  rendered,  I  hereby  agree  to  pay  over  to  the 
said  Haskell,  one-tenth  part  of  all  the  profits  which  may  be  made  out  of  the 
proposition  of  Beverley  Tucker  to  contract  for  ten  thousand  bales  of  cotton, 
in  payment  of  which  he  is  to  receive  a  certain  amount  of  pork ;  as  well  as  in 
any  additional  number  of  bales  of  cotton,  to  which  the  proposed  contract 
with  the  said  Tucker  may  be  extended,  and  taken  out  of  the  Confederate  lines, 
under  the  regulations  of  the  Treasury  Department ;  or  upon  any  purchase  of 
cotton  by  exchanging  merchandise,  or  otherwise,  in  accordance  with  said 
provisions  and  regulations,  through  said  Tucker. 

"I  also  agree  to  pay  said  Haskell  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  on  demand,  for 
expenses.  A  true  and  accurate  account  of  said  business  shall  be  kept,  subject 
to  examination  of  said  Haskell,  after  the  cotton  is  sold  and  accounts  made  up, 
which  shall  be  done  within  four  months. 

"  And  if  nothing  can  be  accomplished  within  sixty  days  the  contract  is 
void. 

"  October  10,  1864." 

A.  I  think  that  is  the  one  he  altered,  and  the  one  which  he  subsequent!/ 
signed,  if  he  signed  any. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  pay  you  this  fifteen  hundred  dollars  ? 

A.  No  part  of  it. 

Q.  For  what  reason? 

A.  I  never  asked  him. 

Q.  Would  he  have  paid  you  if  you  had  asked  him? 

A.  I  think  he  would  if  I  had  asked  him. 

Q.  In  whose  hands  is  the  paper  which  is  signed  ? 

A.  The  paper  is  in  the  hands  of  R.  W.  Latham ;  I  have  a  receipt  for  it, 
although  I  have  never  seen  it;  I  am  very  sure  that  this  draft  "No.  2  "  is  the 
one  that  was  signed. 

Q.  What  explanation  do  you  give  of  the  interlineation  in  this  draft  of  the 
words,  "or  otherwise?" 

A.  I  knew  Mr.  Durant  had  a  permit  to  get  out  cotton ;  I  did  not  want  to 
be  confined  to  a  partial  interest  in  the  transaction. 

Q.  Did  there  a  difference  grow  up  between  you  and  Mr.  Duraut  as  to  how 
much  this  covered  ? 

A.  There  was  never  any  controversy.  I  never  had  a  word  with  Mr. 
Durant. 

Q.  Did  not  Mr.  Durant  make  the  point,  "  that  you  were  to  have  no  profit 
out  of  any  cotton  not  obtained  in  exchange  for  merchandise  ?" 

A.  Mr.  Latham  told  me  so.  Afterward  there  was  a  sort  of  contract,  of 
gome  sort  or  other,  about  it,  but  I  abandoned  the  whole  thing. 

Q.  Will  you  look  at  that  memorandum  ?  See  if  it  is  a  fair  statement  of 
the  matter. 

"  The  Durant  and  Tucker  cotton  matter  stands  about  this  way: — 
"Durant  has  an  order  to  bring  out  two  or  nve  thousand  bales  of  cotton 
from  Florida.     D.  R.  Martin  also  has  an  order  to  bring  five  thousand  bales 
out  of  the  same  place.     Those  orders  are  suspended,  and  will  be  held  until 


348  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

they  obtain  Mr.  Seward's  decision  that  Tampa  Bay  is  a  tributary  of  Pensacola 
Bay,  which  Martin  feels  confident  of  getting,  after  a  while.  Now,  neither  of 
them  have  any  cotton,  and  do  not  expect  to  get  any  out,  unless  they  can  get 
some  one  to  arrange  on  the  rebel  side,  and  T.  is  the  only  man  they  rely  on. 
My  contract  with  Durant  is  as  follows :  (The  one  I  handed  him  to  sign  is 
marked  No.  1 ;  the  one  he  did  sign  is  marked  No.  2.)  •  You  will  see  there  is 
a  difference,  and  the  point  Durant  makes  is,  that  I  get  no  profits  out  of  any 
cotton  that  is  not  obtained  in  exchange  for  merchandise  under  the  Treasury 
regulations,  excluding  me  from  any  interest  in  the  profits  of  the  cotton  on  the 
orders  he  has  obtained  from  the  President.  The  paper  was  not  given  me 
until  after  my  friend  went  into  the  room,  and  then  it  was  too  late  to  make  a 
row.  As  I  feared  the  thing  might  burst  up,  and  as  I  felt  sure  that  the  orders 
for  the  ten  thousand  would  be  paid,  I  protested  against  the  alteration  when 
I  saw  Durant,  and  he  promises  it  will  be  all  right,  and  if  he  will  insert  the 
words  'or  otherwise'  in  the  agreement,  I  shall  be  satisfied,  and  one  word 
from  you  will  get  that  inserted.  I  write  this,  that  you  may  understand  it, 
and  I  would  like  to  arrange  to  take  out,  say,  five  thousand  bales,  by  giving 
thirty  cents  per  pound,  in  greenbacks,  delivered  at  our  lines,  and  then  give 
him  one-third  of  the  net  profits  of  the  operation." 

A.  Yes,  that  is  a  fair  statement  of  the  matter. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  correspondence  with  Beverley  Tucker,  directly 
or  indirectly  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  neither  directly  nor  indirectly. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  correspondence  Mr.  Durant  had? 

A.  I  never  saw  any  correspondence,  and  I  never  heard  him  talk  of  any 
correspondence  with  Beverley  Tucker. 

Q.  What  did  Mr.  Durant  say  in  reference  to  this  arrangement  with 
Tucker  ? 

A.  He  thought  it  legitimate.  lie  claimed  that  it  did  not  make  any  differ 
ence,  under  this  law,  who  brought  out  the  cotton — that  Jeff.  Davis  might 
bring  out  cotton  under  this  law. 

Q.  And  receive  pork  in  return? 

A.  And  receive  goods.  There  was  a  question  about  pork.  I  believe  Mr. 
Durant  thought  he  could  receive  pork  as  well  as  any  thing  else ;  but  as  to  the 
contract  with  Tucker,  I  did  not  believe  he  could  make  it  to  give  pork.  Train 
told  me  he  had  arranged  all  this  matter. 

Q.  By  this  arrangement  you  were  to  be  interested  one-tenth,  in  considera 
tion  of  valuable  services  rendered.  What  services  were  they,  which  were  to 
entitle  you  to  one-tenth  interest  in  the  profits? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  any  services  were  specified. 

Q.  Were  you  to  have  one-tenth  profits  without  any  particular  services? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  You  know  that  a  person  gets  into  these  things  with 
out  really  understanding  how. 

Q.  You  say  you  could  have  fifteen  hundred  dollars  of  Mr.  Durant  by  ask 
ing.  Why  do  you  think  you  could  have  the  money,  if  nothing  has  been  done 
in  the  matter  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  why ;  I  never  asked  him. 


.   INTERROGATIONS  AND  ANSWERS.  349 

By  Mr.  Perry : 

Q.  Have  you  contributed  your  part  of  the  expenses  for  working  the 
thing  up  ? 

A.  No  general  expenses.     I  have  paid  my  own  private  expenses. 

Q.  Did  not  each  partner  pay  his  proportion  of  the  general  expenses  ? 

A.  Each  paid  his  own  personal  expenses. 

Q.  You  say  Mr.  Martin  failed  in  this  instance  in  procuring  permits.  Do 
you  infer  from  that  that  it  is  a  difficult  thing  to  procure  these  permits  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     It  is  so  difficult  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  do  so  myself. 

Q.  Are  they  considered  valuable  if  they  can  be  got? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  they  are  considered  very  valuable.  I  think  they  have  been 
sold  at  high  prices.  So  I  heard ;  I  never  offered  any  for  sale. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  being  sold? 

A.  Not  of  my  own  knowledge.  I  heard  of  one  man's  interest  being  sold 
out  fo  r  money. 

Q.  For  how  much  ? 

A.  A  check  was  handed  to  him  for  two  thousand  dollars. 

By  the  Chairman : 

Q.  Who  was  that  ? 

A.  Moore,  of  Conatty's  firm.  I  was  told  that  a  check  for  two  thousand 
dollars  was  given  Moore  for  his  interest. 

Q.  Given  by  Mr.  Cooke  ? 

A.  Yes,  by  Mr.  Cooke. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  further  transactions  in  connection  with  trade  with 
the  rebel  States? 

A.  I  might  state  many  other  matters,  but  nothing  of  importance. 

Q.  Do  you  know  a  Mr.  Olney  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Where  does  he  live  ? 

A.  In  Brooklyn. 

Q.  What  is  his  first  name  ? 

A.  J.  W.,  or  J.  N. 

Q.  Where  is  he  to  be  found  ? 

A.  No.  17  Nassau  Street. 
By  Mr.  Perry : 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  parties  who  have  brought  out  cotton  under  these 
permits? 

A.  I  heard  of  one  man  this  morning,  a  Mr.  Palmer,  who  had  brought  out 
three  hundred  bales  to  New  Orleans.  He  is  about  the  first  I  heard  of. 

Q.  Has  Mr.  Olney  had  any  connection  with  this  trade  ? 

A.  He  has  not ;  there  was  a  conversation  in  reference  to  him.  Mr.  Camp 
asked  me  if  I  knew  any  one  who  knew  of  cotton,  or  had  facilities  for  getting 
it  out.  I  had  been  acquainted  with  Mr.  Olney.  His  wife  was  in  the  Southern 
Confederacy  somewhere.  I  talked  with  him  about  it ;  introduced  him  to  Mr. 
Camp,  and  they  had  some  conversation  in  regard  to  the  matter,  but  Mr.  Olney 
would  not  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it. 


350  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Have  you  seen  Mr.  Olney  recently  ? 
A.  I  have  not  seen  him  since  that  time. 
Q.  Have  you  seen  him  within  a  few  days? 

A.  No ;  I  do  not  think  he  has  been  in  this  city  for  some  time.  The  last 
time  I  saw  him  was  in  New  York,  some  ten  days  ago. 

9 

THURSDAY,  February  2,  1865. 

Members  present : — 

Representatives.  Representatives. 

Mr.  WASHBURNE,  Chairman ;  Mr.  LOXGYEAR, 

ELIOT,  DIXON, 

WARD,  PERRY. 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER  called,  sworn,  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Washburne : 

Question.  Please  state  your  residence  and  position. 

Answer.  I  reside  in  Washington,  and  am  special  agent  of  the  War  Depart 
ment.  I  have  charge  of  the  National  Detective  Police. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  occupied  that  position  ? 

A.  Since  February,  1862.  Previous  to  that,  since  July,  1861,  under  Mr. 
Seward,  of  the  State  Department. 

Q.  Have  you  at  any  time  had  any  knowledge  or  connection  with  the  sub 
ject  of  trade  with  the  rebellious  States  ?  And  if  so,  state  what  knowledge 
you  have,  what  connection,  and  what  persons  you  know  of  being  engaged 
in  it. 

A.  In  the  month  of  November  last,  previous  to  the  election,  while  I  was 
stopping  at  the  Astor  House,  New  York,  I  was  approached  by  Mr.  Haskell 
and  Mr.  Latham,  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  a  permit  to  get  Beverloy  Tucker 
from  Canada,  and  pass  him  through  our  lines.  I  was  told  by  Latham  and 
Haskell,  that  Mr.  Durant,  Mr.  Dole,  Ward  Lamon,  and  Mr.  Swett  had  made 
application  to  the  President  to  procure  a  pass  to  allow  Beverley  Tucker  to  pass 
through  our  lines,  ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  his  family,  but  really 
for  the  purpose  of  assisting  them  in  getting  cotton  out.  I  gave  them  no 
direct  answer  at  that  time.  I  came  to  Washington,  saw  Mr.  Dana,  the 
Assistant  Secretary  of  War,  gave  him  verbally  the  conversation  I  had  had 
with  these  gentlemen,  and  told  him  I  was  satisfied  they  were  attempting  to 
use  me  for  improper  purposes ;  that  I  was  satisfied  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
irregularity  and  rascality  in  regard  to  these  cotton  permits.  He  gave  me  his 
Sanction,  and  the  approval  of  the  War  Department,  to  make  such  arrange 
ments  and  such  investigations  as  I  thought  proper.  I  returned  to  New  York, 
and  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Durant  by  Latham  and  Haskell.  Durant  wanted 
me  to  go  to  Canada,  and  bring  Tucker  to  his  house  in  New  York,  to  remain 
six  hours,  alleging  that  he  could  make  his  arrangements  with  Tucker  in  live 
or  six  hours.  I  was  then  to  take  Tucker,  and  cross  him  over  the  Potomac, 
below  here,  and  take  him  within  the  rebel  lines,  for  which  I  was  to  receive  a 
contingent  interest  in  all  the  cotton  got  out  under  this  arrangement.  I  came 
back  to  Washington,  and  reported  to  Mr.  Dana,  of  the  War  Department, 


THE  EXAMINATION   CONTINUED.  351 

detailing  to  him  the  conversation  I  had  had.  I  then  met  Latham  and  Ilaskell. 
Ilaskell  gave  me  a  note  for  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  which  was  to  be 
received  by  me  in  payment  of  personal  expenses  and  incidental  expenses 
incurred  in  getting  Tucker  through  the  lines.  The  note  was  signed  by  Ilaskell. 
There  was  appended  to  it,  on  the  same  sheet  of  paper,  a  memorandum  or  agree 
ment,  between  Haskell,  Latham,  and  Durant,  as  to  what  Durant  was  to  do.  I 
understood  from  Latham  that  Durant  refused  to  sign  the  note  for  me,  but 
gave  Haskell  a  guarantee,  in  the  shape  of  an  order,  for  the  amount  he  should 
pay  to  me.  There  was  also  a  letter  given  me  from  Mr.  Latham.  I  carried 
that  letter  of  Latham's,  the  statement  of  Haskell,  and  the  note,  to  Mr.  Dana,, 
who,  I  suppose,  lias  them  still ;  I  left  them  in  his  possession.  I  was  to  have 
met  Tucker  at  St.  Catharine's,  opposite  Niagara  Falls.  I  was  to  have  met 
Tucker,  George  Sanders,  and  Jake  Thompson.  I  took  one  of  my  detectives, 
by  the  name  of  John  Odell.  I  had  an  order  from  the  War  Department  in  my 
pocket,  and  Odell  had  an  order  from  General  Dix,  for  the  arrest  of  these  par 
ties:  when  Tucker  came  across  the  bridge  with  me  he  was  to  arrest  us  both. 
I  stopped  at  the  Falls,  and  sent  a  dispatch  over  to  St.  Catharine's,  to  ascertain 
if  Tucker  was  there.  I  received  an  answer  to  that  dispatch,  signed  by  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Cox,  stating  that  Tucker  was  not  at  St.  Catharine's,  that  he 
had  gone  to  Montreal,  but  that  he,  Cox,  would  see  me.  I  went  over  the  sus 
pension  bridge  that  day,  and  remained  all  day  on  that  side ;  but  Mr.  Cox  did 
not  come.  While  at  the  bridge,  I  do  not  recollect  whether  I  had  a  dispatch 
or  a  letter  that  the  parties  were  at  Montreal.  I  immediately  returned  to  New 
York ;  and,  instead  of  going  to  Durant,  and  reporting  to  him,  I  came  direct 
to  the  War  Department,  and  reported  to  Mr.  Dana.  I  informed  Mr.  Dana 
that  I  was  going  to  Montreal,  with  his  approval,  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
Tucker.  On  my  way  to  Montreal  I  stopped  at  New  York,  to  see  Durant.  In 
the  mean  time,  the  report  had  been  circulated  by  Tucker  and  Sanders  that 
Stephens,  the  rebel  vice-president,  was  on  his  way  to  Montreal,  and  they 
gave  that  as  the  reason  why  they  left  St.  Catharine's,  and  why  they  did  not 
see  me — that  they  wanted  to  see  Stephens  first.  I  had  a  long  conversation 
with  Durant  in  New  York.  When  I  went  into  his  room  he  locked  the  door. 
He  had  heard  the  story  with  reference  to  Stephens  being  in  Canada.  He 
said,  whether  the  report  was  true  or  not,  there  could  be  a  fortune  made  out 
of  it  by  certain  operators  in  gold  on  Wall  Street,  if  they  had  definite  informa 
tion  that  Stephens  was  there  or  on  his  way ;  that  when  I  got  to  Montreal,  if 
I  would  send  a  dispatch  that  Stephens  was  there,  and  send  it  to  no  one  else, 
he  would  make  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  one-half  of  which  was  to  be 
placed  to  my  credit.  He  sat  down,  in  ray  presence,  and  wrote  a  long  letter 
to  Tucker,  which  I  carried  to  Tucker  myself.  I  took  Odell  to  Montreal,  with 
the  expectation  of  getting  Tucker  through  the  lines  at  Rouse's  Point,  where 
Odell  had  his  instructions  to  arrest  him.  I  arrived  at  Montreal  some  time 
during  the  morning,  went  to  the  St.  Lawrence  Hotel,  wrote  a  fictitious  name 
on  a  card,  as  from  Washington,  and  sent  it  by  a  waiter.  The  waiter  came 
down,  and  told  me  to  walk  up  to  a  room,  which  was  not  Tucker's  room ; 
Tucker  was  in  bed.  The  room  I  was  taken  to  was  Sanders's  room.  Tucker, 
after  a  few  moments,  came  in.  He  said  he  had  received  advices  from  Durant 


352  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

that  I  was  expected  there,  and  that  he  had  sat  up  nearly  all  night  awaiting 
my  arrival.  He  was  glad  to  see  me.  He  hoped  now  that  his  cotton  opera 
tions  would  come  to  a  focus.  He  had  been  in  correspondence  with  Durant 
for  a  long  time,  bat  had  failed  to  bring  him  up  to  the  mark.  He  did  not 
want  to  be  engaged  in  it  until  the  contract  was  signed  by  Durant.  He  was 
afraid  that  if  Durant  had  him  through  the  lines,  and  gat  him  in  his  power,  he 
would  not  divide  the  profits  with  him.  He  had  written  to  Durant  several 
times,  asking  him  to  make  a  contract  that  should  be  executed.  I  asked  him 
if  he  was  ready  to  go  through  the  lines.  He  said  he  was ;  said  he,  u  I  suppose 
this  thing  is  understood :  I  understand  that,  from  what  Durant  has  written 
me,  you  are  all  right ;  that  you  have  the  means  of  carrying  out  this  opera 
tion,  and,  if  I  go  with  you,  I  will  be  personally  safe."  I  told  him  that  I  had 
an  understanding  with  Durant.  He  sent  down  stairs  for  Sanders.  Sanders 
came  up,  and  they  went  into  another  room,  and  were  gone  for,  perhaps,  an 
hour.  I  was  not  present  at  that  interview.  Tucker  came  back  and  said, 
"  That,  under  the  advice  of  his  friends,  he  did  not  think  he  would  go ;  that  he 
was  not  satisfied  with  the  way  Durant  was  treating  him.  That  Durant  had 
failed  to  make  a  written  contract  with  him ;  and  that,  while  he  was  willing  to 
trust  me,  he  would  decline  to  go  South  until  the  contract  had  been  executed." 
He  -then  asked  me  a  great  many  questions  as  to  parties  who  were  interested 
with  Durant,  and  a  great  many  other  questions  I  do  not  recollect.  He  asked 
me  to  go  and  dine  with  him.  We  went  to  a  saloon,  and  had  dinner.  I  spent 
the  afternoon  with  him.  He  treated  me  very  handsomely.  He  was  to  have 
met  me  at  Rouse's  Point.  This  was  on  Friday.  He  was  to  have  met  me  at 
Rouse's  Point  on  the  Sunday  night  following;  but  when  I  got  to  Rouse's 
Point  I  received  advices  from  AVashington  to  come  home,  and  I  came  home. 

Q.  Was  that  the  end  of  the  whole  thing  ? 

A.  That  was  the  end  of  the  whole  thing. 

Q.  What  advices  was  it  that  brought  you  home  ? 

A.  It  was  some  matters  of  my  own,  in  reference  to  an  investigation  I  was 
conducting  in  New  York. 

Q.  And  did  you  not  wait  for  Tucker  ? 

A.  I  did  not  wait  for  this  reason,  not  so  much  on  account  of  my  own  busi 
ness  as  because  I  believed  Tucker  would  not  come. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  did  come  or  not  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

Q.  What  took  place  afterwards  ? 

A.  I  did  not  call  on  Durant  when  I  came  back  to  New  York.  I  came 
direct  to  Washington.  I  found  Latham,  Haskell,  and  two  or  three  others, 
who,  it  appears,  knew  I  had  gone  to  Canada.  They  came  and  asked  me  if 
Tucker  had  come  with  me.  I  said  no,  that  Tucker  refused  to  come,  for  the 
reason  that  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  way  Durant  had  treated  him;  that 
he  thought  Durant  was  trying  to  get  the  advantage  of  him,  and  he  would  not 
come.  During  the  time  I  was  carrying  on  this  operation  I  became  very  well 
posted  as  to  all  their  plans.  It  appeared  that  it  was  known  among  all  the  cot 
ton  speculators,  and  they  would  come  to  me  and  talk  with  me  confidentially 
about  the  matter. 


THE  EXAMINATION  CONTINUED.  353 

Q.  You  say  you  took  a  letter  written  by  Durant  to  Tucker.  Can  you  state 
the  contents  of  that  letter  ? 

A.  It  was  simply  introducing  Colonel  Baker,  and  asking  Tucker  to  come 
on  with  him ;  that  he  was  satisfied  he  could  trust  himself  in  my  charge ;  ask 
ing  him  to  come  with  a  view  of  perfecting  a  contract.  It  was  a  long  letter; 
I  do  not  recollect  the  whole  of  it. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  any  other  letter  from  Durant  to  Tucker  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  were  its  contents  ?  •< 

A.  I  saw  a  number  of  letters  in  the  hands  of  Tucker.  He  showed  them  to 
me.  They  were  all  in  reference  to  cotton  speculations. 

By  Mr.  Eliot : 

Q.  Were  they  signed  by  Durant  and  addressed  to  Tucker  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  the  letters  state  ? 

A.  They  were  in  reference  to  cotton,  and  in  reference  to  Tucker's 
coming  south.  Durant  writes  in  one  letter  that  he  had  secured  sufficient 
influence  to  procure  a  permit  from  the  President.  I  am  not  certain,  but  I 
think  he  gave  the  names  of  the  persons  who  would  go  to  the  President  and 
get  this  permit. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  who  they  were  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  who  they  were;  my  impression  is,  that  Randolph 
Martin  was  one,  and  that  Mr.  Swett  was  another.  He  also,  in  his  letters, 
stated  that  there  would  be  a  fortune  made  out  of  these  cotton  permits,  if  he 
(Tucker)  could  be  passed  through  the  lines. 

Q.  Was  there  any  thing  said  in  any  of  these  letters  in  regard  to  military 
movements  ? 

A.  I  think  there  was,  in  general  terms,  but  I  would  not  undertake  to  say 
that.  I  tried  to  get  possession  of  some  of  these  letters,  but  I  did  not  succeed. 
I  was  not  on  the  right  side  of  the  lines. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  the  letters  written  by  Tucker  to  Durant? 

A.  Yes;  Durant,  I  think,  read  me  one  letter  from  Tucker,  but  I  do  not 
recollect  what  it  was.  I  think  he  read  portions  of  two  or  three  letters.  In 
talking  with  Durant  about  his  arrangements  with  Tucker,  in  this  cotton  trade, 
he  told  me  what  Tucker  wanted,  and  some  of  Tucker's  suggestions  as  to  how 
the  thing  was  to  be  done,  and  then  read  me  portions  of  letters. 

Q.  State  wThat  it  was. 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  what  it  was.  This  was  at  the  first  interview  I  had 
with  Durant,  and  I  did  not  attach  as  much  importance  to  it  as  I  did  after 
ward. 

Q.  What  appeared  to  be  the  object  of  Tucker  ? — Was  it  to  make  money 
for  himself,  or  for  the  purpose  of  getting  supplies  to  the  rebels? — Was  he  act 
ing  as  a  rebel  agent,  or  for  himself  individually  ? 

A.  He  told  me  he  was  an  agent  of  the  rebel  government,  and,  in  speaking 
of  that  government,  he  always  used  the  expression,  "  our  government,"  and 
that  " our  government "  was  willing  to  let  cotton  come  out,  and  that  "our 
23 


354  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

government"  was  willing  to  do  so  and  so.  These  were  the  expressions  he 
used. 

Q.  Did  he  appear  to  be  acting  for  himself,  making  a  private  speculation 
of  this  matter,  or  as  an  agent  of  the  rebel  government,  for  the  purpose  of 
letting  cotton  go  out,  and  letting  supplies  come  in  ? 

A.  I  inferred,  from  all  his  conversation,  that  he  w«s  an  agent  of  the  rebel 
government. 

Q.  What  supplies  were  talked  about?  In  what  was  this  cotton  to  be  paid 
for? 

A.  There  were  several  articles  mentioned.  I  think  pork  and  bacon  were 
spoken  of.  I  think  in  one  of  the  letters  Durant  read  to  me  from  Tucker, 
Tucker  mentioned  pork ;  I  am  sure  of  it.  My  position  was  such  with  these 
parties,  in  relation  to  the  whole  matter,  that  I  could  not  get  papers  into  my 
possession.  I  could  not  attempt  that,  as  that  would  have  defeated  my  object. 
My  sole  purpose  was  to  catch  Tucker. 

Q.  Was  this  transaction  contemplated  to  be  upon  a  large  scale? 

A.  Very  extensive. 

Q.  How  large  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  Tucker  told  me  he  could  get  five  hundred  thousand 
bales  out.  lie  told  me  that  there  were  about  sixty  thousand  bales  on  the 
Tombigbee  River.  The  man,  he  said,  was  in  Canada,  and  had  been  talking 
about  that  lot  of  cotton.  He  described  it  to  me,  and  also  how  it  could  be 
gotten  out ;  that  boats  were  to  run  up  for  it,  and  that  he  (Tucker)  had  exclu 
sive  control  of  that  cotton.  That  was  to  be  a  portion  of  the  cotton  gotten 
out  in  this  transaction. 

Q.  Did  you  understand,  during  this  time,  that  Durant  was  acting  with  the 
assent  of  the  War  Department,  or  Government,  in  making  these  contracts 
with  Tucker  ? 

A.  Not  at  all.  No  such  conversation  was  had  in  my  presence.  I  talked 
to  Durant  very  freely,  or  with  him,  in  reference  to  this  whole  matter.  I  had 
long  conversations  with  him. 

Q.  How  much  money  was  it  considered  you  would  make  if  you  went 
into  it  ? 

A.  Haskell  thought  I  would  make  about  eighty  thousand  dollars  for  my 
share. 

Q.  What  was  the  reward  of  Haskell  and  Latham  to  be  ? 

A.  They  expected  to  make  about  the  same.  I  think  my  share  was  one- 
sixth. 

Q.  What  other  parties  were  in  the  matter?  Were  those  who  went  to  see 
the  President? 

A.  I  cannot  say  about  that.  The  only  ones  I  know  positively  about,  are 
Haskell  and  Latham.  I  had  no  conversation  with  the  others  at  all.  It  appears 
that  Haskell  and  Latham  were  in  constant  communication  with  "the  ring," 
as  it  is  termed,  and  they  were  the  medium  through  which  I  communicated. 

Q.  Who  comprised  "the  ring"? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  a  great  many. 


FARTHER   INVESTIGATION.  355 

Q.  "Were  the  responsibility  and  risks  you  incurred  to  be  the  consideration 
for  your  share  of  the  profits? 

A.  I  think  I  stated  that  my  engaging  in  it  would  involve  great  risk  and 
great  responsibility,  as  an  officer  of  the  Government,  and  that  its  exposure 
would  be  a  very  serious  thing,  to  myself  as  well  as  to  him.  I  talked  with 
Mr.  Dana  several  times  about  it  before  I  went  into  this  thing.  I  was  very 
anxious  to  get  at  these  parties,  and  in  my  business  I  considered  that  any  thing 
was  legitimate  and  honorable  that  would  bring  to  justice  a  clique  or  company 
of  men,  who  were  banded  together  for  the  purpose  of  swindling  the  Govern 
ment. 

By  Mr.  Washburne : 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  G.  F.  Train  being  mixed  up  in  this  matter? 

A.  Only  from  what  Durant  told  me. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  parties  with  Durant,  except  those  you  have  named,  in 
New  York? 

A.  No  others,  I  think.  My  interviews  with  Durant,  except  the  first  one, 
were  private,  alone  by  ourselves. 

Q.  Was  Durant's  clerk  with  you 

A.  No. 

Q.  Did  he  speak  of  sending  him  as  a  messenger  to  see  Beverley  Tucker? 

A.  No.  It  was  proposed,  at  one  time,  that  Latham  should  go.  Latham 
was  in  Durant's  employ.  Latham  proposed  that  himself,  and  Durant  spoke 
to  me  about  it.  I  opposed  it.  I  said  I  did  not  think  it  was  advisable. 

Q.  Why  not  ? 

A.  I  did  not  think  he  was  a  proper  man.  He  is  a  man  who  talks  a  good 
deal ;  not  a  discreet,  judicious  man,  by  any  means. 

Q.  Do  I  understand  you  that  Latham  has  been  in  Durant's  employ  ? 

A.  Yes.  and  I  suppose  he  is  now.  I  do  not  know  any  thing  to  the  con 
trary.  He  pays  him  two  hundred  dollars  a  month.  He  told  me  that  himself. 

Q.  You  state  that  Durant  showed  you  some  letters  received  from  Beverley 
Tucker  ;  do  you  remember  whether  he  took  them  from  his  files? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  where  he  took  them  from  now.  I  recollect  he  had 
some  trouble  in  finding  one  letter,  and  that  it  was  buried  up  in  a  lot  of  papers 
on  his  desk. 

Q.  Did  you  see  Beverley  Tucker's  name  signed  to  the  letters? 

A.  I  did  not.  He  read  them  to  me,  though,  as  letters  coming  from  him. 
There  is  no  question  about  his  receiving  a  great  many  letters  from  Tucker. 

Q.  Where  did  this  proposition  to  go  into  this  transaction  originate  ? 

A.  I  think  it  originated  in  New  York,  at  the  Astor  House. 

Q.  Who  originated  it  ? 

A.  I  think  Latham  was  the  first  man  that  mentioned  it  to  me. 

Q.  What  did  Latham  say  ? 

A.  He  said  a  great  deal  of  money  could  be  made,  provided  Beverley  Tucker 
could  be  got  through  the  rebel  lines,  and  that  a  great  effort  had  been  made  to 
bear  upon  the  President,  to  get  him  to  permit  Beverley  Tucker  to  go  through 
the  lines  to  Richmond.  He  said:  "Now,  Colonel,  you  can  do  this  thing  for 


356  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

us;  I  have  been  talking  with  Durant,  and  you  can  make  all  the  money  you 
want."  I  asked  him:  "How?"  and  he  said  :  "Let  us  go  up  into  your  room, 
and  I  will  tell."  He  went  up  into  my  room,  and  he  then  opened  his  plans  to 
me.  He  said  he  had  been  talking  to  Durant,  arid  he  had  assured  Durant  that 
I  was  a  safe  man;  that  he  thought  I  could  be  trusted.  He  wanted  me  to  go 
and  see  Durant  the  next  day.  I  said  I  could  not;  and  I  then  came  to  the 
War  Department  and  reported  what  I  have  said. 

Q.  Then  I  understand  you  to  say,  that  the  object  of  bringing  you  into  this 
transaction  was  the  influence  you  would  have  in  getting  Tucker  through  the 
lines  ? 

A.  Latham  told  me  I  was  the  only  man  who  could  safely  undertake  this 
thing ;  that  I  was  the  only  man  Tucker  would  go  with. 

Q.  When  you  visited  Tucker,  did  he  seem  to  know  all  about  you  ? 

A.  Certainly;  he  said  he  knew  all  about  me;  that  he  sat  up  all  the  night 
before,  waiting  for  me.  He  made  that  excuse  for  being  so  late  in  the  morning. 

Q.  What  idea  did  these  men  have,  that  you  had  betrayed  your  trust  as  an 
officer  of  the  Government? 

A.  They  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  had  betrayed  my  trust  for  the 
amount  I  was  going  to  receive ;  that  I  was  in  earnest,  and  that  Tucker  was 
really  going  to  Richmond  in  my  charge. 

Q.  Have  you  seen  Durant  recently  ? 

A.  No ;  he  came  up  to  my  rooms  at  the  Astor  House,  about  a  week  or  ten 
days  ago,  and  wanted  to  know  whether  I  knew  any  thing  about  the  news  of 
negotiation  for  peace.  It  was  about  the  time  the  President  was  down  at 
Fortress  Monroe.  Said  he:  "If  you  can  let  me  know,  there  can  be  a  great 
deal  of  money  made." 

Q.  Has  that  note  for  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  arrived  at  ma 
turity  ? 

A.  I  believe  it  has.  I  had  a  great  many  other  matters  on  my  hands  at  the 
same  time,  a  great  many  investigations  going  on,  and  my  memory  is  not  as 
distinct  on  that  point  as  it  would  otherwise  be. 

Q.  Have  Durant  or  Latham  ever  offered  to  pay  money  to  you  ? 

A.  Yes,  they  have  pressed  it  upon  me,  but  I  have  not  taken  a  dollar. 
When  I  came  back  from  Canada  they  wanted  me  to  take  five  hundred  dollars, 
but  I  said,  "  Wait  until  this  thing  is  closed  up."  When  I  came  back  the  sec 
ond  time,  Durant  wanted  me  to  take  a  check  for  one  thousand  dollars.  He 
took  his  check-book  and  said,  "I  think  you  ought  to  have  some  money,"  but 
I  had  been  advised  by  Mr.  Dana  not  to  take  any  money.  I  was  told  that  all 
my  expenses  would  be  paid  by  the  War  Department. 

By  Mr.  Eliot : 

Q.  Did  you  not  have  some  reason  to  know  that  other  parties  were  con 
nected  with  Durant  ? 

A.  Durant  had  two  permits  which,  I  believe,  Haskell  was  supposed  to  be 
interested  in,  and  others  had  permits  which  Durant  had  nothing  to  do  with, 
though  in  procuring  those  permits,  and  in  getting  cotton  through  the  lines,  it 
was  understood  that  Tucker  was  to  assist  Durant,  and  was  to  have  a  share  in 


MR.  HASKELL'S  RE-EXAMINATION".  357 

the  cotton  gotten  out  under  his  contract ;  that  he  was  to  act  as  a  sort  of  gen 
eral  agent  for  the  whole  of  them.     I  know  that  matter  was  talked  over. 

By  Mr.  Longyear : 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  of  any  parties  holding  permits,  who  were  to 
receive  the  benefit  of  that  arrangement  ? 

A.  I  only  know  from  what  Latham  told  me.  I  have  had  a  great  many  in 
terviews  with  these  cotton  men.  They  expected  my  influence,  and  they  bored 
me  nearly  to  death. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  agents  or  employes  of  the  Government  who  are 
engaged  in  these  cotton  transactions  ? 

A.  I  know  nothing  of  my  own  knowledge. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  of  any  officers  or  employes  of  the  Government  who 
have  been  interested  in  these  transactions,  or  have  received  any  money  or 
have  been  promised  any  money  for  their  influence  in  getting  through  contracts 
or  permits  ? 

A.  I  have  no-knowledge  of  my  own  of  any. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  anybody  who  does  know  of  any? 

A.  I  suppose  Haskell  knows  of  money  being  paid  at  the  Astor  House. 

LEONIDAS  HASKELL  recalled  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Washburne: 

Question.  In  respect  to  the  agreements  which  you  produced  here  whea 
last  examined,  can  you  state  whether  or  not  at  the  time  they  were  made  there 
were  any  indorsements  of  any  thing  across  their  face  in  red  ink  by  Mr. 
Durantf 

Answer.  No,  sir;  they  were  not  original  agreements,  but  copies,  but  there 
was  nothing  on  the  original  agreement  that  was  not  on  the  copies,  except  the 
signature  of  Mr.  Durant. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  thing  having  been  written  across  these  agree 
ments  at  the  time  they  were  executed? 

A.  I  know  there  was  not ;  the  agreement  was  left  in  the  hands  of  Latham  ; 
what  has  been  done  since  I  do  not  know.  I  have  his  receipt  to  deliver  it  up 
on  the  joint  order  of  Mr.  Durant  and  myself. 

Q.  If  there  has  been  any  thing  written  across  the  face  of  the  agreement 
there  in  red  ink  it  has  been  written  since  its  execution  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  who  the  parties  were  who  were  interested  in  getting 
these  permits  for  Mr.  Durant  ? 

A.  Mr.  Martin,  I  think,  and  I  believe  Mr.  Corwin  and  Mr.  Stewart.  Stew 
art  acted  in  the  matter  as  far  as  I  know. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  money  being  paid  to  any  person  connected  with 
the  Government  in  connection  with  these  contracts  and  certificates  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  that  I  do  know  of  any. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  money  promised  to  be  paid  ? 

A.  Only  by  rumor.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  thing  of  the  kind.  I 
think  there  are  parties  who  do  know ;  but  I  do  not. 


358  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  What  parties  know  ? 

A.  I  think  Mr.  Latham  knows  more  about  that. 

Q.  Where  is  Mr.  Latham  now  ? 

A.  I  suppose  he  is  in  New  York. 

i 
CHARLES  A.  DANA  called,  sworn,  and  examined.       • 

By  Mr.  Washburne : 

Question.  Be  good  enough  to  state  what  position  you  occupy? 

Answer.  Assistant  Secretary  of  War. 

Q.  Do  you  know  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Has  he  held  any  position  in  connection  with  the  War  Department ;  and 
if  so,  what  ? 

A.  lie  has  been  employed  as  special  police  agent  of  the  War  Department. 

Q.  Was  he  such  agent  in  October  and  November  last  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Do  you  know  any  thing  of  an  arrangement  which  he  made,  or  intended 
to  make,  with  any  party  or  parties  in  New  York  or  Canada  in  relation  to  get 
ting  out  cotton  from  the  rebellious  States ;  and  if  so,  state  particularly  and 
fully  all  your  knowledge  in  relation  thereto? 

A.  Colonel  Baker  came  to  me  some  time — as  nearly  as  I  can  now  recol 
lect — in  the  month  of  October,  and  reported  to  me  that  certain  parties,  who 
had  obtained  permits  to  bring  out  cotton  from  the  rebellious  States,  were 
anxious  that  he  should  assist  them.  What  they  especially  desired  of  him  was 
that  he  should  get  Beverley  Tucker  through  the  lines  from  Canada  to  the 
Southern  States,  in  order  that  Tucker  might  complete  the  arrangement  in  the 
South  for  delivering  cotton,  which  they  had  already  made  with  him  for  buying 
it.  He,  Baker,  stated  that  he  had  received  proposals  which  he  wished  to  report 
fully  to  me.  That  these  parties  had  proposed  to  him  to  get  Tucker  through 
by  permission  of  the  War  Department,  on  condition  that  Tucker  should  fur 
nish  information  of  great  value  to  the  War  Department.  If  that  was  refused, 
they  had  proposed  to  Baker  that  he  should  smuggle  Tucker  through,  and  that 
in  that  event  they  had  offered  to  pay  him  ten  thousand  dollars  for  smuggling 
him  through.  I  inquired  who  these  parties  were,  and  he  told  me  that  he 
knew  of  a  Mr.  Latham,  Mr.  Ward  Lainon,  Mr.  Swett,  and  some  others,  whoso 
names  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  think  he  told  me  that  Mr.  J.  B.  Stewart, 
Mr.  Risley,  Thomas  C.  Durant,  and  Leonidas  Ilaskell,  were  also  concerned  in 
it.  I  understood  from  Baker  that  he  had  seen  Latham  and  Ilaskell  in  regard 
to  this  proposition.  Baker  showed  me  no  original  writings  from  any  of 
them  ;  this  was  a  mere  rebel  report.  He  desired  to  have  from  me  instruc 
tions  in  the  premises.  I  said  to  him  that  I  would  have  no  stool-pigeon  opera 
tion  ;  that  I  would  not  authorize  him  to  make  any  arrangements  by  which 
Tucker  should  be  induced  over  into  the  United  States  in  order  that  he  might 
be  arrested,  but  I  instructed  him  to  go  on  and  possess  himself  fully,  if  possi 
ble,  of  all  the  designs  of  these  parties,  and  if  he  should  know  that  Tucker 
WF.9  coming  over  to  inform  me  of  it,  in  order  that  I  might  take  measures  to 


C.  A.  DANA'S  EVIDENCE.  359 

have  him  arrested,  as  I  regarded  it  important  that  he  should  be  arrested,  if  he 
should  come  within  the  territory  of  the  United  States ;  but  I  instructed  him 
explicitly  that  Tucker  would  not  be  passed  through  the  United  States  to  go 
within  the  rebel  lines,  and  that  no  deceptive  proceedings  to  seduce  him 
here  for  the  purpose  of  arresting  him  would  be  authorized.  Baker  after 
wards  reported  to  me  from  time  to  time,  and  brought  me  copies  of  various 
papers. 

Q.  Did  you  see,  among  the  papers  presented  to  you,  a  note  for  one  thou 
sand  five  hundred  dollars  ? 

A.  My  impression  is  that  there  was  a  copy  of  a  note,  or  a  memorandum 
of  a  draft  of  a  note,  but  I  have  not  had  any  original  note.  I  have  not  had  an 
original  signature  of  any  of  the  parties  Colonel  Baker  has  reported  as  being 
engaged  in  this  transaction,  nor  have  I  any  evidence  that  they  were  so  en 
gaged,  except  his  verbal  report. 

Q.  Did  he  make  any  further  report  to  yon  except  such  as  you  have  stated  ? 

A.  He  has  reported  to  me  at  various  times  that  B.  F.  Camp  was  engaged 
in  trade  with  the  rebel  authorities,  and  corresponding  with  them,  but  he  has 
never  brought  me  any  papers  to  prove  it.  He  reported  to  me  from  New  York 
that  at  such  a  date  Tucker  was  going  to  cross  the  Niagara  River,  and  orders 
were  thereupon  sent  to  General  Dis  to  have  him  arrested ;  but  Tucker  did 
not  come,  and  was  not  arrested. 

Q.  What  did  you  understand  Baker's  object  to  be  when  he  came  to  you 
in  the  first  instance  ? 

A.  I  understood  his  object  to  be  to  perform  his  duty  by  reporting  to  me 
what  was  going  on,  in  order  that  the  Secretary  of  War  might  give  such  direc 
tions  as  he  thought  necessary. 

Q.  And  that  he  had  taken  these  measures  in  order  to  get  information  in 
regard  to  these  transactions  ? 

A.  I  understood  Baker  that  they  approached  him  in  the  first  place,  and 
that  they  proposed  that  he  should  get  permission  from  me  for  Tucker  to  go 
through  the  lines. 

Q.  And  the  purpose  of  that  was  to  enable  them  to  carry  out  this  contract 
with  Tucker  ? 

A.  Yes ;  Baker  has  reported  to  me,  also,  that  agents  from  Tucker  have 
been  in  New  York  to  see  Duraut  within  his  knowledge.  I  have  had  several 
reports  from  other  secret  agents  in  New  York,  that  men  from  Tucker,  or 
other  rebel  representatives  in  Canada,  have  been  in  New  York,  and  have 
there  had  interviews  with  Durant,  but  I  never  got  any  information  of  a  suf 
ficiently  positive  character  to  act  upon  it,  in  the  way  of  proceedings  before  a 
court-martial  or  military  commission,  which  would  be  the  regular  way  of 
treating  such  cases. 

Q.  What  is  the  course  usually  pursued  by  the  War  Department,  when 
parties  are  found  in  contraband  trade  with  the  rebels? 

A.  The  evidence  is  taken  and  submitted  to  the  Judge- Advocate-General, 
and  action  is  taken  in  accordance  with  his  report.  If  lie  reports  the  evidence 
as  sufficient  to  bring  the  parties  before  a  military  tribunal,  they  are  tried ;  if 
he  reports  that  it  is  not  sufficient,  then  we  wait  until  we  can  get  more  evi- 


360  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

dence.  No  parties  are  ever  proceeded  against  by  military  justice  without  his 
report.  All  such  cases  are  submitted  to  him  before  they  are  acted  upon. 

Q.  "Was  the  case  of  Durant  ever  made  up  and  submitted  to  him  ? 

A.  Never;  for  the  reason  that  the  evidence  was  never  sufficient.  It  was 
all  of  a  hearsay  character. 

Q.  Had  Durant  at  any  time  any  authority  or  permission  from  the  War 
Department  to  correspond  or  negotiate  with  any  person  or  persons  within  the 
rebel  lines,  or  elsewhere,  to  carry  on  trade  with  States  in  rebellion? 

A.  No,  sir ;  neither  directly  nor  indirectly. 

Q.  Did  he,  to  your  knowledge,  ever  apply  for  such  permission? 

A.  He  never  did. 

Q.  Has  Durant,  to  your  knowledge,  ever  kept  the  War  Department 
informed  of  his  proceedings  with  Beverley  Tucker,  or  with  any  person  or 
persons? 

A.  Never. 

L.  C.  BAKER  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Washburne : 

Question.  Since  your  last  examination,  have  you  any  thing  further  to  state 
in  regard  to  the  note  and  letter  you  spoke  of? 

Answer.  Nothing,  except  to  produce  the  documents  themselves,  which  I 
had  supposed  were  on  file  in  the  War  Department,  but  which  were  afterward 
found  in  my  office,  and  are  as  follows : — 

$8,500  00.]  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  November  11, 1884. 

For  value  received,  I  promise  to  pay  to  the  order  of  -  — ,  eight 

thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  out  of  the  first  moneys  received  out  of  the 
profits  of  an  agreement  made  with  T.  C.  Durant,  in  reference  to  cotton  opera 
tions,  made  in  New  York  City,  on  November  10,  1864. 

LEONIDAS  HASKKLL. 
NEW  YORK  CITY,  November  10, 1864. 

T.  0.  DURANT,  Esq.,  No.  13  William  Street:— 

Please  pay  to  the  order  of ,  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  as  per 

agreement  made  with  you  this  day. 

$1,500  00.  LEONIDAS  HASKELL. 

DEPARTMENT  or  THB  INTERFOB,         ) 
"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  November  2,  IS&i  j 
Colonel  BAKEE  : — 

MY  DEAR  SIR — I  was  hurried  off  last  evening,  and  had  no  time  to  call  and 
see  you,  or  to  write. 

I  have  agreed  with  General  Stanton,  that  he  and  General  Dole  shall  see 
the  President  to-night,  and,  with  my  letter  in  regard  to  what  you  have  done 
laid  before  him,  insist  that,  without  delay,  your  services  and  fidelity  shall  be 
rewarded  by  your  appointment  as  brigadier-general. 

Please  bluff  any  party  that  may  come  to  you  about  B.  T.,  unless  it  shall 
be  Major  Haskell ;  in  that  case,  you  can  hear  him  as  you  would  me. 

Your  friend, 

ft.  W.  LATHAM. 


MR.  HASKELL'S  TESTIMONY.  361 

Q.  In  whose  handwriting  is  this  note  ? 

A.  It  is  in  the  proper  handwriting  of  Mr.  Haskell;  I  know  it  as  such. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  handwriting  of  R.  W.  Latham? 

A.  I  do. 

Q.  Is  this  letter  you  have  handed  to  the  committee  in  the  handwriting  of 
Mr.  Latham  ? 

A.  It  is. 

Q.  I  see  that  this  letter  speaks  of  your  appointment  as  brigadier-general ; 
what  is  the  significance  of  that? 

A.  That  was  a  part  of  the  consideration  for  getting  Tucker  through  the 
lines,  as  before  stated — that  I  was  to  have  that  rank. 

Q.  What  does  "Please  bluff  &ny  party  who  may  come  to  you  about  B.  T., 
unless  it  be  Major  Haskell,"  mean?  "Who  does  B.  T.  refer  to? 

A.  To  Beverley  Tucker.  It  means  that  he  does  not  want  me  to  make  any 
arrangements  with  any  other  parties  outside  the  ring. 

Q.  Whose  name  was  to  be  put  into  the  blank  of  this  note  filled  for  eight 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars? 

A.  It  was  to  be  filled  with  Haskell's  name,  who  was  to  indorse  it  over  to 
me.  The  draft  upon  Durant  was  to  be  filled  up  with  my  name. 

Q.  What  influence  was  to  be  brought  to  bear  in  obtaining  your  appoint 
ment  as  brigadier-general,  referred  to  by  Latham  in  this  letter  ? 

A.  Latham  informed  me  that  he  had  seen  Dole,  Swett,  and  Ward  Lamon, 
and  they  were  to  go  to  the  President  at  the  same  time  and  insist  upon  my 
promotion  to  a  brigadier-generalship. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  or  not  they  went? 

A.  I  was  told  that  they  did. 

Q.  What  was  the  result  ? 

A.  The  result  was  that  the  President  held  the  matter  under  advisement. 

TUESDAY,  February  21,  1865 

Members  present : 

Representatives. 

Mr.  WASHBXJKNE,  Mr.  LONGYEAK. 

LEONIDAB  HASKELL  recalled  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Washburne : 

Question.  Have  you  had  a  pretty  good  knowledge  of  the  permits  or  certifi 
cates  and  contracts  which  have  been  made  by  Mr.  Risley? 

Answer.  Of  quite  a  number  of  them  I  have. 

Q.  I  hand  you  a  list  of  contracts,  which  purports  to  be  a  full  list  of  all  the 
contracts  made  by  Mr.  Kisley,  as  contained  in  a  report  from  the  Treasury  De 
partment  to  the  Senate ;  will  you  look  over  it,  and  then  state  to  the  commit 
tee  if  you  know  of  parties  who  have  had  contracts  whose  names  are  not  in 
that  document  ? 

A.  In  the  first  place,  I  find  several  errors  in  this  document. 

Q.  Point  them  out. 

A.  The  first  one  that  strikes  me  is  to  Moore,  Conatty  &  Co.,  for  fifteen 


362  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

thousand  bales.  That  contract,  when  I  saw  it,  called  for  fifty  thousand  bales. 
In  the  contract  to  Leonidas  Haskell  and  T.  J.  Conatty,  my  name  does  not 
appear  at  all.  No  such  permit  was  ever  granted  to  me.  There  was  a  permit 
granted  to  Thomas  J.  Conatty  for  twenty  thousand  bales.  The  contract  with 
Nathaniel  F.  Potter  purports  to  have  been  executed  December  27,  1864.  It 
was  not  signed  by  Mr.  Risley  until  a  very  long  time  after  that. 

Q.  How  do  you  know  that  fact? 

A.  I  lived  by  the  side  of  Mr.  Potter  last  summer.  I  had  been  to  Mr. 
Risley  for  one  of  these  contracts,  and  having  been  applied  to  by  Mr.  Potter — 
I  wanted  to  serve  him — I  told  Mr.  F.  P.  Stanton  of  the  fact.  He  said  he 
would  get  one  for  him.  A  contract  was  written  out  and  sent  down  to  Potter, 
which  he  forwarded  back  to  me.  This  was,  I  think,  late  in  January,  1865. 
I  neglected  to  hand  it  to  Mr.  Stanton  for  several  days,  and  did  not  do  it  until 
I  heard  that  no  more  permits  were  to  be  granted.  I  then  handed  it  to  him, 
apologizing  for  my  neglect.  Consequently,  it  could  not  have  been  signed 
until  after  that. 

Q.  How  do  you  account  for  the  date  given  there  ? 

A.  I  cannot  account  for  it,  unless  it  was  antedated. 

Q.  At  the  time  you  handed  this  to  Mr.  Stanton,  did  you  understand  that 
instructions  had  been  given  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  that  no  more 
contracts  should  be  made  ? 

A.  Conatty  told  me  so. 

Q.  Is  it  your  inference  that  the  contract  was  antedated  to  a  time  previous 
to  that  when  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  had  issued  his  instructions  that  no 
more  contracts  should  be  made  ? 

A.  I  have  no  positive  knowledge  of  that  whatever.  I  was  so  informed  by 
this  man,  who  had  been  a  clerk  under  Mr.  Risley.  I  know  the  contract  was 
not  signed  until  after  that  of  Samuel  Noble  was  signed,  which  was  dated  on 
the  6th  of  January,  1865. 

Q.  Do  you  know  any  thing  about  this  Mr.  Noble  ? 

A.  I  only  know  that  I  happened  to  be  in  the  room  when  the  proof  of  the 
contract  was  being  read,  and  saw  him  there. 

Q.  Do  you  know  with  whom  he  was  connected  in  the  transaction? 

A.  I  was  told  with  Thurlow  Weed  arid  George  Law.  I  saw  these  gentle 
men  round  there. 

Q.  Did  you  see  them  round  there  at  that  time  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  Where  was  this  ? 

A.  At  the  Astor  House. 

Q.  What  connection  did  Mr.  Weed  and  Mr.  Law  have  with  Mr.  Noble? 

A.  They  seemed  to  be  with  him ;  they  seemed  to  be  one  party  consulting 
together. 

Q.  Were  they  present  with  Mr.  Noble  and  Mr.  Risley  in  the  same  room  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  About  what  time  was  this  ? 

A.  It  was  about  the  6th  of  January,  at  the  Astor  House. 

Q.  Have  you  any  other  reason  to  suppose  that  Mr.  Law  and  Mr.  Weed 


Mil.  TIASKELI/S   TESTIMONY.  303 

were  engaged  with  Mr.  Noble  in  this  contract,  except  the  fact  that  they  were 
present  and  in  consultation  with  him  and  Mr.  Risley  ? 

A.  I  was  told  by  Conatty,  who  drew  all  the  papers,  at  the  time,  that  they 
were  interested  with  Noble  in  the  contract. 

Q.  What  further  did  Conatty  tell  you  about  this  contract  with  Noble  ? 

A.  He  referred  to  its  being  a  good  contract,  other  than  in  respect  to  tliA 
quantity  of  bales. 

Q.  In  what  respect  ? 

A.  In  respect  to  the  privileges  and  facilities  that  it  afforded  Noble  more 
than  others. 

Q.  What  privileges  and  facilities  did  he  allude  to? 

A.  It  contemplated  having  an  agent  to  accompany  the  vessel  with  goods 
to  the  point  where  the  cotton  was,  to  be  ready  to  make  the  exchange  as  soon 
as  the  cotton  was  brought  out.  That  was  the  main  feature  of  it. 

Q.  How  was  that  agent  to  go  ? 

A.  He  explained  it  in  this  way :  A  vessel  loaded  with  goods,  not  contra 
band  of  war,  might  proceed  in  charge  of  an  agent,  for  instance,  to  Savannah, 
and  then,  still  in  charge  of  that  agent,  proceed  up  the  river  to  Augusta,  and 
there,  still  under  charge  of  the  Government  agent,  exchange  the  goods  for  cotton. 

Q.  Upon  what  ground  did  Conatty  suppose  this  contract  would  be  on  bet 
ter  footing  than  others,  other  than  that  you  have  stated? 

A.  Not  otherwise,  except  in  the  number  of  different  points  where  thej 
might  deliver  the  cotton. 

Q.  Did  you  know  of  Mr.  Quintard  being  connected  with  this  matter  ? 

A.  No,  I  never  heard  that  he  was. 

Q.  What  do  you  see  in  this  document  peculiar  about  the  contract  of  Lovie, 
Brooks  &  Camp  ? 

A.  I  see  that  it  purports  to  be  dated  on  the  16th  of  November,  1864. 
That  contract  was  signed  in  January,  1865,  at  the  Astor  House. 

Q.  Why  was  it  signed  at  the  Astor  House  ? 

A.  I  heard  that  it  was,  from  Conatty. 

Q.  What  did  Mr.  Risley  appear  to  be  doing  at  the  Astor  House  ? 

A.  Doing  this  business. 

Q.  How  came  he  there  ;  where  was  his  regular  office  ? 

A.  I  had  always  been  informed  that  his  office  was  at  Norfolk. 

Q.  Why  was  he  in  New  York  doing  this  business  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  ;  I  know  that  he  was  there. 

Q.  How  long  was  he  there  ? 

A.  Most  of  the  time,  for  three  or  four  weeks. 

Q.  Did  he  open  an  office  there  ? 

A.  No  ;  he  had  different  rooms  at  the  Astor  House. 

Q.  How  many  different  rooms  ? 

A.  1  have  seen  him  go  into  No.  4,  No.  11,  and  the  large  room  next  to  the 
hall,  I  think  No.  2. 

Q.  What  was  he  doing  in  these  rooms  ? 

A.  I  saw  people  going  in  and  out ;  it  was  a  matter  of  notoriety  that  he 
was  making  these  contracts. 


364  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

Q.  Was  he  doing  a  large  business  ? 

A.  Quite  a  large  business  ;  he  had  a  great  many  people  seeing  him. 

Q.  What  was  the  understanding  in  relation  to  these  contracts  by  the 
people  round  there  ? 

A.  They  all  seemed  to  be  pretty  well  satisfied  when  they  got  them. 

Q.  Could  everybody  get  them  who  applied  ?          • 

A.  No,  I  do  not  think  they  could. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  the  object  of  Mr.  Risley  was  in  changing  his  quar 
ters  from  the  Treasury  Department  to  the  Astor  House  ? 

A.  I  have  no  knowledge  on  that  subject. 

Q.  Were  you  around  the  Astor  House  a  good  deal  at  that  time  ? 

A.  Yes.     I  never  was  in  his  room. 

Q.  What  was  the  influence  which  secured  this  contract  of  twenty  thou- 
Band  bales  ? 

A.  Conatty  obtained  it. 

Q.  What  was  the  consideration  which  induced  Conatty  to  take  hold  of  this 
thing  ? 

A.  One-fourth  interest  in  it. 

Q.  What  was  the  position  Mr,  Conatty  occupied  at  that  time  toward  Mr. 
Risley  and  toward  the  Government  ? 

A.  If  there  is  not  a  mistake  in  the  date,  as  given  here,  he  was  a  clerk  in 
the  Treasury  Department. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  Conatty  having  an  interest  in  any  other  contract 
except  this  one  ? 

A.  Only  in  this,  and  in  that  of  Moore,  Conatty  &  Co. 

Q.  What  did  you  consider  this  contract  worth  ? 

A.  It  would  have  been  very  valuable  if  it  had  been  carried  out  as  1 
hoped  ;  it  would  have  been  worth  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  easy  enough. 

Q    What  do  you  consider  it  worth  now  ? 

A.  I  do  not  consider  it  worth  any  thing.  I  never  had  much  faith  in  it, 
but  if  it  could  have  been  carried  out  it  would  have  been  quite  valuable. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  Mr.  D.  Randolph  Martin,  President  of  the  Ocean  Bank, 
having  been  engaged  in  these  matters  ? 

A.  Yes ;  he  was  the  first  man  who  called  my  attention  to  them. 

Q.  Who  are  Mr.  Martin's  associates,  as  far  as  you  know  ? 

A.  Mr.  Dole.  He  told  me  that  there  were  twelve  interests,  and  he  gave 
that  as  a  reason  why  my  interest  must  be  only  one-twelfth  in  any  thing  he 
could  do  with  me. 

Q.  Who  did  he  say  were  the  owners  of  these  twelve  interests? 

A.  He  did  not  say  definitely.  He  named  Mr.  Dole,  and  introduced  him  to 
me  in  that  connection.  He  also  introduced  me  to  Mr.  Ellery,  whom  he  had 
appointed  agent. 

Q.  Did  Mr.  Martin  say  he  had  had  Mr.  Ellery  appointed  agent  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  "What  were  the  considerations  which  induced  him  to  have  Mr.  Ellery 
appointed  ? 

A.  A  desire  to  have  facilities  for  operating  in  cotton  on  the  Mississippi. 


MR.  HASKELL'S  TESTIMONY.  365 

Q.  Was  it  understood  that  Mr.  Ellery  could  furnish  him  better  facilities 
than  others  might  ? 

A.  He  told  me  Mr.  Ellery  might  furnish  better  facilities  to  him  than  to 
strangers. 

Q.  Did  he  tell  you  Mr.  Ellery  was  interested  in  the  matter  ? 

A.  Not  definitely ;  I  have  always  had  that  impression. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  Mr.  Martin  having  visited  Memphis  since  Mr.  Ellerj- 
has  been  there  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  his  getting  out  cotton  there  ? 

A.  I  do  not ;  I  have  not  seen  him  since  his  return ;  he  urged  me  strongly 
to  go  there  with  him. 

Q.  For  what  purpose  ? 

A.  To  operate  in  cotton. 

Q.  Do  I  understand  you  to  say  that  you  had  this  one-twelfth  interest 
promised  you  in  that  concern  ? 

A.  Yes.  I  introduced  him  to  parties  who  I  supposed  could  get  cotton,  in 
consideration  of  which  I  was  to  have  one-twelfth  interest.  The  parties  to 
whom  I  introduced  him  were  also  to  give  me  a  portion  of  their  interest,  so 
that  I  was  to  have  one-sixth  altogether. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  received  any  thing  ? 

A.  Not  a  cent. 

Q.  What  is  the  reason  you  have  not  ? 

A.  No  one  has  ever  received  any  thing,  that  I  am  aware  of. 

Q.  Where  was  Mr.  Ellery  from? 

A.  I  think  his  office  was  84  Wall  Street. 

Q.  What  was  his  business? 

A.  I  should  think  a  broker.     He  had  a  small  office  in  the  basement. 

Q.  Do  you  know  who  else,  except  Mr.  Martin,  was  interested  in  getting 
Ellery  appointed  ? 

A.  Mr.  Martin  claimed  his  appointment  over  Mr.  Yeatman. 

Q.  Do  you  know  any  thing  about  a  permit  issued  to  Horace  H.  Meloon  ? 

A.  I  know  he  had  a  permit.  It  was  made  in  the  Astor  House  previous  to 
the  4th  of  January. 

Q.  Who  was  this  Meloon 

A.  He  was  a  Californian,  and  was  formerly  with  Andrew  J.  Butler. 

Q.  What  were  the  considerations  upon  which  that  contract  was  founded? 

A.  He  professed  to  have  cotton  and  other  things. 

Q.  Who  was  interested  with  him,  if  anybody,  to  your  knowledge  ? 

A.  Other  parties  in  New  York,  but  I  cannot  say  who  they  were.  A 
person  told  me  he  knew,  but  he  would  not  tell  me  their  names. 

Q.  This  contract  purports  to  have  been  signed  the  27th  of  December,  1864 ; 
was  this  antedated  ? 

A.  I  think  that  date  is  right. 

Q.  How  did  he  expect  to  get  out  this  cotton,  turpentine,  rosin,  and 
tobacco  ? 

A.  I  was  informed  that  he  had  a  vessel  already  loaded,  with  the  expecta- 


366  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

tion  of  putting  such  an  agent  on  board  as  was  contemplated  in  the  contract 
with  Noble,  and  to  have  followed  our  fleet  into  "Wilmington. 

Q.  Did  he  profess  to  have  peculiar  privileges  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  What  were  they  ? 

A.  Authority  from  the  commanding  general.         « 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  any  authority  of  that  kind  ? 

A.  No. 

Q.  How  did  he  say  he  was  able  to  obtain  that  authority? 

A.  It  was  well  understood  that  he  was  a  particular  friend  of  the  com 
manding  general. 

Q.  What  do  you  know  about  the  contract  with  Camp,  Maddox  &  Parr  for 
turpentine,  rosin,  and  tobacco? 

A.  Mr.  Camp  showed  me  the  contract  as  being  a  very  valuable  one. 

Q.  In  what  did  its  value  consist? 

A.  It  consisted  principally,  as  represented  to  me,  in  facilities  afforded  for 
going  through  the  lines. 

Q.  How  were  the  facilities  to  be  obtained?  State  all  you  know  about  it, 
from  conversation  with  parties  interested,  or  in  any  way. 

A.  I  had  various  conversations  with  Camp  in  relation  to  that  matter.  He 
told  me  they  were  succeeding  very  well  in  getting  out  products  and  taking  in 
goods.  He  asked  me  if  I  knew  of  parties  who  could  go  into  Richmond,  and 
whom  it  was  safe  to  trust.  I  told  him  yes,  I  did.  I  asked  him  what  he  wanted 
to  do.  lie  told  me  he  could  fill  three  contracts  that  had  been  given  out  by 
the  rebel  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Sedden,  for  stationery,  of  ten  thousand  dollars 
each,  in  gold,  and  that,  instead  of  paying  in  gold,  they  would  pay  in  cotton, 
at  nine  cents  a  pound.  The  difficulty  was,  to  find  the  point  at  which  that 
cotton  could  be  delivered  and  the  goods  received.  He  wanted  some  man 
whom  he  could  trust,  to  superintend  the  transfer,  make  delivery  of  the  sta 
tionery,  and  receive  the  cotton ;  that  so  far  as  the  other  side  was  concerned, 
it  was  all  right,  and  that  so  far  as  this  side  was  concerned  it  was  all  right.  I 
asked  Mr.  Camp,  if  I  furnished  this  man,  what  interest  he  could  allow.  He 
said  that  he  had  to  pay,  in  one  instance,  forty  thousand  dollars  to  secure  a 
passage  for  one  party  to  go  down,  and  that  one-half  the  whole  interest  in 
the  business  went  to  parties  in  Norfolk. 

Q.  To  whom  was  this  forty  thousand  dollars  paid,  as  you  understood  ? 

A.  To  the  parties  in  charge  of  the  Government  end  of  the  canal,  either  the 
military  or  naval  authorities ;  I  do  not  know  which.  I  asked  no  questions  at 
all  in  reference  to  the  matter. 

Q.  To  whom  was  this  half  interest  paid  in  Norfolk,  as  you  understand? 

A.  To  different  parties  in  Norfolk  ;  he  did  not  give  me  the  names. 

Q.  What  did  you  understand  him  to  be  the  whole  extent  of  this  trans 
action  ? 

A.  He  told  me  the  profits  on  it  would  be  at  least  twelve  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

Q.  Did  you  understand  from  him  that  it  was  already  so  divided  that  he 
could  not  entertain  any  other  interest? 


MR.  HASKELL'S  TESTIMONY.  367 

A.  Yes;  he  would  not  make  any  definite  proposition. 

Q.  What  was  it  he  wanted  you  for? 

A.  lie  wanted  simply  to  find  out  through  me  some  party  who  would  go 
through  the  lines. 

Q.  Do  you  know  to  what  extent  Camp  and  his  associates  sent  goods 
through  the  rebel  lines? 

A.  He  told  me  they  had  a  vessel  go  from  Baltimore  every  Wednesday. 

Q.  Where  did  he  say  the  vessel  went  to  ? 

A.  Through  the  Albemarle  Canal  to  a  point  in  North  Carolina,  on  some 
river — I  think  the  Chowan.  I  did  not  ask  as  to  the  gross  amount  of  goods 
sent  through. 

Q.  What  did  you  infer  from  what  he  told  you  ? 

A.  I  inferred  that  they  had  been  doing  an  extensive  business. 

Q.  Must  it  not  have  been  an  extensive  business  to  have  insured  a  profit  of 
twelve  hundred  thousand  dollars  on  one  transaction  ? 

A.  Certainly ;  unless  the  profits  were  very  large. 

Q.  Who  did  Camp  tell  you  his  associates  were  in  this  transaction  ? 

A.  He  told  me  the  names  of  several  in  Baltimore,  but,  for  the  life  of  me, 
I  cannot  mention  but  one. 

Q.  Who  was  that  one? 

A.  That  one  he  mentioned  on  several  occasions — Prescott  Smith.  He  told 
me  of  other  names,  which  I  cannot  remember.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  never 
sent  a  man  through  before.  He  told  me  he  had  sent  a  captain,  whose  name, 
it  strikes  me,  was  Adams  (I  am  not  positive),  who  went  through  the  lines, 
and  was  taken  sick ;  that  he  had  just  received  information,  through  a  lady 
who  carne  from  there,  that  he  was  not  expected  to  live,  and  he,  Camp,  was 
feeling  very  badly  about  it.  He  wished  I  would  help  him  out  of  the  scrape. 

Q.  Then  you  understood  the  reason  of  his  coming  to  you  was  to  get  some 
one  whom  he  could  trust  to  go  through  to  Richmond,  to  take  the  place  of  the 
agent  who  had  been  taken  sick  there,  and  who  was  not  expected  to  live? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  recommend  him  to  anybody? 

A.  I  told  him  I  could,  but  I  think  he  made  up  his  mind,  after  a  while, 
not  to  do  any  thing  more  with  me.  I  asked  him  what  he  could  do — what 
guarantee  he  could  give  that  the  man  should  not  get  into  trouble  on  the  other 
side.  He  said  he  would  give  him  letters  to  Mr.  Sedden,  and  Mr.  Trenholm, 
such  as  would  guarantee  him  safety  on  the  other  side. 

Q.  Has  there  any  thing  further  been  said  in  regard  to  this  matter  between 
you  and  him? 

A.  Nothing  farther  has  been  done. 

Q.  What  was  the  reason  of  breaking  off? 

A.  After  that  I  saw  a  notice  of  the  capture  of  the  steamer  Philadelphia, 
which  Mr.  Lane  had.  I  think  I  introduced  the  subject  again  to  Camp,  and 
that  Camp  told  me  that  the  thing  had  got  set  back,  and  that  he  would  do 
nothing  more  about  it  at  present. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  heard  any  thing  since  ? 

A.  No ;  nothing  has  been  communicated  to  me  at  all  since. 


368  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Did  Camp  ever  show  you  any  papers,  or  writing,  in  this  connection? 

A.  No  ;  he  only  proposed  to  give  them. 

Q.  Did  he  admit  to  you  that  he  had  been  in  correspondence  with  any  of 
the  rebel  authorities  on  this  subject? 

A.  He  did  not  say  correspondence.  He  admitted  to  me  that  he  had 
arrangements  with  the  rebel  authorities.  « 

Q.  Did  he  admit  to  you  that  he  had  had  any  connection  with  correspond 
ence  with  Beverley  Tucker  ? 

A.  No. 

Q.  What  rebel  authorities  did  he  refer  to  ? 

A.  None  but  the  two  previously  mentioned — the  rebel  secretaries  of  war 
and  treasury. 

Q.  Did  you  understand  from  him  that  this  large  amount  of  stationery 
went  through  ? 

A.  No  ;  I  never  did.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  went  through  or  not.  I 
only  know  that  he  stated  to  me  the  arrangements. 

Q.  Are  there  any  other  matters  that  you  can  state,  connected  with  this 
investigation? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  remember  any  other. 

It  seems  incredible  that  in  the  midst  of  the  most  tragical 
scenes  that  war  has  ever  created,  the  very  arena  of  conflict 
should  be  the  busy  field  of  mercenary  and  lawless  trade. 
The  civil  strife  awakened  all  the  passions  of  men — the  best 
and  the  worst ;  and  the  " spirit  of  the  age"  intensified  their 
unparalleled  activity. 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

SPECULATION  AND  FRAUD. 

Devices  of  Contractors — Detection  of  Forage  Contractor — Appeal  to  the  President — 
Further  Frauds  as  "Silent  Partner" — Report  on  Forage  and  Chartered  Yessels — 
Calumnious  Charges  Refuted — General  Report  of  Transactions. 

MANY  of  the  ingenious  devices  resorted  to  by  contractors, 
by  which,  to  gain  their  fraudulent  ends  without  risk  of 
detection  have  already  been  disclosed  ;  but  I  shall  here 
give  another  illustration,  which,  on  account  of  its  boldness 
and  success,  deserves  especial  notice. 

I  detected  a  conspicuous  Government  contractor  in  exten 
sive  speculations  in  the  delivery  of  forage.  He  was  arrested 
and  placed  in  the  "Old  Capitol  prison."  His  father,  very 
indignant  at  his  son's  imprisonment  on  such  an  accusa 
tion,  which  he,  in  simple  faith,  considered  unmerited,  and 
whicli  would  inevitably  bring  disgrace  upon  his  family, 
applied  to  the  Secretary  of  War  for  his  release.  The  father 
was  a  prominent  politician  of  Pennsylvania,  and,  at  the  time 
of  his  interview  with  the  Secretary,  was  accompanied  by 
Members  of  Congress,  besides  other  friends. 

He  appeared  to  rest  in  the  belief  that  there  would  be 
little  or  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  acquittal  of  his  son, 
and  strongly  urged,  as  a  reason,  the  absurdity  of  supposing 
that  a  gentleman  of  character  so  high,  could  have  designedly 
defrauded  the  Government. 

But  the  Secretary  of  War,  having  sufficient  evidence  to 
be  convinced  of  the  guilt  of  the  contractor,  was  unmoved  by 
his  entreaties,  and  refused  to  grant  his  petition. 

Not  discouraged  by  the  vain  attempt,  he  next  made 
application  to  President  Lincoln.  During  this  interview, 
the  prisoner' s  cause  was  not  the  only  topic  of  conversation, 
but  Colonel  Baker's  discipline  and  rule  constituted  also  a 

24 


370  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

very  important  and  lengthy  one.  The  patriotic  Congressmen 
denounced  the  latter  in  unqualified  terms,  for  having  had 
the  audacity  to  arrest  a  highly  respectable  citizen,  and  con 
fine  him  within  the  walls  of  the  American  Bastile.  They 
remarked  that  such  outrages,  committed  by  detectives,  if 
allowed,  would  arouse  the  people,  who  would  hurl  from 
their  offices  these  minions  of  power. 

They  seemed  to  think  that,  if  they  could  convince  the 
President  of  the  righteousness  of  their  attacks  upon  the 
detective  system,  their  work  toward  the  release  of  the 
prisoner  would  be  more  speedily  accomplished. 

This,  with  much  more,  delivered  in  a  very  emphatic 
manner,  made  so  strong  a  plea,  that  Mr.  Lincoln  thought  it 
necessary  to  consult  me.  He  accordingly  sent  for  me,  and 
requested  me  to  relate  to  him  all  the  circumstances  connected 
with  the  detection  and  arrest  of  the  contractor. 

I  gave  him  as  explicit  an  account  as  I  could,  and  then 
asked  his  permission  to  hold  the  prisoner  in  custody  twelve 
hours  longer ;  adding  that  if,  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  I 
should  be  unable  to  produce  facts  sufficiently  proving  his 
guilt,  and  my  rightful  authority  for  arresting  him,  I  would 
consent  to  his  acquittal. 

The  President  approved  of  this  proposition,  which  was 
sent  to  the  prisoner's  friends;  and  the  next  morning,  his 
father,  attended  by  the  Congressional  delegation,  referred 
to  before,  called  at  the  War  Department,  to  notify  the 
Secretary  that  the  President  had  promised  to  set  the  pris 
oner  at  liberty. 

The  same  morning,  I  had  carried  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
an  extended  and  unreserved  confession  of  guilt  by  the  con 
tractor.  This  was  now  produced,  and  read  in  the  presence 
of  the  whole  company.  In  it,  the  writer  very  minutely 
related  the  manner  in  which  he  committed  the  frauds ;  he 
also,  to  prove  his  sincerity,  handed  to  me  thirty-two  thou 
sand  dollars,  one  of  the  items  in  his  speculations  at  the 
expense  of  the  Government. 

The  effect  upon  so  proud  a  father  of  the  overwhelming 
intelligence  conveyed  in  this  full  confession  of  the  contractor, 
and  before  so  numerous  an  audience,  may  be,  perhaps,  par 
tially,  but  never  fully  imagined.  The  undeniable  evidence 


TIIE   CRIME   DISCLOSED.  371 

of  his  son's  guilt,  coming  so  forcibly  upon  him,  at  the  very 
moment  that  he  had  fondly  anticipated  would  clear  him 
from  all  suspicions,  and  place  him  higher  than  before  in 
public  opinion,  on  account  of  his  being  so  unjustly  arrested 
and  imprisoned,  bowed  him  down  with  shame  and  sorrow. 

The  distinguished  friends  who  had  accompanied  him  to 
the  Department,  and  who,  with  him,  had  anticipated  a  far 
different  issue  of  their  proceedings,  were  speechless  with 
astonishment  and  chagrin. 

The  silence  was  finally  disturbed  by  a  melancholy  allu 
sion  to  the  natural  depravity  of  man,  and  soon  afterward 
the  uncomfortable  parties  dispersed. 

This  short  but  sad  sketch  of  the  fraudulent  undertakings 
of  a  contractor,  is  but  a  solitary  instance,  among  many  others 
of  a  similar  kind,  which  might  be  recorded. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  wisely  judging  that  the  criminal 
had  forfeited  all  just  claim  to  public  benefit,  passed  an  order, 
which  took  from  him  the  privilege  of  making  any  fuither 
contracts  with  the  Government.  But  so  steeped  in  villany 
was  his  nature,  that  he  concluded  to  evade  the  order,  and 
still,  though  in  a  more  surreptitious  manner,  pursue  his 
swindling  operations. 

He  submitted  a  proposal,  through  a  partner  in  business, 
to  the  department  quartermaster  at  Alexandria,  to  furnish 
what  is  called  "  mixed  grain,"  or  oats  and  corn,  in  the  pro 
portion  of  twenty  pounds  of  oats  and  twelve  of  corn.  It 
will  be  well  to  remark  that,  in  this  transaction,  he  took 
especial  care  to  keep  his  name  secret,  and  acted,  therefore, 
as  the  "  silent  partner." 

Oats  were  worth  ninety,  and  corn  forty  cents.  Up  to 
this  time,  no  mixed  grain  had  been  received  by  the  Govern 
ment.  The  contractor,  therefore,  prepared  a  glowing  state 
ment  of  the  advantages  of  the  grain  to  the  Government. 
His  enthusiastic  assertions  regarding  the  advantages  to  be 
obtained  from  the  mixed  grain  were  so  convincing,  that, 
upon  the  recommendation  of  the  department  quartermaster, 
the  Government  authorized  a  contract  for  the  delivery  of  it, 
to  the  large  amount  of  three  million  bushels. 

I  was  ignorant  of  the  negotiations  until  the  affair  had 
arrived  at  its  consummation.  Then,  as  confident  as  if  I  had 


372  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

"been  cognizant  of  the  whole  development  of  the  transaction, 
of  a  fraudulent  operation,  I  immediately  commenced  the 
work  of  its  detection. 

It  is  manifest  that  the  difference  of  price  in  the  two  kinds 
of  grain  was  considerable  ;  and,  therefore,  it  was  an  advan 
tage,  which  the  contractor  would  not  willingly  let  slip  by, 
to  deliver  a  greater  proportion  of  oats  than  of  corn,  as  the 
price  of  the  former  was  so  much  greater  than  the  other. 

The  profits  in  this  single  contract  we  may  safely  estimate 
at  not  less  than  the  almost  incredible  sum  of  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

The  history  of  this  stupendous  fraud  cannot  better  be 
ascertained  than  by  examining  the  appended  report,  which 
will  clearly  reveal  the  method  by  which  it  was  discovered. 
The  perusal  cannot  fail  to  interest  the  reader,  as  it  is  so 
explicit  and  truthful  in  its  details. 

The  report  contains,  also,  a  statement  in  regard  to  char 
tered  vessels,  showing  the  improper  uses  to  which  they  were 
adapted — another  taper,  at  least,  flinging  its  light  into  the 
darkness  which  concealed  the  workers  of  iniquity.  I  quote 
passages  only  from  the  report  on  the  case  :— 

A  sack  was  taken  from  each  vessel  then  lying  in  the  harbor,  and  one  sack 
each  from  three  different  warehouses  at  Alexandria,  for  the  purpose  of  sepa 
rating  the  oats  from  the  corn,  in  order  to  determine  the  exact  proportion  of 
each. 

The  first  experiment  resulted  as  follows  : — 

Thirty-two  pounds  of  mixed  grain,  when  carefully  separated,  showed  19 
pounds  of  corn  and  13  pounds  of  oats. 

Second  experiment  showed  13£  pounds  of  corn,  13£  pounds  of  oats. 
Third  "  "         16         "  "      16         "  " 

Fourth  "  "         151       "  "      l°i       "  " 

Fifth  "  "        16         "  "      16         " 

The  grain  from  which  these  samples  were  taken  was  then  being  delivered 
by  a  Mr.  S.,  under  a  contract,  as  I  then  understood,  with  Captain  F. 

I  beg  leave  to  submit  a  statement  concerning  the  improper  expenditure  of 
five  thousand  twenty-nine  dollars  and  sixty -five  cents,  on  the  steaintug  Clyde, 
owned  in  Philadelphia,  and  for  some  time  past  under  charter  to  the  Govern 
ment.  It  appears  that  the  tug  referred  to  was  used  almost  exclusively  by  Cap 
tain  F.  and  his  friends  as  a  pleasure-boat.  The  sum  referred  to  above  was 
expended  in  the  purchase  of  fine  carpets,  oilcloths,  chinaware,  painting,  deco 
rating,  &c.  The  repairs  on  the  tug  Ella  amount  to  nearly  two  thousand  dol 
lars.  She  was  also  principally  employed  in  carrying  pleasure  parties  down  the 


DISHONEST  USE  OF  VESSELS.  373 

river,  under  direct  orders  from  Captain  F.  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  that 
those  and  other  boats  under  charter  to  the  Government,  were  almost  daily 
engaged  in  conveying  pleasure  parties,  composed  largely  of  females  of  the 
most  abandoned  character.  It  can  be  shown,  by  the  most  undeniable  and 
positive  proof,  that  these  boats  made  frequent  night  excursions,  having  on 
board  Captain  F.,  and  other  officers  of  his  and  other  departments,  each 
accompanied  by  a  strumpet,  or  public  woman  of  the  town.  In  fact,  I  am 
informed  by  persons,  who  are  known  to  be  truthful  and  reliable,  that  the  tug 
Clyde  was  especially  fitted  tip,  under  the  direction  of  Captain  F.,  for  the 
accommodation  of  these  characters. 

I  find,  on  examination  of  the  bills  of  lading  now  on  file  in  the  Quarter 
master's  Department  at  Alexandria,  that  no  less  than  twenty-one  vessels 
have  arrived  at  Alexandria,  during  the  past  year,  containing  private  cargoes, 
in  which  the  Government  had  no  interest,  directly  or  indirectly,  consigned 
to  Captain  F.,  or  Captain  S.  The  object  of  so  consigning  them  must  be 
apparent  to  any  one  giving  the  matter  a  moment's  reflection.  I  am  informed 
by  the  owners  of  some  of  these  vessels,  that  they  obtained  Captain  F.'s 
consent  to  having  these  vessels  consigned  to  him,  in  order  to  facilitate  their 
shipments,  and  also  to  enable  them  to  procure  tugs  to  tow  them  up  the  river, 
when  necessary,  and  also  to  enable  them  to  discharge  their  cargoes  without 
delay.  During  the  time  that  I  was  engaged  in  gathering  rebel  property  in 
Virginia,  I  took  possession  of  two  or  three  deserted  private  dwellings,  con 
taining  very  valuable  furniture  and  libraries.  This  property  was  turned  over 
to  Captain  F.  From  recent  investigations,  it  is  proved  that  the  most  valuable 
portion  of  this  furniture  was  shipped  to  Boston  by  Captain  F.,  for  his  own 
private  use,  and  other  portions  were  either  given  away  or  sold  to  persons  in 
Alexandria,  where  it  now  is.  Many  of  the  valuable  books  referred  to  can  be 
found  in  possession  of  officers  or  persons  in  Alexandria  in  Government  employ. 
With  this  report,  I  forward  y;ou  a  number  of  affidavits,  some  of  which  are 
very  important,  made  by  the  recent  employees  of  Captain  F.  From  these 
affidavits  it  is  clearly  shown  that  nearly  all  the  workmen  engaged  in  the 
carpenter,  carriage,  harness,  and  repair  shops,  were  not  only  knowing  to  the 
manufacture  of  a  great  variety  of  furniture,  carriages,  harness,  saddles, 
bridles,  &c.,  for  private  individuals,  but  actually  received  money  from  such 
individuals,  in  payment  for  such  work.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
employees  referred  to:  J.  D.  and  J.  F.  W.  TV.  (now  in  the  Old  Capitol  Prison), 
carpenter  shop;  J.  R.,  F.  B.,  J.  S.,  and  S.  S.,  harness  shop  ;  J.  E.,  blacksmith 
shop.  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

I  take  this  opportunity  to  correct  an  idea  which,  I  am 
aware,  is  very  prevalent  in  the  minds  of  the  people  ;  but  one 
which,  I  am  convinced,  every  unprejudiced  person  will 
not  entertain  when  he  has  patiently  given  attention  to  my 
vindication. 


374  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

It  was  thought  that  while  I  was,  in  a  measure,  respon 
sible  to  the  Government,  in  common  with  other  officials,  a 
large  portion  of  my  service  was  discretionary,  therefore, 
making  it  practically  my  independent  action. 

There  could  hardly  be  a  more  erroneous  impression  exist 
ing  among  the  people. 

My  services  were  generally  acts  of  strict  obedience  to 
written  orders  from  the  Secretary  of  War.  When  other 
wise,  as  was  sometimes  the  case,  a  report  in  detail  of  every 
act  of  my  bureau,  was  furnished  and  indorsed  by  the  Secre 
tary. 

So  that,  it  is  clear  to  the  reader,  the  services  of  my 
bureau  were  not  independent,  but,  indeed,  quite  the  con 
trary  ;  and  that  the  honorable  Secretary  was  as  responsible 
for  them  as  though  they  were  executed  in  the  Department  of 
which  he  was  the  official  director. 

And  another  matter  I  take  the  liberty  to  bring  before  the 
intelligent  public  and  elucidate  clearly,  as,  rather  to  my  sur 
prise,  it  appears  to  have  been  entirely  misunderstood. 

Considerable  fault  has  been  found  in  regard  to  the  arrests 
that  I  have  made,  or  ordered  to  be  made  by  my  detectives, 
and  not  a  few  strong  epithets  have  been  applied  to  me,  in 
consequence. 

I  must  confess  I  am  not  indifferent  to  such  a  state  of  pub 
lie  feeling  as  must  necessarily  exist,  to  produce  this  fault 
finding  and  these  bitter  invectives  I  have  mentioned. 

On  the  contrary,  I  am  sensitive  in  regard  to  my  honor,  at 
least  in  the  wish  to  be  considered  as  not  failing  in  my  duty  ; 
and  I  take  some  pains  to  eradicate  from  the  minds  of 
my  countrymen  such  unjust  suspicions  concerning  me,  and 
to  have  them  understand,  as  thoroughly  as  I  can,  my  true 
position,  and  appreciate  my  intentions. 

At  the  close  of  each  week,  a  full  and  carefully  prepared 
report  of  arrests  was  made  and  submitted  to  the  War  Depart 
ment.  This  report  contained  a  list  of  the  persons  arrested, 
the  charges  brought  against  them,  the  circumstances  con 
nected  with  the  discovery  and  seizure  of  the  arrested  parties, 
and  an  inventory  of  all  the  property  found  on  them. 

Irrespective  of  all  this,  the  superintendent  of  the  Old 
Capitol  Prison  furnished  daily  a  written  statement  of  all 


THE  BUREAU  AND  THE  WAR  DEPARTMENT.     375 

prisoners  committed  to  that  institution,  with  a  strict  account 
of  each  case. 

With  these  facts  before  them,  the  public  cannot  judge 
otherwise  than  that  the  War  Department  must  have  been 
cognizant  of  every  significant  detail  in  the  transactions  of 
the  bureau. 

I  likewise,  at  intervals,  furnished  the  Secretary  of  War 
with  general  reports  of  the  operations  of  my  department,  of 
which  the  following  one  serves  as  a  fair  specimen  :— 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MAKSIIAT,  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  /September  3,  1863.  | 

Hon.  E.  M.  STAXTOX,  Secretary  of  War : — 

Siu — I  beg  leave  respectfully  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  actual 
operations  of  the  department  under  my  charge,  from  the  date  of  my  appoint 
ment  as  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department,  September  9,  1862,  up  to 
and  including  the  31st  day  of  August,  1863.  At  an  early  day  in  the  history 
of  the  present  war,  it  became  apparent  that  the  vastly  increased  and  increas 
ing  operations  of  the  War  Department,  involving  the  control  and  disposition 
of  immense  amounts  of  Government  property,  its  constant  exposure  to  loss 
and  depreciation  by  the  acts  of  careless  or  dishonest  agents,  involved  the 
necessity  of  a  police  or  detective  department,  to  act  under  the  immediate 
orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  whose  special  duty  it  should  be  to  pre 
vent  the  loss  and  damage  of  the  Government  property  under  control  of  the 
War  Department,  to  detect  frauds,  recover  the  moneys  or  other  property  of 
the  Government  improperly  appropriated,  and  bring  to  punishment  those 
guilty  of  treasonable,  corrupt,  or  dishonest  acts.  With  this  broad  field  of 
operations  open  before  me,  I  commenced  my  active  services  as  Provost-Mar 
shal  of  the  War  Department  at  the  date  indicated;  a  year  has  elapsed,  and 
its  results,  as  connected  with  this  Department,  not  only  establish  the  sound 
ness  of  judgment  which  organized  it,  but  demonstrate  fully  the  absolute  neces 
sity  of  its  continuance.  I  may  here  be  permitted  to  remark,  that  while  the 
duties  of  my  office  have  been  arduous  in  the  extreme,  their  faithful  perform 
ance  has  been  the  prolific  cause  of  innumerable  complaints,  and  the  most 
active  and  untiring  exertions  by  persons,  often  of  high  official  position,  to 
interfere  with  my  plans,  and  bring  the  office  and  myself  into  disrepute  at  the 
War  Department.  Against  such  attacks,  and  the  embittered  assaults  of  the 
men  whose  plans  of  plunder  and  treason  I  have  frustrated,  I  have  been  sus 
tained  by  the  consciousness  of  right  intentions,  and  the  always  fair  and 
nnprejudicial  support  awarded  me  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  With  the  organi 
zation  of  the  battalion  oi  Mounted  Rangers,  it  became  apparent  to  me  that  a 
decrease  in  my  detective  force  might  be  effected  without  interfering  with  its 
efficiency,  and  I  therefore  took  the  liberty  of  suggesting  the  propriety  of  such 
decrease,  and  I  am  now  again  enabled,  with  the  continued  increase  of  my 
mounted  force,  to  submit  a  proposition  for  a  still  further  reduction.  I  there 
fore  respectfully  recommend  that  the  detective  force  under  my  command  be 


376  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

reduced  to  the  following  limits:  one  deputy,  two  clerks,  ten  detective  officers, 
one  stable  and  storehouse  superintendent,  and  two  stable  men ;  the  deputy 
and  two  clerks  to  be  paid  $150  each  per  month,  detectives  and  superintendent 
$100  each  per  month.  "With  this  force,  and  a  limitation  of  the  duties  to  be 
performed  to  the  suppression  and  investigation  of  frauds  against  the  Govern 
ment,  recovery  of  Government  property  lost  or  stolen,  *nd  the  arrest  of  con 
traband  traders  and  traitors,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  detective  branch  of  the 
War  Department  will  maintain  its  position  as  a  self-sustaining,  indispensable, 
and  thus  far,  as  the  following  exhibit  will  show,  successful  organization. 
During  the  year  I  have  recovered  and  turned  over  to  the  proper  authorities 
the  following  amounts  of  money,  recovered  from  defaulting  clerks,  quarter 
masters,  and  contractors: — 

A.  M.  W.,  forage  contractor,  defrauded  the  Quartermaster's  Department 
by  false  forage  receipts,  turned  over  to  Judge  Turner,  $52,500 ;  J.  W.  H., 
Assistant  Quartermaster  Tenth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  absconded  to  Can 
ada  with  $16,000  Government  funds,  recovered  from  him  $10,600;  C.  0., 
horse  contractor,  Baltimore,  false  bills  rendered  to  the  Government,  recovered 
and  turned  over  to  Judge  Turner,  $1,500 ;  M.  H.  W.,  forage  contractor,  over 
charge  and  bribing  clerks  to  make  false  entries,  turned  over  to  Colonel  Rucker, 
$9,989.30;  G.  "W.  L.,  forage  contractor,  received  pay  for  invoice  of  forage 
delivered  to  Government,  twice,  turned  over  to  Colonel  Belger,  $0,200 ;  F.  A. 
"W.,  wood  contractor,  overcharge  on  his  account,  recovered  from  him,  and 
turned  over  to  Judge  Turner,  $2,700 ;  F.  "W.,  clerk  in  quartermaster's  office, 
Twenty-second  and  Ninth  Streets,  money  received  as  bribes  to  make  false 
entries  on  forage  receipts,  recovered  from  him,  and  turned  over  to  Judge  Tur 
ner,  $2,700;  F.  TV.,  clerk  in  quartermaster's  office,  Twenty-second  and  G 
Streets,  money  received  as  bribes  to  make  false  entries  on  forage  receipts, 
recovered  from  him,  and  turned  over  to  Judge  Turner,  $2,000 ;  T.  E.,  recov 
ered  from  him  on  forged  ice  receipts,  and  turned  over  to  Judge  Turner,  $1,800 ; 
F.  McC.,  paymaster's  clerk,  stolen  from  Major  McFarlan,  paymaster,  in  Trea 
sury  notes,  turned  over  to  Paymaster  General,  $40,000  ;  making  a  total  of 
cash  recovered  and  paid  over  of  $127,289.30.  During  the  same  period  I  have 
recovered  and  turned  over  to  the  Quartermaster  General,  Government  prop 
erty  of  various  kinds  of  the  appraised  value  of  $284,359,  including  695  horses, 
70  mules,  4,117  muskets,  375  rifles,  31  carbines,  100  pistols,  and  224  sabres, 
and  other  property  of  various  descriptions,  for  a  more  full  and  detailed  state 
ment  of  which  I  beg  leave  to  refer  to  my  monthly  reports,  on  file  in  the  Quar 
termaster-General's  Department.  I  may  be  permitted  to  state,  however,  that 
a  very  large  proportion  of  the  arms,  &c.,  recovered  by  me,  as  aforesaid,  were 
picked  up  singly  or  in  small  quantities,  from  saloons,  private  houses,  rum- 
shops,  and  other  receptacles*  of  stolen  property,  and  were  not  in  any  case 
gathered  from  battle-fields  or  abandoned  depots. 

During  the  same  period  of  time,  the  entire  expenses  of  my  department 
have  been  $58,760.92,  of  which  $36,778.69  have  been  paid  for  salaries;  the 
balance,  of  $21,982.23,  having  accrued  from  various  incidentals,  including 
rent,  transportation,  expenses  arid  pay  of  witnesses  attending  investigations, 
courts  martial,  and  military  commissions.  And  I  can  further  say,  with  entire 


EFFICIENCY   OF  THE  BUREAU.  377 

truthfulness,  that  the  recovery  of  this  large  amount  of  Government  property 
is  due  entirely  to  the  active  and  energetic  measures  adopted  by  this  depart 
ment,  and  but  for  its  existence  would  have  been  a  total  loss  to  the  Govern 
ment;  and  also,  that  the  investigations  and  arrests  which  resulted  in  the 
recovery  of  the  $127,289  above  mentioned,  were  commenced,  carried  on,  and 
successfully  consummated  in  and  through  this  office. 

A  careful  examination  and  comparison  of  the  above  statements,  and  the 
monthly  reports  upon  which  they  are  based,  will  suggest  the  following  con 
clusions  : — 

1st.  That  the  detective  force  connected  with  the  War  Department  has 
demonstrated  its  efficiency,  and  positively  established  the  highest  proof  of  the 
necessity  of  its  continuance. 

2d.  That,  as  an  economical  organization,  it  will  compare  favorably  with 
any  other  department  of  the  Government,  showing  a  balance  of  account  in  its 
favor,  over  and  above  all  expenses,  for  the  first  year  of  its  existence,  of 
$352,887.58. 

I  conclude  this  report  by  remarking,  that  the  recent  detection  of  impor 
tant  frauds  perpetrated  on  several  paymasters  of  the  United  States  Army,  and 
the  arrest  of  the  parties  engaged  therein,  was  the  work  of  this  department, 
and  that  I  am  now  engaged  in  the  investigation  of  several  matters  requiring 
intelligent  and  experienced  detective  action,  and  important  to  the  interests  of 
the  Government  and  the  War  Department. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  0.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

COUNTERFEITERS  AND   COUNTERFEITING- 

Bank-note  Paper  and  Printing — Spider-leg  Paper — G  \vynn  and  Clark's  Experiments 
— Corrupt  Literature  in  the  Army. 

THE  facts  incident  to  this  subject,  which  I  am  about  to 
disclose,  will  exceedingly  surprise  the  greater  portion  of 
those  who  peruse  these  pages.  They  cannot  fail  to  be 
startled  and  indignant  at  the  extent  to  which  counterfeiting 
was  carried  on  during  the  war,  and  the  boldness,  added  to 
the  respectability  of  the  parties  engaged  in  it. 

One  of  the  necessities  created  by  the  war,  was  the  cir 
culation  of  paper  currency  to  a  much  greater  extent  than 
formerly.  The  Government  found  it  necessary  to  resort  to 
unusual  means  of  supplying  the  medium  of  such  financial 
need. 

The  case  of  Stuart  Gwynn  and  S.  M.  Clark  has  been  nar 
rated  ;  and  it  cannot  be  forgotten  that  Gwy nil's  statement, 
while  in  prison,  treats  largely  of  the  plans  and  shrewd 
devices  adopted  by  himself  and  Clark,  to  make  the  Govern 
ment  issue  proof  against  the  counterfeiters'  art.  He  says  :— 

u  During  my  visits  to  Washington,  while  getting  ready 
to  supply  paper  according  to  contract,  I  learned  from  Mr.  S. 
M.  Clark  the  broad  plan  that  was  laid  down  to  make  the 
issues  perfectly  safe.  It  involved  not  only  a  new  kind  of 
paper,  but  a  new  style  of  'engraving,'  a  new  method  o1 
printing  (if  it  could  be  done),  new  kinds  of  inks,  £c.  I  en 
tered  heartily  into  the  work  of  assisting  by  my  very  great 
(that  is  admitted  by  all)  chemical  and  mechanical  talents  and 
knowledge  to  make  practical  the  different  parts  of  the 
plan." 

These  gentlemen  had  persuaded  Secretary  Chase  that 
they  had  found  the  philosophers  stone  in  this  matter  of  cur- 


BANK-NOTE  PRINTING.  379 

t 

rency,  and  its  acceptance  would  compel  the  counterfeiters  to 
abandon  even  the  attempt  to  imitate  the  unquestioned  cur 
rency  of  the  Republic.     On  the  contrary,  the  result  was 
the  fruitless  expenditure  of  millions  upon  the  remunerative 
experiment  to  the  parties  undertaking  it. 

In  the  whole  history  of  bank-note  printing,  there  never 
has  been  a  system  adopted  in  all  its  details,  including  style 
of  paper,  presses,  ink,  &c.,  so  easily,  extensively,  and  suc 
cessfully  imitated,  as  that  inaugurated  by  Secretary  Chase. 

Immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  law  creating  this 
note-printing  bureau,  a  large  number  of  applications  were 
made  to  him  for  the  adoption  of  some  peculiar  sort  of  paper, 
ink,  and  presses.  The  oldest,  most  respectable,  and  responsi 
ble  bank-note  companies  in  the  United  States,  submitted  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasurv  various  proposals,  each  having 
its  own  style  of  paper,  type,  and  form. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Gwynn  appeared  in  the  arena  ot 
benevolent  and  patriotic  enterprise,  a  competitor  with  the. 
bank-note  companies,  in  this  service  for  the  country. 

Among  all  those  who  submitted  plans  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  lie  was  the  most  visionary,  irresponsible,  and 
disastrous,  and  to  the  mind  of  a  sensible  person  would,  even 
in  the  outset,  have  seemed  unworthy  of  notice.  But  Mr. 
Chase  must  have  had  good  reason  to  deem  him  otherwise,  as 
he  favored  him  so  extraordinarily. 

The  old  and  established  methods  of  bank-note  printing 
were  discarded,  and  a  complete  revolution  was  effected, 
based  upon  the  "broad  plan"  presented  by  Messrs.  Gwynn 
and  Clark,  whose  peculiar  excellence  was,  to  make  the  cur 
rency  of  the  Government  "perfectly  safe" 

With  all  just  allowance  for  selfish  motives  in  the  bank 
note  companies,  in  urging  the  adoption  of  their  system,  the 
singular  infatuation  cannot  be  interpreted,  which  so  beguiled 
the  honorable  Secretary  as  to  render  him  unmindful  of  all 
ancient  precedents,  and  partial  to  the  chaotic  schemes  of  the 
new  tinkers  in  currency. 

It  is  a  matter  of  history  and  record,  that  in  the  face  of  the 
most  emphatic  declarations  of  practical  men  who  had  been 
long  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  notes,  namely,  W.  P. 
Alexander,  C.  Wilson,  Hatch,  Jones,  Dunlap,  Butler,  and 


380  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

• 

others,  lie  "  accepted  and  adopted"  Stuart  Gwynn' s  phan 
tom  scheme,  representing  very  fittingly  the  natural  and  cul 
tivated  eccentricities  of  the  man. 

I  will  cite  a  single  feature  of  this  grand  scheming — the 
invention  and  adoption  by  the  Secretary  of  .the  "  spider -leg 
paper" 

It  derived  its  appellation  from  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  made.  Gwynn  had  woven  into  it  minute  fragments  of 
silk  thread,  suggesting  the  resemblance  of  that  insect  in  its 
means  of  locomotion. 

But,  as  we  shall  see,  the  greater  resemblance  to  the  cun 
ning  and  poisonous  trapper,  whose  standing  invitation  to 
the  fly,  to  be  at  home  in  his  parlor,  is  familiar  even  to  a  child, 
lay  in  the  nature  of  the  scheme,  and  its  depleting  effect  upon 
the  treasury  of  the  nation. 

The  quality  of  the  paper  demanded  peculiar  presses,  of 
Gwynn' s  invention,  which  would  cost  the  Government  two 
thousand  dollars  each,  while  those  then  in  use  were  only 
one  hundred  and  forty  dollars  each. 

The  spider  had  worked  assiduously,  forming  an  attractive 
web,  fascinating  and  ensnaring  no  ordinary  fly,  but  one 
which  may  be  likened  to  the  fabled  hen,  as  it  yielded  golden 
treasures  to  the  principal  actor  in  the  delicate  transaction. 

The  press  was  called  hydrostatic,  the  principles  of  which 
were  old  and  primitive  as  the  law  of  gravitation ;  it  had 
been  used  in  Germany  for  years,  and  its  impracticability  and 
worthlessness  were  fully  demonstrated  by  the  large  piles  of 
broken  machines  and  presses,  stacked  up,  for  months,  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Treasury  building,  like  the  ruins  caused 
by  a  railway  collision. 

It  is  due  to  Mr.  Gwynn,  and  an  act  of  simple  justice,  to 
state  here,  that  his  erratic  and  expensive  experiments  could 
not  have  been  made  without  the  assistance  of  another,  who 
was  in  the  Government  parlor,  while  the  former  was  busy 
in  the  foreground  of  the  financiering.  I  refer  to  the  part 
taken  by  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark.  And  who  is  S.  M.  Clark  ?  The 
question  is  satisfactorily  answered  in  the  authentic  reports 
of  Congressional  investigations,  in  which  he  largely  figures. 
A  single  instance  I  have  before  furnished,  in  the  report  on 
Mr.  Gwy  nn'  s  connection  with  the  Treasury  Department. 


COUNTERFEIT  CURRENCY.  381 

The  consequences  attending  this  whole  course  of  insane 
action  by  the  Treasury  Department,  culminated  in  flooding 
the  land  with  counterfeit  Government  currency.  Scarcely 
was  the  ink  dry  on  the  first  note  from  the  press  of  the 
Treasury,  before  its  bogus  counterpart  appeared  in  circu 
lation. 

There  have  been  only  three  of  all  the  issues  of  currency, 
including  about  thirty-five,  which  have  not  been  successfully 
counterfeited. 

When,  several  months  since,  it  was  intimated  by  the 
efficient  head  of  the  Secret  Service  of  the  Treasury  Depart 
ment,  that  many  of  the  counterfeits  in  circulation,  particu 
larly  the  one  hundred  dollar  compound  interest  note,  were 
printed  from  the  original  plate,  Mr.  Clark,  and  even  the 
Secretary  himself,  affected  the  utmost  contempt  for  the  re 
port,  ridiculing  the  idea  that  any  impressions  could  be  taken 
from  the  genuine  plates  in  Clark' s  keeping.  And  after  Mr. 
Wood  had.  taken  from  counterfeiters  fac- simile  impressions 
from  the  plates,  an  attempt  was  made  to  suppress  the  fact, 
and,  for  a  while,  succeeded.  A  recent  investigation,  before 
Commissioner  Osborne  of  New  York  City,  shows  that  Clark' s 
employees,  both  male  and  female,  stole  the  Government 
plates,  in  broad  daylight,  from  which  they  had  taken  lead 
impressions,  electrotyped,  and  from  which  they  printed  the 
hundred-dollar  notes  so  skilfully  that  even  the  Department 
itself  received  the  counterfeits,  or  rather,  indirectly,  copies 
of  them. 

For  the  truth  of  the  above  startling  record,  I  refer  the 
incredulous  reader  to  the  investigations  before  Commissioner 
Osborne,  just  now  alluded  to,  and  from  which  I  quote  :— 

NKW  YORK,  July  31. 

The  evidence  given  before  Commissioner  Osborne  in  the  recent  case  of 
counterfeiting  goes  to  show,  if  it  is  to  be  relied  upon,  that  one  Holmes,  and  a 
confederate  named  Treat,  concocted  a  plan  with  Eli  and  Edwin  Langclon, 
father  and  son,  who  were  printers  in  the  Treasury  Department.  Holmes  was 
to  furnish  the  Langdons,  through  the  agency  of  Treat,  with  lead  plates,  known 
technically  as  "leads."  The  Langdons  ware  to  take  impressions  from  the 
genuine  plates  in  the  Department  on  these  leads,  and  return  them  to  Holmes. 

Edwin  Langdon,  the  son,  had  a  woman  who  lived  with  him  as  his  wife, 
and  they  passed  for  husband  and  wife  in  Washington.  The  woman  was 


382  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

employed  in  the  Department  to  lay  sheets  on  the  press,  and  was  known  there 
by  the  name  of  Minnie  Morton. 

The  witness  testifies  that  these  leads  were  given  to  Holmes  by  Langdon. 
Minnie  testifies  that  she  knew  the  plates  were  being  counterfeited  by  her  so- 
called  husband,  and  Langdon,  the  father,  also  testified  that  he  knew  of  it. 

At  the  close  of  the  prosecution,  one  of  the  counsel  stated  that  the  Solicitor 
of  the  Treasury  had  agreed  not  to  allow  these  counterfeit  plates  to  be  put  in 
evidence  against  Holmes,  and  the  case  was  adjourned  to  give  Mr.  Chattield  an 
opportunity  to  prove  his  assertions.  Holmes  also  asserts  that  it  was  positively 
promised  by  Mr.  Jordan  that  if  he  would  give  up  the  plates,  and  not  have  any 
more  to  do  with  counterfeiting,  he  would  not  be  prosecuted. 

If  these  assertions  are  true,  and  Mr.  Chatfield  gives  his  son  as  authority,  a 
most  singular  denouement  will  be  given  to  the  affair.  None  of  these  counter 
feiters  will  be  punished.  Holmes  will  be  let  go  by  one  Government  official ; 
Eli  Langdon,  Treat,  and  the  two  women  have  been  allowed  to  turn  State's 
evidence;  Edwin  Langdon  is  dead,  and  no  one  remains  to  be  punished. 

At  this  date,  my  attention  was  attracted  to  a  fruitful 
source  of  gain  at  the  expense  of  virtue,  and  even  decency : 
the  traffic  in  corrupt  literature  and  art.  I  know  of  no  lower 
grade  of  depravity  than  that  of  this  shameless  business. 
The  vile  book,  photograph,  and  wood-cut,  were  scattered  by 
sutlers,  mail  agents,  and  others,  throughout  the  army.  I 
found  them  in  large  quantities  in  the  mail-bags  of  the  Gov 
ernment.  The  extent  to  which  the  fiendish  business  of  ruin 
ing  the  morals  and  bodies  of  men  was  carried,  would  scarcely 
be  believed  by  the  good  people  of  the  rural  districts,  or  even 
of  the  cities. 

The  art  of  photography  and  printing  has  flooded  the 
country  with  these  cheap  and  shameless  appeals  to  the 
lowest  and  most  brutal  passions.  No  quiet  hamlet  is  so 
sheltered  by  kindly  moral  influences,  that  it  is  not  reached, 
by  the  poison  of  this  trade.  But  the  absence  from  home 
of  the  many  thousands  of  our  volunteers — separated  as  they 
were  from  all  the  softening  and  elevating  restraints  of 
domestic  and  social  life — afforded  an  opportunity  for  these 
human  vampires,  who  do  their  work  by  stealth,  unknown 
before  in  this  country.  They  appreciated  and  improved  it. 

The  illegal  and  infamous  source  of  gain  came  to  my 
knowledge  in  various  ways  and  from  different  quarters. 
The  post-office  being  the  principal  channel  through  which 
the  business  was  carried  on,  I  made  a  formal  application 
to  the  Postmaster-General  for  aid  in  reaching  the  outrage  : — 


A  CONFLAGRATION  OF  CORRUPT  MERCHANDISE.       383 

OFFICE  PROTOST-MAKSTTAL  "WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  June  3,  1863.  j 

Hon.  MONTGOMERY  P.  BLAIR,  Postmaster-General: — 

SIR — I  am  reliably  informed  that  large  numbers  of  obscene  books  and  prints 
are  constantly  passing  down  through  the  post-office  here  to  the  soldiers  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  I  would  respectfully  ask  if  some  means  could  not  be 
used  to  prevent  it. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

I  received  all  the  encouragement  I  desired,  and  entered 
immediately  to  check,  if  I  could  not  "break  up,  the  disgrace 
ful  traffic.  I  soon  got  on  the  track  of  a  large  quantity  of  the 
vile  goods,  on  their  way  to  the  army.  They  were  seized, 
and  their  estimated  value,  according  to  the  purchase-price, 
was  not  less  than  twenty-two  thousand  dollars.  It  was 
decided  to  make  a  bonfire  of  this  pile  of  sensual  trash. 
Our  pure-minded  President  intimated  that  he  would  like  to 
see  the  conflagration.  It  was  kindled  in  front  of  the  White 
House,  and  he  enjoyed  the  sight,  with  the  zest  of  a  noble 
nature,  to  which  vice  was  a  loathing. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

A   FEMALE   ADVENTURER. 

Woman  in  the  Rebellion — Her  Aid  indispensable  in  the  worst  as  well  as  the  best 
Causes — A  Spicy  Letter — Miss  A.  J. — Vidocq's  Experience. 

"A  WOMAN  in  every  plot"  is  almost  a  proverb  among 
those  who  have  had  much  to  do  with  successful  conspiracies 
and  treachery. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Miss  Ford,  aid-de-camp  of  the 
cavalry  commander  Stuart,  betrayed  General  Stoughton  and 
his  staff  to  guerrilla  Moseby'  s  band.  I  find  a  spicy  epistle  on 
the  subject,  from  a  lady  of  the  first  standing,  among  the  in 
tercepted  correspondence  of  the  war,  which  is  a  fair  speci 
men  of  refined  hate  to  the  North,  along  with  a  touch  of 
sympathy  with  a  betrayed  and  captive  Union  officer  :— 

GBOROKTOWN. 

DEAR  J. — Ina  is  sending  off  a  letter,  in  which,  I  presume,  she  tells  you  the 
news  of  the  day.  (You  know  how  much  of  that  article  there  is  in  George 
town.)  So  I  will  commence  at  once  with  my  little  piece  of  business,  although 
I  presume  you  have  heard  that  General  Stoughton  is  now  a  prisoner  in  Rich 
mond.  Thank  Heaven  f  He  has  at  last  reached  the  desired  haven,  but  I  fear 
he  is  rather  in  a  destitute  condition.  Three  impudent  rebels  dashed  into  Fair 
fax  and  took  the  gentleman  out  of  his  bed,  with  a  number  of  other  soldiers, 
horses,  and  contrabands;  and  I  hear  that  some  were  in  a  state  of  nudity. 
What  a  grand  entree  it  must  have  been  into  Richmond.  But  while  I  rejoice 
that  his  little  hands  are  kept  from  "picking  and  stealing,"  and  that  his  noble 
efforts  for  crushing  this  wicked  rebellion  are  now  confined  within  four  walls, 
yet  I  can't  help  feeling  a  little  sorry  for  the  discomfort  he  will  necessarily 
suffer,  and  which  he  richly  deserves — a  prisoner  among  strangers,  and  lie  must 
be  without  clothing,  money,  or  any  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  Now,  Aunt 
Josie,  please  ask  Colonel  Leftrich,  or  any  of  the  family,  if  at  any  time  they 
go  to  Richmond,  won't  they  be  so  kind  as  to  go  and  see  him.  You  know, 
Joe,  they  are  people  of  much  wealth  and  standing,  and  no  matter  what  Gen 
eral  Stoughton  might  want,  in  the  way  of  money  or  clothing,  would  be  most 
cheerfully  returned.  Probably  Colonel  Leftrich  would  write  to  some  friend 


MISS  A.  J.'S  STATEMENT.  385 

in  Richmond.  His  mother  and  sfeter,  who  were  with  him  at  the  time,  are 
both  inclined  to  be  Southern,  and  would  be  so  grateful  for  any  kindness  shown 
to  General  Stoughton.  When  you  write  to  Cousin  E.,  ask  him,  if  he  comes 
to  Richmond,  which  he  very  often  does,  to  go  and  see  him,  and  do  any  thing 
for  him  he  can.  If  you  can't  get  any  one  else,  please  write  to  John  Hunter, 
and  beg  him  to  go  at  once,  and  do  what  he  can.  I  highly  approve  of  his 
being  kept  behind  a  bolt  and  bar.  But  please,  Aunt  Joe,  attend  to  it  at  once, 
and  ask  Colonel  Leftrich  if  he  will  not  write  to  some  friend.  You  know,  at 
least  Ina  told  you  in  her  last  letter,  that  after  you  left,  General  Stoughton 
went  to  Mrs.  G.  L.'s  and  got  Charley's  valise  for  me;  and  he  has  always  been 
so  remarkably  kind  to  me,  that  I  am  very  anxious,  in  some  way,  to  repay  it. 

Yours,  &c.,  FANNIE. 

One  of  the  most  strangely  romantic  female  histories  of  the 
war,  which  came  within  the  investigations  of  the  bureau, 
was  that  of  Miss  A  J. 

Statements  have  been  already  made  concerning  female 
visitors  to  the  army.  Much  of  the  information  communi 
cated  to  the  rebels  was  given  by  these  irresponsible  charac 
ters  passing  through  rebel  and  Union  lines.  The  condition 
of  morals  among  officers  who  found  congenial  companionship 
in  the  society  of  such  women,  is  apparent,  and  needs  no 
coloring  from  pen  or  pencil. 

This  unfortunate  and  degraded  young  woman  was  arrest 
ed,  while  attempting  to  pass  the  Confederate  pickets,  within 
three  days  after  giving  her  solemn  parole  not  to  cross  the 
Potomac  into  Virginia  during  the  rebellion.  Upon  the  ear 
nest  request  of  the  Governor  and  a  distinguished  Senator  of 
Massachusetts,  she  was  again  released  from  confinement,  on 
parole  ;  after  which  she  made  the  subjoined  confession  : — 

STATEMENT   OF  MISS  A.   J. 

My  name  is  A.  J.  I  was  born  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  Am  twenty 
years  of  age.  I  have  neither  father  or  mother  living.  I  have  two  sisters.  In 
August,  1861,  I  left  my  home  at  Cambridge,  without  the  knowledge  or  con 
sent  of  my  uncle,  sisters,  or  friends,  and  came  direct  to  Washington,  with  the 
intention  of  offering  my  services  as  a  hospital-nurse,  which  was  refused,  on 
account  of  my  age.  I  then  procured  a  pass  from  General  Wool  to  visit  the 
different  camps  in  and  about  Baltimore.  I  had  no  particular  object  or  busi 
ness  in  the  army,  but  went  out  of  mere  curiosity.  I  spent  some  months  in 
this  way.  While  in  the  various  camps,  I  was  furnished  by  the  commanding 
officers  with  a  tent,  and  sometimes  occupied  quarters  with  the  officers.  In 
the  fall  of  1802  I  went  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  with  no  different  object 
25 


386  UNITED   STATES  SECPwET  SERVICE. 

in  view;  spent  some  time  at  General  S.'s  headquarters  at  Fairfax  Court- 
Ilouse.  During  this  time  was  the  guest  of  the  General  and  his  staff  officers. 
After  General  S.  left  Fairfax  Court  House  I  went  to  Centreville.  I  do  not 
now  recollect  who  was  in  command  at  the  time.  I  remained  at  Centreville 
but  a  short  time,  then  went  to  Falls  Church,  from  there  to  Fairfax  Court 
House.  In  June  or  July  last  I  attempted  to  pass  the  federal  pickets,  for  the 
purpose  of  visiting  Drainesville,  then  outside  our  lines ;  was  arrested,  and 
taken  to  General  S.'s  headquarters,  and  by  him  sent  to  General  M.,  who  at 
once  released  me,  and  sent  me  back  to  General  S.'s  headquarters,  where  I 
remained  until  the  army  returned  from  Maryland.  General  S.  was  then 
relieved,  when  I  joined  General  K.'s  command,  and  went  to  the  front,  as  the 
friends  and  companions  of  General  C.  We  made  our  headquarters  near  llart- 
wood  Church.  Stopping  at  this  point,  General  K.  became  very  jealous  of 
General  C.'s  attentions  to  me,  and  went  to  General  M.'s  headquarters  and 
charged  me  with  being  a  rebel  spy.  I  was  then  arrested  and  sent  to  General 
M.,  Military  Governor  of  Washington,  who  committed  me  to  the  Old  Capitol 
Prison.  I  have  spent  two  years  and  a  half  in  the  Union  army,  and  during 
this  time  have  been  the  guest  of  different  officers,  they  furnishing  me  with 
horses,  orderlies,  escorts,  sentinels  at  my  tent,  or  quarter  rations,  &c.  I  have 
invariably  received  passes  from  these  officers,  to  go  and  return  when  and 
where  I  pleased.  During  the  time  that  I  was  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
I  invariably  wore  major  straps.  I  have  repeatedly  passed  the  outside  pickets 
of  the  Federal  army,  several  miles  beyond,  into  the  rebel  lines;  and  was  once 
captured  by  Moseby  and  taken  to  Aldie,  to  the  house  of  a  Mrs.  Yankes  Davis, 
whose  husband  is  a  Federal  scout  or  spy.  I  was  detained  one  or  two  days, 
then  allowed  to  return.  I  further  state,  that  during  no  part  of  the  time  that 
I  was  with  the  Federal  army  was  I  ejnployed  as  guide,  scout,  spy,  or  hospital- 
nurse,  but,  as  stated  before,  a  companion  to  the  various  commanding  officers, 
as  a  private  friend  or  companion.  On  the  7th  day  of  November,  18G3,  I  was 
released  from  the  Old  Capitol  Prison,  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 
During  the  time  of  my  confinement  I  became  intimately  acquainted  with 
Captain  M.,  Mr.  J.  S.  L.,  the  superintendent,  clerks,  and  others.  On  my 
release  Mr.  L.  advised  me  to  go  to  the  house  of  a  Mrs.  McC.,  where  I  was  at 
the  time  of  my  arrest.  In  consequence  of  Mr.  L.'s  intimacy  with  me,  during 
my  imprisonment,  Mr.  W.  discharged  him.  I  then  went  to  Colonel  J.  A.  H., 
at  the  War  Department,  and  informed  him  that  L.  had  been  discharged,  and 
the  reason.  Colonel  H.  then  directed  that  L.  should  be  assigned  to  duty  at 
General  A.'s  headquarters,  on  condition  that  I  would  leave  the  city  and 
return  to  my  home  at  Cambridge.  I  did  go  to  Boston,  as  I  promised,  and 
Mr.  L.  obtained  his  situation  at  General  A.'s  headquarters.  I  remained  away 
about  three  weeks,  when  I  returned  to  Mrs.  McC.'s  house. 

On  my  discharge  from  prison,  I  signed  a  parole,  one  of  the  conditions  of 
which  was  "that  I  should  not  enter  the  State  of  Virginia"  without  proper 
permission,  during  the  rebellion;  but,  notwithstanding  this  obligation,  I  have 
made  several  ineffectual  attempts  to  do  so.  In  reference  to  my  present  arrest, 
I  desire  to  state  that  I  informed  Mr.  G.  K.  that  I  had  procured  a  pass,  in  con 
nection  with  Major  "W.,  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and  Mrs.  Moxea,  that  on 


A  WOMAN    AND   THE  FRENCH   SECRET   SERVICE.        387 

Saturday  afternoon  last  I  proceeded  in  a  carriage,  with  the  two  persons 
referred  to,  viz.,  Mr.  W.  and  Mrs.  M.,  to  the  Aqueduct  Bridge,  where  we 
were  halted  by  the  guard,  who  informed  us  that  Mr.  W.  and  Mrs.  M.  could  go 
on,  but  that  Miss  J.  could  not ;  that  I  then  returned  to  Mrs.  McC.'s.  I  also 
informed  Mr.  R.  that  said  pass  was  procured  for  me  through  the  influence  of 
a  brigadier-general  (not  naming  him).  I  also  informed  others,  at  Mrs.  McC.'s, 
that  I  made  the  attempt  to  cross,  but  was  turned  back  by  the  guard.  During 
the  entire  time  since  my  leaving  home,  in  1861,  I  have  led  a  very  roving,  and, 
may  be,  questionable  life.  I  am  now  very  unwell,  owing  to  my  long  confine 
ment  and  other  causes,  and  desire  to  be  released  from  custody,  in  order  that 
I  may  return  to  my  home  and  friends ;  and,  if  released,  I  pledge  myself  not 
to  return  to  Washington  during  the  present  rebellion. 

The  proper  officer  certified  as  follows : — 

City  of  Washington,  District  of  Columbia : 

Personally  appeared  before  me  A.  J.,  who,  being  by  me  duly  sworn,  on 
her  oath  said  that  she  had  read  the  foregoing  statement,  and  that  she  knew 
the  contents  thereof;  that  all  the  statements  therein  contained  are  true,  to 
the  best  of  her  knowledge.  That  said  statement  is  made  without  fear  or  com 
pulsion,  or  promise  of  reward,  but  freely  on  her  part. 

The  great  detective,  Yidocq,  quoted  in  the  first  part  of  this 
volume,  has  an  instance  both  of  woman's  crafty  management, 
and  his  own,  particularly  interesting  in  this  connection  : — 

It  is  very  rare  that  a  fugitive  galley-slave  escapes  with  any  intention  of 
amendment ;  most  frequently  the  aim  is  to  gain  the  capital,  and  then  put  in 
practice  the  vicious  lessons  acquired  at  the  Bagnes,  which,  like  most  of  our 
prisons,  are  schools  in  which  they  perfect  themselves  in  the  art  of  appro 
priating  to  themselves  the  property  of  another.  Nearly  all  celebrated  robbers 
only  became  expert  after  passing  some  time  at  the  galleys.  Some  have 
undergone  five  or  six  sentences  before  they  became  thorough  scoundrels; 
such  as  the  famous  Victor  Desbois,  and  his  comrade,  Mongenet,  called  Le 
Tambour  (Drummer),  who,  during  various  visits  to  Paris,  committed  a  vast 
many  of  those  robberies  on  which  people  love  to  descant  as  proofs  of  boldness 
and  address. 

These  two  men,  who,  for  many  years,  were  sent  away  with  every  chain, 
and  as  frequently  escaped,  were  once  more  back  again  in  Paris ;  the  police 
got  information  of  it,  and  I  received  the  orders  to  search  for  them.  All  testi 
fied  that  they  had  acquaintances  with  other  robbers  no  less  formidable  than 
themselves.  A  music  mistress,  whose  son,  called  N"oel  with  the  Spectacles,  a 
celebrated  robber,  was  suspected  of  harboring  these  thieves.  Madame  Noel 
was  a  well-educated  woman,  and  an  admirable  musician ;  she  was  esteemed  a 
most  accomplished  performer  by  the  middle  class  of  tradespeople,  who 
employed  her  to  give  lessons  to  their  daughters.  She  was  well  known  in  the 
Marias  and  the  Quartier  Saint  Denis,  where  the  polish  of  her  manners,  the 


388  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

elegance  of  her  language,  the  gentility  of  her  dress,  and  that  indescribable 
air  of  superiority,  which  the  reverses  of  fortune  can  never  entirely  destroy, 
gave  rise  to  the  current  belief  that  she  was  a  member  of  one  of  those  numerous 
families  to  whom  the  Revolution  had  only  left  its  hauteur  and  its  regrets. 

To  those  who  heard  and  saw  her,  without  being  acquainted,  Madame  Noel 
was  a  most  interesting  little  woman ;  and  besides,  thert  was  something  touch 
ing  in  her  situation;  it  was  a  mystery,  and  no  one  knew  what  had  become  of 
her  husband.  Some  said  that  she  had  been  early  left  in  a  state  of  widow 
hood  ;  others,  that  she  had  been  forsaken ;  and  a  third  affirmed  that  she  was 
a  victim  of  seduction.  I  know  not  which  of  these  conjectures  approaches 
nearest  the  truth,  but  I  know  very  well  that  Madame  Noel  was  a  little  bru 
nette,  whose  sparkling  eye  and  roguish  look  were  softened  down  by  that 
gentle  demeanor,  which  seemed  to  increase  the  sweetness  of  her  smile,  and 
the  tone  of  her  voice,  which  was  in  the  highest  degree  musical.  There  was  a 
mixture  of  the  angel  and  demon  in  her  face,  but  the  latter  perhaps  prepon 
derated  ;  for  time  had  developed  those  traits  which  characterize  evil  thoughts. 

Madame  Noel  was  obliging  and  good,  but  only  toward  those  individuals 
who  were  at  issue  with  justice ;  she  received  them  as  the  mother  of  a  soldier 
would  welcome  the  comrade  of  her  son.  To  insure  a  welcome  with  her,  it 
was  enough  to  belong  to  the  same  ''regiment"  as  Noel  with  the  Spectacles; 
and  then,  as  much  for  love  of  him,  and  from  inclination,  perhaps,  she  would 
do  all  in  her  power  to  aid,  and  was  constantly  fboked  upon  as  a  "mother  of 
robbers."  At  her  house,  they  found  shelter ;  it  was  she  who  provided  for  all 
their  wants.  She  carried  her  complaisance  so  far  as  to  seek  "jobs  of  work  " 
for  them ;  and  when  a  passport  was  indispensably  requisite  for  their  safety, 
she  was  not  quiet  until,  by  some  means,  she  had  succeeded  in  procuring  one. 
Madame  Noel  had  many  friends  among  her  own  sex,  and  it  was  generally  in 
one  of  their  names  that  the  passport  was  obtained.  A  powerful  mixture  of 
oxygenated  muriatic  acid  obliterated  the  writing,  and  the  description  of  the 
gentleman  who  required  it,  as  well  as  the  name  which  it  suited  his  purpose 
to  assume,  replaced  the  feminine  description.  Madame  Noel  had  generally 
by  her  a  supply  of  these  accommodating  passports,  which  were  filled  accord 
ing  to  circumstances,  and  the  wants  of  the  party  requiring  such  assistance. 

All  the  galley-slaves  were  children  of  Madame  Noel,  but  those  were  the 
most  in  favor  who  could  give  her  any  account  of  her  son;  for  them  her  devo 
tion  was  boundless.  Her  house  was  open  to  all  fugitives,  who  made  it  their 
rendezvous ;  and  there  must  be  gratitude  even  among  them,  for  the  police 
were  informed  that  they  came  frequently  to  Mother  Noel's,  for  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  her  only  ;  she  was  the  confidante  of  all  their  plans,  all  their  adven 
tures,  all  their  fears;  in  fact,  they  communicated  all  unreservedly,  and  never 
had  cause  to  regret  their  reliance  on  her  fidelity. 

Mother  Noel  had  never  seen  me ;  my  features  were  quite  unknown  to  her, 
although  she  had  frequently  heard  of  iny  name.  There  was,  then,  no  diffi 
culty  in  presenting  myself  before  her,  without  giving  her  any  cause  for  alarm; 
but  to  get  her  to  point  out  to  me  the  hiding-place  of  the  men  whom  I  sought 
to  detect,  was  the  end  I  aimed  at,  and  I  felt  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
attain  it  without  much  skill  and  management. 


MADAME   NOEL   AND   VIDOCQ.  389 

At  first,  I  resolved  on  passing  myself  off  as  a  fugitive  galley-slave ;  but  it 
was  necessary  to  borrow  the  name  of  some  thief,  whom  her  son  or  his  com 
rades  had  mentioned  to  her  in  advantageous  terms.  Moreover,  a  little  resem 
blance  was  positively  requisite,  and  I  endeavored  to  recollect  if  there  were  not 
one  of  the  galley-slaves  whom  I  knew  had  been  associated  with  Noel  with  the 
Spectacles,  and  I  could  not  remember  one  of  my  age,  or  whose  person  and 
features  at  all  resembled  mine.  At  last,  by  dint  of  much  effort  of  memory, 
I  recalled  to  mind  one  Germain,  alias  "the  Captain,"  who  had  been  an  inti 
mate  acquaintance  of  Noel's,  and  although  our  similarity  was  very  slight,  yet 
I  determined  on  personating  him.  Germain,  as  well  as  myself,  had  often 
escaped  from  the  Bagues,  and  that  was  the  only  point  of  resemblance  between 
us.  He  was  about  my  age,  but  a  smaller  framed  man ;  he  had  dark-brown 
hair,  mine  was  light ;  he  was  thin,  and  I  tolerably  stout ;  his  complexion  was 
sallow,  and  mine  fair,  with  a  very  clear  skin  ;  besides,  Germain  had  an  exces 
sively  long  nose,  took  a  vast  deal  of  snuff,  which,  begriming  his  nostrils  out 
side,  and  stuffing  them  up  within,  gave  him  a  peculiarly  nasal  tone  of  voice. 
I  had  much  to  do  in  personating  Germain ;  but  the  difficulty  did  not  deter 
me.  My  hair,  cut  a  la  mode  des  bagnes,  was  dyed  black,  as  well  as  my  beard, 
after  it  had  attained  a  growth  of  eight  days;  to  embrown  my  countenance,  I 
washed  it  with  white  walnut  liquor ;  and  to  perfect  the  imitation,  I  garnished 
my  upper  lip  thickly  with  a  kind  of  coffee-grounds,  which  I  plastered  on  by 
means  of  gum  arabic,  and  ^thus  became  as  nasal  in  my  twang  as  Germain 
himself.  My  feet  were  doctored  with  equal  care ;  I  made  blisters  on  them  by 
rubbing  in  a  certain  composition,  of  which  I  had  obtained  the  receipt  at 
Brest.  I  also  made  the  marks  of  the  fetters ;  and  when  all  my  toilet  was 
finished,  dressed  myself  in  the  suitable  garb.  I  had  neglected  nothing  which 
could  complete  the  metamorphosis — neither  the  shoes  nor  the  marks  of  those 
horrid  letters  G  A  L.  The  costume  was  perfect ;  and  the  only  thing  wanting 
was  a  hundred  of  those  companionable  insects  which  people  the  solitudes  of 
poverty,  and  which  were,  I  believe,  together  with  locusts  and  toads,  one  of 
the  seven  plagues  of  old  Egypt.  I  procured  some  for  money;  and  as  soon  as 
they  were  a  little  accustomed  to  their  new  domicile,  which  was  speedily  the 
case,  I  directed  my  steps  toward  the  residence  of  Madame  Noel,  in  the  Rue 
Ticquetonne. 

I  arrived  there,  and  knocking  at  the  door,  she  opened  it :  a  glance  con 
vincing  her  how  matters  stood  with  me,  she  desired  me  to  enter,  and  on 
finding  myself  alone  with  her,  I  told  her  who  I  was.  "Ah,  my  poor  lad," 
she  cried,  "there  is  no  occasion  to  tell  me  where  you  have  come  from ;  I  am 
sure  you  must  be  dying  with  hunger!" 

"  Oh,  yes,"  I  answered,  "I  am  indeed  hungry;  I  have  tasted  nothing  for 
twenty-four  hours." 

Instantly,  without  further  question,  she  went  out,  and  returned  with  a 
dish  of  hog's  puddings  and  a  bottle  of  wine,  which  she  placed  before  me.  I 
did  not  eat,  I  actually  devoured ;  I  stuffed  myself,  and  all  had  disappeared 
without  my  saying  a  word  between  my  first  mouthful  and  my  last.  Mother 
Noel  was  delighted  at  my  appetite,  and  when  the  clolh  was  removed  she  gave 
me  a  dram.  "Ah,  mother,"  I  exclaimed,  embracing  her,  "you  restore  me  to 


390  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

life ;  Noel  told  me  how  good  and  kind  you  were:"  and  I  then  began  to  give 
her  a  statement  of  how  I  had  left  her  son  eighteen  days  before,  and  gave  her 
information  of  all  the  prisoners  in  whom  she  felt  interested.  The  details 
were  so  true  and  well  known,  that  she  could  have  no  idea  that  I  was  an  im 
postor. 

"  You  must  have  heard  of  me,"  I  continued ;  "  I  hav£  gone  through  many 
an  enterprise,  and  experienced  many  a  reverse.  I  am  called  Germain,  or  the 
captain;  you  must  know  my  name." 

"Yes,  yes,  my  friend,"  she  said,  "I  know  you  well;  my  son  and  his 
friends  have  told  me  of  your  misfortunes;  welcome,  welcome,  my  dear  cap 
tain.  But  heavens!  what  a  state  you  are  in:  you  must  not  remain  in  such  a 
plight.  I  see  you  are  infested  with  those  wretched  tormenting  beasts  who 
;  but  I  will  get  you  a  change  of  linen,  and  contrive  something  as  a  com 
fortable  dress  for  you." 

I  expressed  my  gratitude  to  Madame  Noel;  and  when  I  saw  a  good 
opportunity,  without  giving  cause  for  the  slightest  suspicion,  I  asked  what 
had  become  of  Victor  Desbois  and  his  comrade  Mongenet.  "Desbois  and 
Le  Tambour?  Ah!  my  dear,  do  not  mention  them,  I  beg  of  you,"  she 
replied;  "that  rogue  Vidocq  has  given  them  very  great  uneasiness;  since 
one  Joseph  (Joseph  Longueville,  an  old  police  inspector),  whom  they  have 
twice  met  in  the  streets,  told  them  that  there  would  soon  be  a  search  in  this 
quarter,  they  have  been  compelled  to  cut  and  run,  to  avoid  being  taken." 

"What,"  cried  I  with  a  disappointed  air,  "are  they  no  longer  in  Paris?" 

"Oh,  they  are  not  very  far  distant,"  replied  Mother  Noel;  "they  have 
not  quitted  the  environs  of  the  'great  village'  (Paris):  I  dare  say  we  shall 
soon  see  them,  for  I  trust  they  will  speedily  pay  me  a  visit.  I  think  they  will 
be  delighted  to  find  you  here." 

"  Oh,  I  assure  you,"  said  I  "  that  they  will  not  be  more  delighted  at  the 
meeting  than  myself;  and  if  you  can  write  to  them,  I  am  sure  they  would 
eagerly  send  for  me  to  join  them." 

"If  I  knew  where  they  were,"  replied  Mother  Noel,  "I  would  go  myself 
and  seek  for  them  to  please  you ;  but  I  do  not  know  their  retreat,  and  the 
best  thing  for  us  to  do  is  to  be  patient  and  await  their  arrival." 

In  my  quality  of  a  new-comer,  I  excited  all  Madame  Noel's  compassion 
and  solicitude,  and  she  attended  to  nothing  but  me.  "Are  you  known  to 
Vidocq  and  his  two  bull-dogs,  Levesque  and  Compere?"  she  inquired. 

"Alas!  yes,"  was  my  reply;  "they  have  caught  me  twice." 

"In  that  case,  then,  be  on  your  guard:  Vidocq  is  often  disguised;  he 
assumes  characters,  costumes,  and  shapes,  to  get  hold  of  unfortunates  like 
yourself." 

"We  conversed  together  for  two  hours,  when  Madame  Noel  offered  me  a 
foot-bath,  which  I  accepted ;  and  when  it  was  prepared,  I  took  off  my  shoes 
and  stockings,  on  which  she  discovered  my  wounded  feet,  and  said,  with  a 
most  commiserating  tone  and  manner,  "How  I  pity  you;  what  must  you 
suffer!  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  of  this  at  first?  you  deserve  to  be  scolded 
for  it."  And  whilst  thus  reproaching  me,  she  examined  my  feet;  and  then 
pricking  the  blisters,  drew  a  piece  of  worsted  through  each,  and  anointed  my 


FRENCH  SECRET  SERVICE.  391 

feet  with  a  salve,  which  she  assured  me  would  have  the  effect  of  speedily 
curing  them. 

The  bath  concluded,  she  brought  me  some  clean  linen ;  and,  as  she  thought 
of  all  that  was  needful,  added  a  razor,  recommending  me  to  shave.  "I  shall 
then  see,"  she  added,  "about  buying  you  some  workman's  clothes,  as  that  is 
the  best  disguise  for  men  who  wish  to  pass  unnoticed  ;  and  besides,  good  luck 
will  turn  up,  and  then  you  will  get  yourself  some  new  ones." 

As  soon  as  I  was  thoroughly  cleansed  Mother  Noel  conducted  me  to  a 
sleeping-room,  a  small  apartment,  which  served  as  the  workshop  for  false 
keys,  the  entrance  to  which  was  concealed  by  several  gowns  hanging  from  a 
row  of  pegs.  "  Here,"  said  she,  "  is  a  bed  in  which  your  friends  have  slept 
three  or  four  times ;  and  you  need  not  fear  that  the  police  will  hunt  you  out ; 
you  may  sleep  secure  as  a  dormouse." 

"I  am  really  in  want  of  sleep,"  I  replied,  and  begged  l»er  permission  to 
take  some  repose,  on  which  she  left  me  to  myself.  Three  hours  afterward  I 
awoke,  and  on  getting  up  we  renewed  our  conference.  It  was  necessary  to 
be  armed  at  all  points  to  deceive  Madame  Noel ;  there  was  not  a  trick  or  cus 
tom  of  the  Bagnes  with  which  she  was  not  thoroughly  informed;  she  knew 
not  only  the  names  of  all  the  robbers  whom  she  had  seen,  but  was  acquainted 
with  every  particular  of  the  life  of  a  great  many  others ;  and  related  with 
enthusiasm  anecdotes  of  the  most  noted,  particularly  of  her  son,  for  whom 
she  had  as  much  veneration  as  love. 

"The  dear  boy,  you  would  be  delighted  to  see  him!"  said  I. 

"Yes,  yes,  overjoyed." 

"  Well,  it  is  a  happiness  you  will  soon  enjoy ;  for  Noel  has  made  arrange 
ments  for  an  escape,  and  is  now  only  awaiting  the  propitious  moment." 

Madame  Noel  was  happy  in  the  expectation  of  seeing  her  son,  and  shed 
tears  of  tenderness  at  the  very  thoughts  of  it. 

In  the  course  of  conversation,  Mother  Noel  asked  me  if  I  had  any  affair 
(plan  of  robbery)  in  contemplation ;  and  after  having  offered  to  procure  me 
one,  in  case  I  was  not  provided,  she  questioned  me  on  my  skill  in  fabricating 
keys.  I  told  her  I  was  as  adroit  as  Fossard. 

"If  that  be  the  case,"  she  rejoined,  "I  am  easy,  and  you  shall  be  soon 
furnished ;  for  as  you  are  so  clever,  I  will  go  and  buy  at  the  ironmonger's  a 
key  which  you  can  fit  to  my  safety  lock,  so  that  you  will  have  ingress  and 
egress  whenever  you  require  it." 

I  expressed  my  feelings  of  obligation  for  so  great  a  proof  of  her  kindness ; 
and  as  it  was  growing  late,  I  went  to  bed  reflecting  on  the  mode  of  getting 
away  from  this  lair  without  running  the  risk  of  being  assassinated,  if  per 
chance  any  of  the  villains  whom  I  was  seeking  should  arrive  before  I  had 
taken  the  necessary  precautions. 

I  did  not  sleep,  and  arose  as  soon  as  I  heard  Madame  Noel  lighting  her  fire ; 
she  said  I  was  an  early  riser,  and  that  she  would  go  and  procure  me  what  I 
wanted.  A  moment  afterward  she  brought  me  a  key  not  cut  into  wards,  and 
gave  mo  files  and  a  small  vice,  which  I  fixed  on  my  bed;  and  as  soon  as  rny 
tools  were  in  readiness,  I  began  my  work  in  presence  of  my  hostess,  who,  see 
ing  that  I  was  perfectly  conversant  with  the  business,  complimented  me  on 


392  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

iny  skill ;  and  what  she  most  admired  was  the  expedition  of  my  work ;  for  in 
..fact,  in  less  than  four  hours,  I  had  perfected  a  most  workmanlike  key,  which 
I  tried,  and  it  fitted  most  accurately.  A  few  touches  of  the  file  completed 
the  instrument ;  and,  like  the  rest,  I  had  the  means  of  unobstructed  entrance 
whenever  I  wished  to  visit  the  house. 

1  was  Madame  Noel's  boarder ;  and,  after  dinner,  I  fold  her  I  was  inclined 
to  take  a  turn  in  the  dusk,  that  I  might  find  whether  "a  job"  I  contemplated 
was  yet  feasible,  and  she  approved  the  suggestion,  at  the  same  time  recom 
mending  me  to  use  all  caution.  "That  thief  of  a  Vidocq,"  she  observed,  "is 
a  thorn  in  one's  path ;  mind  him ;  and,  if  I  were  you,  before  I  made  any 
attempts,  I  would  wait  until  my  feet  were  well." 

"I  shall  not  go  far,"  I  replied;  "nor  stay  away  long."  This  assurance  of 
a  speedy  return  seemed  to  quiet  her  fears. 

"  Well,  then,  go,"  she  said;  and  I  went  out  limping. 

So  far  all  succeeded  to  my  most  sanguine  wishes ;  it  was  impossible  to 
stand  better  with  Mother  Noel ;  but,  by  remaining  in  her  house,  who  would 
guarantee  that  I  should  not  be  knocked  on  the  head  ?  Might  not  two  or  three 
galley-slaves  arrive  together,  recognize  me,  and  attack  me  ?  Then  farewell  to 
all  my  plottings ;  and  it  was  incumbent,  that,  without  losing  the  fruit  of  my 
friendship  with  Mother  Noel,  I  should  prepare  myself  for  the  contingent 
danger.  It  would  have  been  the  height  of  imprudence  to  have  given  her 
cause  to  think  that  I  had  any  motives  for  avoiding  contact  with  her  guests, 
and  I  consequently  endeavored  so  to  lead  her  on,  that  she  should  herself  sug 
gest  to  me  the  necessity  of  quitting  her  house;  that  is,  that  she  should  advise 
me  no  longer  to  think  of  sleeping  in  her  domicile. 

I  had  observed  that  Madame  Noel  was  very  intimate  with  a  fruit-seller  who 
lived  in  the  house ;  and  I  sent  to  this  woman  one  of  my  agents  named  Man- 
ceau,  whom  I  charged  to  ask  her  secretly,  and  yet  with  a  want  of  skill,  for 
some  accounts  of  Madame  Noel.  I  had  dictated  the  questions,  and  was  the 
more  certain  that  the  fruit-woman  would  not  fail  to  communicate  the  particu 
lars,  as  I  had  desired  my  man  to  beg  her  to  observe  secrecy. 

The  event  proved  that  I  was  not  deceived ;  no  sooner  had  my  agent  fill- 
filled  his  mission,  than  the  fruit-woman  hastened  to  Madame  Noel  with  an 
account  of  what  had  passed ;  who,  in  her  turn,  lost  no  time  in  telling  me. 
On  the  look-out  at  the  steps  of  the  door  of  her  officious  neighbor,  as  soon  as 
she  saw  me,  she  came  to  me,  and,  without  further  preface,  desired  me  to  fol 
low  her,  which  I  did;  and  on  reaching  the  Place  des  Victoires,  she  stopped, 
and  looking  about  her  to  be  assured  that  no  one  was  in  hearing,  she  told  me 
what  had  passed.  "So,"  said  she,  in  conclusion,  "you  see,  my  poor  Germain, 
that  it  would  not  be  prudent  for  you  to  sleep  at  my  house ;  you  must  even  be 
cautious  how  you  approach  it  by  day." 

Mother  Noel  had  no  idea  that  this  circumstance,  which  she  bewailed  so 
greatly,  was  of  my  own  planning  ;  and,  that  I  might  remove  all  suspicion 
from  her  mind,  I  pretended  to  be  more  vexed  at  it  than  she  was,  and  cursed 
and  swore  bitterly  at  that  blackguard  Vidocq,  who  would  not  leave  us  at 
peace.  I  deprecated  the  necessity  to  which  I  was  reduced,  of  finding  a  shelter 


FRENCH  SECRET  SERVICE.  393 

out  of  Paris,  and  took  leave  of  Madame  Noel,  who,  wishing  me  good  luck  and 
a  speedy  return,  put  a  thirty-sous  piece  into  my  hand. 

I  knew  that  Desbois  and  Mongenet  were  expected  ;  and  I  was  also  aware 
that  there  were  corners  and  goers  who  visited  the  house,  whether  Madame 
Noel  was  there  or  not;  and  she  was  often  absent,  giving  music-lessons  in  the 
city.  It  was  important  that  I  should  know  these  gentry  ;  and  to  achieve  this, 
I  disguised  several  of  my  auxiliaries,  and  stationed  them  at  the  corners  of  the 
street,  where,  mixing  with  the  errand-boys  and  messengers,  their  presence 
excited  no  suspicion. 

These  precautions  taken,  that  I  might  testify  all  due  appearance  of  fear,  I 
allowed  two  days  to  pass  before  I  again  visited  Madame  Noel;  and  this 
period  having  elapsed,  I  went  one  evening  to  her  house,  accompanied  by  a 
young  man,  whom  I  introduced  as  the  brother  of  a  female  with  whom  I  had 
once  lived  :  and  who,  having  met  me  accidentally  in  Paris,  had  given  me  an 
asylum.  This  young  man  was  a  secret  agent,  but  I  took  care  to  tell  Mother 
Noel  that  he  had  my  fullest  confidence,  and  that  she  might  consider  him  as 
my  second  self;  and  as  he  was  not  known  to  the  spies,  I  had  chosen  him  to 
be  my  messenger  to  her  whenever  I  did  not  judge  it  prudent  to  show  myself. 
"Henceforward,"  I  added,  "he  will  be  our  go-between,  and  will  come  every 
two  or  three  days,  that  I  may  have  information  of  you  and  your  friends." 

"I'  faith,"  said  Mother  Noel,  "you  have  lost  a  pleasure;  for  twenty  minutes 
sooner,  and  you  would  have  seen  a  lady  of  your  acquaintance  here." 

"Ah!   who  was  it?" 

"Mongenet's  sister." 

"Oh!  indeed;  she  has  often  seen  me  with  her  brother." 

"Yes;  when  I  mentioned  you,  she  described  you  as  exactly  as  possible: — • 
'a  lanky  chap,'  said  she,  '  with  his  nose  al \vays  grimed  with  snuff.'  " 

Madame  Noel  deeply  regretted  that  I  had  not  arrived  before  Mongenet's 
sister  had  departed ;  but  certainly  not  so  much  as  I  rejoiced  at  my  narrow 
escape  from  an  interview  which  would  have  destroyed  all  my  projects ;  for  if 
this  woman  knew  Germain,  she  also  knew  Vidocq;  and  it  was  impossible  that 
she  could  have  mistaken  one  for  the  other,  so  great  was  the  difference  between 
us!  Although  I  had  altered  my  features  so  as  to  deceive,  yet  the  resemblance 
which,  in  description,  seemed  exact,  would  not  stand  the  test  of  a  critical 
examination,  and  particularly  the  reminiscences  of  intimacy.  Mother  Noel 
then  gave  me  a  very  useful  warning,  when  she  informed  me  that  Mongenet's 
sister  was  a  very  frequent  visitor  at  her  house.  From  thenceforward  I  resolved 
that  this  female  should  never  catch  a  glimpse  of  my  countenance;  and  to 
avoid  meeting  with  her,  whenever  I  visited  Madame  Noel,  I  sent  my  pretended 
brother-in-law  first,  who,  when  she  was  not  there,  had  instructions  to  let  me 
know  it  by  sticking  a  wafer  on  the  window.  At  this  signal  I  entered,  and 
my  aid-de-camp  betook  himself  to  his  post  in  the  neighborhood,  to  guard 
against  any  disagreeable  surprise.  Not  very  far  distant  were  other  auxiliaries, 
to  whom  I  had  confided  Mother  Noel's  key,  that  they  might  come  to  my  suc 
cor  in  case  of  danger ;  for,  from  one  instant  to  another,  I  might  fall  suddenly 
among  a  gang  of  fugitives,  or  some  of  the  galley-slaves  might  recognize  and 
attack  me,  and  then  a  blow  of  my  fist  against  a  square  of  glass  in  the  window 


394  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

was  the  signal  which  was  to  denote  my  need  of  assistance,  to  equalize  the  con 
tending  parties. 

Thus  were  my  schemes  concerted,  and  the  finale  was  at  hand.  It  was  on 
Tuesday,  and  a  letter  from  the  men  I  was  in  quest  of,  announced  their  intended 
arrival  on  the  Friday  following ;  a  day  whioto  I  intended  should  be  for  them  a 
black  Friday.  At  the  first  dawn  I  betook  myself  to  wine-vaults  in  the 
vicinity;  and,  that  they  might  have  no  motive  for  watching  me,  supposing,  as 
was  their  custom,  that  they  should  traverse  the  street  several  times  up  and 
down  before  they  entered  Madame  Noel's  domicile,  I  first  sent  my  pretended 
brother-in-law,  who  returned  soon  afterward,  and  told  me  that  Mongenet's 
sister  was  not  there,  and  that  I  might  safely  enter. 

"You  are  not  deceiving  me?"  said  I  to  my  agent,  whose  tone  appeared 
altered  and  embarrassed,  and  fixing  on  him  one  of  those  looks  which  pene 
trated  the  very  heart's  core,  I  thought  I  observed  one  of  those  ill-suppressed 
contractions  of  the  muscles  of  the  face  which  accompany  a  premeditated  lie ; 
and  then,  quick  as  lightning,  the  thought  came  over  me  that  I  was  betrayed — 
that  my  agent  was  a  traitor.  We  were  in  a  private  room,  and,  without  a 
moment's  hesitation,  I  grasped  his  throat  with  violence,  and  told  him,  in 
presence  of  his  comrades,  that  I  was  informed  of  his  perfidy,  and  that  if  he 
did  not  instantly  confess  all,  I  would  shoot  him  on  the  spot.  Dismayed  at  my 
penetration  and  determined  manner,  he  stammered  out  a  few  words  of  excuse, 
and,  falling  on  his  knees,  confessed  that  he  had  discovered  all  to  Mother 
Noel. 

This  baseness,  had  I  not  thus  detected  it,  would  probably  have  cost  me  my 
life,  but  I  did  not  think  of  any  personal  resentment ;  it  was  only  the  interest 
of  society  which  I  cared  for,  and  which  I  regretted  to  see  wrecked  when  so 
near  port.  The  traitor,  Manceau,  was  put  in  confinement,  and,  young  as  he 
was,  having  many  old  offenses  to  expiate,  was  sent  to  Bicetre,  and  then  to 
the  Isle  of  Oleron,  where  he  terminated  his  career.  It  may  be  conjectured 
that  the  fugitives  did  not  return  to  the  Rue  Ticquetonne;  but  they  were,  not 
withstanding,  apprehended  a  short  time  afterward. 

Mother  Noel  did  not  forgive  the  trick  I  had  played  her ;  and,  to  satisfy  her 
revenge,  she,  one  day,  had  all  her  goods  taken  away ;  and  when  this  had  been 
effected,  went  out  without  closing  her  door,  and  returned,  crying  out  that  she 
had  been  robbed.  The  neighbors  were  made  witnesses,  a  declaration  was 
made  before  a  commissary,  and  Mother  Noel  pointed  me  out  as  the  thief; 
because,  she  said,  I  had  a  key  of  her  apartments.  The  accusation  was  a  grave 
one,  and  she  was  instantly  sent  to  the  prefecture  of  police,  and  the  next  day  I 
received  the  information.  My  justification  was  not  difficult,  for  the  preiet,  as 
well  as  M.  Henry,  saw  through  the  imposture ;  and  we  managed  so  well,  that 
Mother  Noel's  property  was  discovered,  proof  was  obtained  of  the  falsity  of 
the  charge,  and,  to  give  her  time  for  repentance,  she  was  sentenced  for  six 
months  to  St.  Lazarre.  Such  were  the  issue  and  the  consequences  of  an 
enterprise,  in  which  I  had  not  failed  to  use  all  precaution ;  and  I  have  often 
achieved  success  in  affairs,  in  which  arrangements  had  beeu  made,  not  so 
skillfully  concerted  or  so  ably  executed. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

THE    BOUNTY    JUMPERS. 

Fraudulent  Practices  of  Bounty  Brokers  and  Jumpers — Contrast  between  English 
and  American  Deserters — Plans  to  check  Desertion,  and  bring  Criminals  to 
Justice. 

THE  great  demand  for  recruits  during  the  war,  the  large 
bounties  offered  for  them,  and  the  manifold  facilities  for 
fraudulent  transactions,  presented  temptations  of  great 
power,  even  to  reputable  citizens,  to  evade  the  plain  letter 
of  the  law,  and  traffic  in  substitutes,  or,  by  bribery  and 
deception,  personally  to  keep  out  of  the  hands  of  the  recruit 
ing  officer. 

The  majority  of  the  officers  assigned  to  recruiting  service 
were  guilty  of  great  dereliction  of  duty,  inasmuch  as,  instead 
of  endeavoring  to  check  the  growing  evil,  they  rather  pre 
tended  ignorance,  or  allowed  it  to  pass  unnoticed. 

On  one  occasion,  being  in  the  presence  of  the  President 
and  a  member  of  the  Cabinet,  I  heard  the  latter  congratulate 
the  President  upon  the  success  attending  a  certain  call  for 
troops,  which  he  had  issued,  remarking  :— 

"Mr.  Lincoln,  if  recruiting  goes  forward  in  this  way, 
your  new  call  for  troops  will  soon  be  answered." 

The  President  made  this  reply  :— 

"Oh,  yes;  we  have  a  pretty  big  army  already — on 
paper ;  but  what  we  want  is,  men  in  boots  and  breeches. 
This  great  array  of  figures,  in  respect  to  soldiers,  is  not 
going  to  suppress  the  rebellion.  I  want  men,  who  can 
carry  muskets,  and  eat  hard-tack.' 

It  was  indeed  surprising  to  observe  the  apparent  sin 
cerity  of  persons,  who,  in  various  ways,  were  guilty  of 
unlawful  and  dishonorable  acts,  finding  a  sufficient  apology 
in  the  necessities  or  peculiarities  of  the  case ;  while  others, 
and  not  a  few,  went  into  the  remunerative  dishonesty  with 


396  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

the  simple  purpose,  in  common  with  the  professional  gam- 
bler,  to  make  money  out  of  the  Government,  or  individuals 
serving  it,  according  to  the  promised  reward.  And  yet  it  is 
difficult  to  see  how  any  man,  of  ordinary  moral  perceptions, 
could  fail  to  appreciate  the  criminality*  of  the  business, 
whether  viewed  from  the  stand-point  of  the  army  depletion 
and  peril,  or  the  robbery  of  the  public  treasury.  Were 
the  loose  principles  governing  bounty  brokers  and  junipers 
once  allowed,  the  ranks  of  no  army  could  be  kept  full,  and 
the  loyalty  of  the  people  could  not  be  maintained. 

The  lenity  of  our  military  authorities,  in  regard  to  the 
punishment  of  offenders  against  law  and  loyalty,  was  a 
fruitful  cause  of  the  boldness  with  which  they  acted,  and 
the  air  of  respectability  worn  by  the  crime  itself. 

At  this  point,  I  must  refer  to  the  suggestive  contrast 
between  foreign  armies  and  our  own.  Deserters  from  the 
English  troops  are  rare,  on  account  of  the  penalty  which  is 
inflicted  on  such  offenders.  This  penalty,  which  is  death, 
is  never  set  aside,  no  matter  what  extenuating  circumstances 
may  attach  to  the  desertion,  rendering  it  a  lesser  crime  in 
the  opinion  of  mankind.  The  English  military  law  is  arbi 
trary,  carrying  out  its  requirements  to  the  utmost  ;  and, 
as  the  punishment  for  desertion  is  death,  no  soldier  guilty 
of  the  crime  receives  any  lighter  doom. 

During  the  late  war,  the  execution  of  deserters  was  so 
rare,  that  no  moral  effect  was  produced  on  the  minds  of  the 
people.  Who  can  recollect  any  shadow  of  guilt  and  pun 
ishment  falling  upon  his  thought,  during  the  whole  of  the 
war,  on  account  of  the  deserter' s  fate  ? 

The  desertions  were  as  common  as  recruiting,  but  escapes 
were  so  frequent,  and  pardon  was  so  often  granted,  that  no 
importance  seemed  to  be  attached  to  the  shameful  disloyalty. 
Indeed,  it  was  rather  considered  in  the  light  of  a  legitimate 
business  than  otherwise  ;  the  idea  of  its  criminality  hardly 
seemed  to  be  entertained  by  any,  so  lightly  was  it  treated 
by  the  law. 

The  Department  at  Washington  was  constantly  urging 
upon  me  the  necessity  for  forming  some  plan,  which,  in  a 
summary  and  successful  manner,  would  frustrate  the  designs 
of  these  dishonest  parties,  and  bring  them  to  justice.  Sev- 


DESERTERS  AND  DESERTION.  397 

eral  attempts  had  "been  made  for  this  purpose,  but  had  all 
proved  unsuccessful. 

A  number  of  plans  were  submitted  to  me,  each  of  which 
I  considered  objectionable,  on  certain  accounts.  The  short 
est  way  to  catch  these  deserters,  which  was  tracking  them 
to  their  haunts,  it  would  have  been  folly  to  pursue,  as  such 
a  course  would  result  in  a  general  alarm  and  stampede  of  the 
guilty. 

After  some  time,  I  chanced  to  think  of  a  method,  which 
seemed  so  suited  to  the  purpose,  that  I  became  immediately 
inspired  with  the  hope  of  success.  I  reported  it  to  the 
Provost-Marshal  General,  and,  after  examination,  it  was 
accepted,  with  some  slight  modifications. 

In  January,  1865,  the  War  Department  determined  to 
check,  if  possible,  the  increasing  frauds.  On  investigation, 
it  was  found  that  only  one  in  four  of  the  enlisted  men 
reached  the  front — a  fact  which  will  doubtless  astonish  my 
reader,  and  probably  be  denied  by  him,  unless  accompanied 
by  the  most  positive  proof. 

I  received  my  instructions,  and  immediately  repaired  to 
H$ew  York,  the  great  rendezvous  of  gamblers  in  recruiting, 
and  the  centre  of  their  complicated  and  increasing  business. 
Two  or  three  days  devoted  to  inquiries  concerning  them,  so 
astounded,  discouraged,  and  disheartened  me,  that  I  resolved 
to  abandon  the  investigation,  and  return  to  Washington. 
When  I  reported  my  purpose  to  the  War  Department,  I 
was  directed  to  resume  and  prosecute  my  work.  This 
investigation,  including  my  action  and  that  of  the  Provost- 
Marshal-General,  has  been  the  occasion  of  Congressional 
and  civil  examinations,  and  therefore  demands  a  pretty  full 
and  clear  narrative. 

The  means  which  I  employed,  and  the  manner  of  pro 
ceeding,  may  seem,  to  superficial  observers,  to  have  been 
extraordinary,  and  wholly  unwarranted. 

All  the  usual  methods  of  procedure  in  detective  service 
were  quite  unavailing  in  this  large  undertaking.  Nearly  the 
entire  circle  of  military  and  civil  officers  were  found  to  be, 
either  directly  or  indirectly,  implicated  in  bounty  swindling 
— from  the  staff  officer  to  the  orderly,  and  from  the  judge 
to  the  lowest  criminal  in  the  haunts  of  dissipation  and  vice. 


398  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

I  considered  the  matter  well,  in  order  to  reach  some 
plan  by  which  I  could  become  familiar  with  the  fraudulent 
enterprise  and  learn  its  secrets.  The  result  of  my  medita 
tions  was  the  belief  that,  in  order  to  gain  my  ends,  I  must 
select  for  my  service  some  bounty  broker  who  had  been 
connected  with  the  business  a  considerable  length  of  time, 
and  who  was,  consequently,  familiar  with  all  its  details. 

The  annexed  report  to  the  Provost- Marshal  General,  will 
enlighten  the  reader  as  to  the  course  I  deemed  it  necessary 
to  pursue,  with  its  practical  results  : — 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  January  1,  1S66. 

Brevet  Major-General  J.  B.  FRY,  Provost-Marshal  General : — 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  forward  a  brief  report,  giving  the  results 
of  the  various  investigations  instituted  and  conducted  under  and  by  your 
orders,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  and  exposing  frauds  perpetrated  in 
connection  with  the  recruiting  service.  The  following  official  orders  will 
show  by  what  authority  said  investigations  were  so  instituted  and  carried  on. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAR  DEPARTMENT.  ) 
WASHINGTON,  D.  0.,  January  1, 1S66.  f 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  January  16,  1S65.  j 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : — • 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker,  Provost-Mar 
shal  of  the  War  Department,  may  be  directed  to  act  under  my  instructions  in 
detecting  and  bringing  to  punishment  men  who  are  violating  the  laws  as 
bounty  brokers  and  bounty  jumpers,  and  such  officers  and  employees  of  the 
Government  as  may  be  taking  part  in,  or  conniving  at  these  practices. 

I  also  recommend  that  the  expenses  connected  with  his  services  be  paid  by 
ray  disbursing  officer  from  the  funds  under  my  control. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FRY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 

On  the  16th  January,  1865,  I  had  the  honor  to  receive  from  the  Provost- 
Marshal  General  the  following  order: — 

WAR  DEPARTMENT.  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  OFFICB,  I 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  January  16,  1865.  f 

[Confidential.] 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  Provost-Marshal  War  Department,  Washington,  D.  C. : — 
SIR — In  accordance  with  authority  from  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War, 
you  are  hereby  directed  to  make  an  examination  of  the  different  provost- 
marshals,  officers,  and  other  recruiting  officers,  with  a  view  of  detecting  and 
bringing  to  punishment  men  who  are  violating  the  laws  as  bounty  and  substi- 


RECRUITING— FRAUDS— A  BOUNTY  BROKER.  39Q 

tute  brokers  and  bounty  jumpers,  and  also  any  officer  or  employee  of  this 
bureau  who  may  be  taking  part  in  or  conniving  at  frauds  or  impositions  in 
connection  with  the  raising  of  troops. 

Officers  of  this  bureau  are  hereby  commanded  to  aid  you  in  your  proper 
endeavors  to  accomplish  the  duty  herein  assigned  you. 

I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FRY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 

In  pursuance  of  the  above  order,  I  went  to  New  York  City,  which  place  was 
alleged  to  be  the  centre  or  rendezvous  of  the  principal  operators  in  fraudulent 
enlistment  papers.  It  would  be  impossible  to  give  a  correct  idea  or  under 
standing  of  the  condition  in  which  I  found  the  recruiting  business.  A  large 
number  of  persons,  of  the  most  desperate  and  disreputable  character,  were 
engaged  at  the  different  rendezvous  in  filling  the  quotas.  The  great  and  urgent 
demands  of  the  Government  to  fill  up  the  ranks  of  our  depleted  army,  were 
seized  upon  by  these  individuals,  known  as  bounty  brokers  or  receiving  agents, 
as  a  fit  time  to  perpetrate  those  forgeries  and  frauds  upon  the  Government  and 
soldiers,  the  extent  and  enormity  of  which,  I  believe,  are  unparalleled  in  the 
history  of  the  world.  These  frauds,  which  robbed  the  soldier  and  his  family, 
were  but  mild  offenses  compared  with  the  crime  of  actually  aiding  the  ene 
mies  of  the  Government,  by  representing  on  paper  enlisted  men  who  never 
existed.  A  mania  for  the  recruiting  business  and  filling  quotas  seems  not  to 
have  been  confined  exclusively  to  the  characters  referred  to  above.  Recruit 
ing  officers,  their  clerks  and  orderlies,  provost-marshals'  clerks  and  detectives, 
supervisors,  commissioners,  metropolitan  policemen,  and  many  others  con 
nected  with  the  municipal  government  of  New  York  City,  were  all  endeavoring 
to  contribute  their  best  abilities  to  filling  quotas.  This  state  of  things  was 
made  apparent  to  me  after  a  very  brief  preliminary  investigation.  To  devise 
a  plan  at  once  sufficiently  effective  in  itself  to  break  up  this  gigantic  system 
of  frauds,  to  arrange  a  system  of  detection  as  would  furnish  such  proofs  of 
guilt  against  implicated  parties,  was  a  matter  not  easily  accomplished.  What 
was  true  of  the  frauds  peculiar  at  the  army  rendezvous  in  Xew  York  and 
vicinity,  was  more  than  true  of  the  naval  rendezvous.  Out  of  seven  of  these 
naval  recruiting  rendezvous,  but  three  could  be  entered  without  first  passing 
through  a  public  drinking  saloon  of  the  lowest  and  vilest  character,  and  a 
substitute  or  bounty  broker's  office.  In  fact,  the  last  two  named  institutions 
seemed  to  be  necessary  appendages  to  a  recruiting  depot.  With  the  evidence 
of  these  stupendous  frauds  before  me,  I  felt  my  inability  to  render  the  serf  ices 
that  would  be  expected  from  me.  The  high  social  and  official  positions  of 
many  of  the  suspected  parties,  the  large  pecuniary  interests  involved  in  the 
business,  tended  to  weaken  my  confidence  in  my  success;  however,  after 
further  conversation  with  you,  it  was  decided  that  I  should  return  to  New 
York,  and  proceed  at  once  with  the  investigations. 

On  the  20th  January  I  took  rooms  at  the  Astor  House,  and  on  the  follow 
ing  day  I  sent  for  a  well-known  bounty  broker  named  T.  A.,  a  person  who 
could  give  me  all  the  information  I  desired,  and  from  whom  I  obtained 


400  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

a  very  minute,  and  I  believe  correct,  history  of  the  modus  operandi  hy  which 
most  of  the  recruiting  frauds  were  perpetrated  ;  also  a  list  of  the  names  and 
location  of  most  of  the  worst  bounty  brokers,  bounty  jumpers,  &c.  I  made 
an  agreement  with  the  said  T.  A.  to  render  me  such  assistance  as  I 
might  require,  by  furnishing  me,  from  time  to  time,  information  concerning 
persons  engaged  in  defrauding  the  Government  by  the  sale  of  fraudulent 
enlistment-papers,  &c.  About  the  last  of  March,  having  progressed  suffi 
ciently  with  my  investigations  to  develop  somewhat  the  extent  of  the  frauds 
referred  to,  I  caused  to  be  made  known  that  I  was  an  agent  or  supervisor 
from  an  interior  locality,  desirous  to  obtain  credits  to  fill  my  quota;  this  sub 
terfuge  at  once  placed  me  on  the  most  familiar  terms  with  that  class  of  per 
sons  then  supposed  to  be  engaged  in  perpetrating  frauds  upon  the  recruiting 
bureau.  In  short,  my  plans  worked  well,  and  I  was  offered  credits  in  abun 
dance,  in  some  instances  at  mere  nominal  prices.  The  competition  among 
these  bounty  brokers,  the  anxiety  to  sell  their  papers,  the  great  number  of 
these  enlisting-papers  or  credits  in  the  hands  of  such  disreputable  characters, 
the  reckless  and  bold  manner  in  which  they  publicly  hawked  them  about  the 
streets,  bar-rooms,  and  drinking-houses  in  New  York,  satisfied  me  at  once 
that  said  papers  must  be  forged,  or,  at  least,  must  have  been  obtained  in  some 
surreptitious  or  illegitimate  manner.  On  the  28th  of  January  I  was  waited 
upon  by  J.  D.  (under  the  assumed  name  of  J.  C.),  and  one  J.  C.,  who,  having 
understood  my  desire  to  purchase  credits,  offered  me  sixteen  sets  of  papers  or 
credits.  These  papers  or  credits  I  purchased  at  once,  and  asked  them  to 
bring  more  the  following  day,  which  they  did.  Soon  after  the  said  I>.  and 
C.  brought  other  bounty  brokers  to  my  room  with  other  papers ;  these  I  also 
purchased.  I  continued  purchasing  papers  for  several  days,  until  I  had  posi 
tively  ascertained  that  nearly  all  the  papers  purchased  were  forgeries;  that 
these  papers  were  prepared,  in  many  cases,  with  the  knowledge  and  assist 
ance  of  officers,  clerks,  and  employees  of  the  various  recruiting  rendezvous  in 
New  York  and  Brooklyn.  On  the  morning  of  February  2  I  forwarded  the 
following  telegram  : — 

[No.  1.] 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  February  2,  1865. 

Brigadier-General  J.  B.  FEY,  Provost-Marshal  General : — 

SIR — The  time  has  arrived,  in  the  course  of  my  investigations,  when  it  is 
very  important  that  a  number  of  arrests  be  made  at  once.  I  have  the  most 
positive  proof  against  mustering  officers,  doctors,  substitute  brokers,  and 
bounty  jumpers. 

The  parties  who  sold  me  the  forged  enlistment-papers  have  made  a  full 
confession;  have  given  the  names  of  all  the  officers  and  clerks  concerned. 

If  any  arrests  are  to  be  made,  prompt  and  immediate  action  is  indispensa 
ble  to  success. 

The  representations  heretofore  made  to  you  concerning  this  matter  have 
not  been  exaggerated. 

I  am,  General,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 


FORGED  ENLISTMENT-PAPERS.  401 

On  the  same  day  I  forwarded  the  following  : — 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  February  3,  18G5. 

Brigadier-General  J.  B.  FEY,  Provost-Marshal  General : — 

Siii — Yesterday,  at  two  o'clock,  by  an  arrangement  previously  made,  two 
bounty  brokers,  named  J.  I),  and  J.  C.,  brought  to  my  room  sixteen  (16;  sets 
of  forged  enlisting-papers  (naval),  for  which  I  paid  them  at  the  rate  of  five 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  ($525)  each,  they,  the  brokers,  supposing  mo 
to  be  the  agent  of  an  interior  county,  having  a  quota  to  fill.  As  soon  as  the 
purchase  was  made,  and  money  paid  over,  I  took  them  into  custody. 

Last  evening  they  confessed  to  me  that  the  papers  were  forged,  gave  me 
the  names  of  the  clerks  in  the  naval  rendezvous  in  Brooklyn  who  forged 
them,  and  the  amount  to  be  paid  said  clerks,  also  the  name  of  the  notary 
public  (who  is  one  of  the  assessors  in  Brooklyn)  before  whom  said  papers 
were  acknowledged,  who  also  has  a  share  of  the  profits  of  the  sale  of  these 
papers.  They  have  also  given  me  a  minute  detail  of  all  the  operations  of 
their  pals  and  confederates  in  the  business. 

Their  statements  are  perfectly  astounding,  and  show  a  state  of  things 
existing  here  almost  incredible.  In  the  town  of  Delhi,  St.  Lawrence  County, 
a  quota  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  men  was  filled  by  these  forged 
papers,  and  not  a  single  man  enlisted. 

What  is  true  of  this  town  is  true  of  many  others  in  this  State.  To  such 
an  extent  has  this  business  been  carried  on,  that  these  forged  papers  aro 
hawked  about  the  city,  and  daily  sold  in  public  saloons  and  bar-rooms. 

They  can  be  bought  any  day,  at  the  Merchants'  Hotel,  on  Oortlandt  Street. 

I  have  enlisted  one  of  my  detectives  twice  in  one  day.  On  the  following 
day  enlisted  him  at  the  Cedar  Street  rendezvous.  He  is  now  on  the  Island. 
Have  made  arrangements  with  a  substitute  broker  to  buy  him  off  to-morrow. 

D.  and  C.,  from  whom  I  purchased  the  forged  papers  yesterday,  are 
detained  in  temporary  custody,  awaiting  orders  from  the  Department.  I  do 
not  think  the  Department  at  "Washington  have  the  least  conception  of  the 
extent  of  the  frauds  committed  in  this  recruiting  business,  or  some  action 
would  have  been  taken  long  before  this. 

I  have  now  spent  fifteen  days  in  investigating  the  matter,  and  assert,  posi 
tively,  that  I  can  convict  nearly  every  man  connected  with  the  substitute 
business  in  New  York,  if  the  Department  will  give  me  authority  to  act. 

I  telegraphed  you  this  morning,  for  an  order  to  make  certain  arrests;  up 
to  this  time  have  received  no  reply.  If  any  arrests  are  to  be  made,  it  is  very 
important  that  they  be  made  at  once. 

Up  to  this  morning,  no  knowledge  of  my  investigations  had  reached  the 
parties  implicated.  This  evening,  however,  I  hear  that  inquiries  are  being 
made  concerning  the  parties  I  detained  yesterday. 

If  this  fact  is  once  positively  known,  it  will  not  be  worth  while  for  me  to 
remain  here  longer,  as  the  parties  I  want  most  will  leave  for  parts  unknown. 

I  have  thus  briefly  given  you  my  ideas,  trusting  to  hear  from  you  at  as 
early  a  moment  as  possible.  I  am,  General,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  War  Department. 
26 


402  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

N.  B. — I  send  this  communication  by  a  messenger,  who  will  leave  Wash 
ington  to-morrow  (Saturday)  evening,  to  return  to  New  York.  If  any  reply 
is  deemed  necessary,  he  will  bring  it.  (Signed)  L.  C.  15. 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU,  I 
WASUINGTO*,  December  19,  1S(>5.        \ 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SCOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 


[No.  2.; 


UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  TELEGRAPH, 
WAR  DEPARTMENT. 


The  following  telegram  received  at  Washington,  6:45  p.  M.,  February  2, 
1865,  from  New  York,  February  2,  1865 : — 

Brigadier-General  J.  B.  FEY.  Provost-Marshal  General : — 

The  men  from  whom  I  purchased  the  bogus  enlisting-papers  yesterday, 
brought  me  twelve  sets  more  of  same  kind.  I  have  the  men  in  custody. 
They  admit  the  papers  are  all  forged,  and  have  given  me  the  names  of  the 
persons  who  made  them  out.  Would  recommend  the  men  be  sent  to  the  Old 
Capitol  prison. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER. 

56.  Cal.  351. 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BURKAU,  > 
WASHINGTON,  December  19,  1865.       J 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SCOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

Not  receiving  prompt  replies  to  the  above,  on  the  3d  I  forwarded  the 
following : — 

[No.  3.] 

OFFICE  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  TELEGRAPH,  | 
WAR  DEPARTMENT.  ) 

The  following  telegram  received  at  Washington,  9:20  A.  M.,  February  3, 
1865,  from  New  York,  February  3,  1865  :— 

Brigadier-General  FEY  : — 

Want  orders  for  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  of  J.  D.,  J.  H.,  and  J.  C., 
from  whom  the  forged  enlisting-papers  were  bought.  Two  of  the  parties 
have  made  confessions.  Please  forward  order  by  telegraph. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER. 

35.  Cal.  225. 

The  arrest  and  imprisonment  of  J.  D.,  J.  II.,  and  J.  C.,  mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  telegram,  is  ordered. 

The  Provost-Marshal  General  will  issue  orders  accordingly. 

(Signed)  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  February  16, 1865. 


FRAUDS  BY  MILITARY   OFFICERS.  403 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BnRKA.tr,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  December  19,  1865.       f 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SCOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps 

Still  receiving  no  replies,  on  the  4th  I  forwarded  the  following  : — 

[No.  4.] 

OFFICE  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  TKLEGRAPH,  | 
WAK  DEPARTMENT.  ) 

The  following  telegram  received  at  Washington,  1  p.  M.,  February  4,  1865, 
from  New  York,  February  4,  1865 : — 

General  JAMES  B.  FRY  : — 

Is  my  communication  of  yesterday  received? 

Will  I  receive  the  orders  to-day  ? 

If  arrests  are  to  be  made,  it  is  important  that  they  be  made  at  once. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER. 

27  Cal.,  177. 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU,  » 
WASHINGTON,  December  19, 1865.        ) 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SCOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

All  the  above  communications  and  telegrams  having  been  referred  to  the 
Hon.  Secretary  of  War  for  authority  to  arrest  the  persons  referred  to,  the 
Secretary  of  War  writes  as  follows  : — 

[No.  5.] 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  > 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  ^February  5,  1S65.  f 

GENERAL  : — 

I  refer  herewith  two  reports  and  four  telegrams  of  L.  C.  Baker,  marked 
A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  and  F,  in  relation  to  alleged  frauds  by  military  officers  in  the 
enlistment  and  recruiting  service,  for  your  examination  and  opinion  as  to  what 
action  should  be  had  against  the  parties  implicated. 
Immediate  action  is  deemed  urgent. 

Yours  truly, 

(Signed)  EDWIN  M.  STANTON. 

Brigadier-General  HOLT,  Judge-Advocate  General. 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU,  [ 
WASHINGTON,  December  19,  1S65.        f 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SCOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

The  following  is  the  indorsement  of  the  Judge-Advocate  General : — 

BUREAU  OF  MILITARY  JUSTICE,  / 
February  4,  1865.  f 

Respectfully  returned  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  The  offenses  mentioned 
by  Colonel  Baker  strike  directly  not  only  at  the  efficiency,  but  at  the  very  life 


404  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  the  military  service ;  and  in  time  of  war,  the  public  safety  requires  that 
they  shall  he  triable  by  a  military  commission.  It  is  believed  that  these 
offenders  should  be  so  tried,  and  that  Colonel  Baker,  on  ascertaining  their 
guilt,  should  have  authority  to  arrest  them. 

(Signed)  .  «    J.  HOLT, 

Judge- Advocate  General. 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BTTREAIT,  > 
WASHINGTON,  December  19,  1865.        f 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SOOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

The  order  for  the  arrest  of  these  brokers  referred  to  in  the  above-men 
tioned  communications  and  telegrams  having  been  received,  after  first  being 
referred  to  the  Judge- Advocate  General  for  an  opinion,  I  proceeded  to  arrest 
J.  D.,  alias  C.,  J.  C.,  and  J.  D.,  the  latter  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  a  notary 
public  and  assessor  of  internal  revenue. 

After  quietly  securing  the  arrest  of  the  three  brokers  before  mentioned, 
I  at  once  began  to  avail  myself  of  the  information  derived  from  them.  The 
cool  and  deliberate  manner  in  which  these  men  detailed  minutely  the  manner 
and  extent  of  these  forgeries,  the  names  of  their  accomplices  and  confederates 
in  crime,  was  almost  beyond  belief.  It  may  not  be  improper  to  state  in  this 
connection  the  manner  and  means  employed  in  preparing  and  disposing  of 
these  fraudulent  enlistment  papers.  J.  T.  S.  and  "W.  II.  T.,  two  clerks 
employed  at  the  York  Street  naval  rendezvous  (and  who  were  soon  after 
arrested),  had, entire  charge  of  the  books  of  said  rendezvous.  These  books 
had  a  printed  heading,  and  were  lined  or  ruled  off  in  the  usual  manner  ;  the 
names  of  men  properly  and  legitimately  enlisted  and  correctly  credited  on 
said  books  any  given  day,  were  copied  by  S.  and  T.,  and  forwarded  to  the 
brokers  D.  and  C.,  who  immediately  filled  up  the  proper  blanks,  which  were 
taken  to  J.  D.,  the  notary  public,  who  made  the  necessary  certificate  that  the 
recruit  appeared  before  him  and  made  oath,  &c.,  to  these  forged  papers. 
J.  D.  affixed  his  official  seal  and  signature. 

The  papers  then,  being  apparently  correct,  were  ready  for  sale  to  any 
unsuspecting  victim  desiring  to  fill  quotas.  The  names  the  of  recruits  in 
these  forged  papers  being  already  on  the  books  of  the  rendezvous,  and  credit 
ed,  could  not,  of  course,  appear  again  on  the  same  books.  To  obviate  this 
difficulty,  separate,  or  fly  leaves,  in  every  way  exactly  like  those  composing 
the  record  book  before  referred  to,  were  kept  in  said  book.  The  brokers 
having  sold  these  forgeries,  or  duplicate  papers,  and  to  satisfy  their  purchasers 
that  the  papers  were  all  right,  go  with  the  purchaser  to  the  rendezvous  to 
have  them  credited ;  the  clerks  being  a  party  to  the  transaction,  and  sharers 
of  the  profits  of  sales,  at  once  exhibit  the  loose  or  fly  leaves ;  the  names  of 
recruits  recorded  on  such  loose  or  fly  leaves  corresponding  with  those  men 
tioned  in  the  enlisting  papers,  with  the  margin  or  line  for  credit  not  filled  up. 
The  purchaser,  being  satisfied  that  all  is  correct,  pays  over  his  money,  directs 
the  clerk  on  hand  to  credit  his  papers,  sees  the  credits  correctly  made,  and 


DESERTION— INVESTIGATIONS.  405 

leaves  the  office,  congratulating  himself  that  he,  at  least,  has  not  been  swin 
dled.  To  credit  these  forged  or  duplicate  papers  to  the  same  Congressional 
district  or  locality  would  soon  lead  to  detection;  hence  my  investigations  in 
tracing  out  the  papers  were  much  delayed,  and  could  only  be  positively 
proven  by  carefully  comparing  the  names  of  all  recruits  enlisted  with  these 
papers  obtained  from  the  provost-marshals  of  different  Congressional  dis 
tricts.  I  have  referred  to  this  as  one  of  the  means  by  which  so  many  quotas 
have  been  filled  with  forged  papers,  and  have  referred  to  the  York  Street 
naval  rendezvous  as  only  one  of  the  naval  recruiting  depots  where  it  was  so 
extensively  practised. 

I  desire  now  to  briefly  refer  to  the  question  of  desertion,  which,  more  than 
any  other  connected  with  the  recruiting  service,  has  demanded  the  attention 
of  your  bureau.  How  largely  the  Government  has  been  defrauded  by  the 
desertion  of  its  soldiers  will  probably  never  be  known.  To  even  attempt  to 
show,  by  actual  figures,  the  number  of  desertions  from  the  army,  would  be 
simply  impossible.  To  aid  the  soldier  to  desert  was  deemed  to  be  as  much 
the  legitimate  business  and  calling  of  the  professional  bounty  brokers  as  to 
enlist  him.  As  in  the  matter  of  forging  enlistment-papers  it  required  the 
assistance  of  officers,  so  in  the  matter  of  desertion,  to  be  successful,  the  officers 
having  charge  of  recruits  must  be  bribed  or  misrepresented ;  and  when  we 
contemplate  the  vast  amount  of  money  paid  by  the  tax-payers  of  the  North 
fur  bounty  for  recruits  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  the  great  sacrifices  made 
by  the  patriotic  and  loyal  people  of  the  different  States,  the  exertion 
and  labor  of  benevolent  societies  and  individuals,  the  ample  and  liberal 
appropriations  of  Congress  to  further  the  great  object,  viz.,  the  speedy 
suppression  of  the  rebellion  by  the  raising  of  troops,  the  unprecedented 
labors  of  your  bureau  in  raising  and  organizing  these  recruits  under  the  differ 
ent  calls  for  volunteers,  we  may  well  wonder  how  such  a  system  of  corrup 
tion  and  fraud  could  have  been  so  successfully  carried  on  for  years,  under  the 
very  eye  of  both  civil  and  military  authorities. 

It  would  be  impossible,  in  a  brief  report  of  this  character,  to  convey  an 
adequate  idea  of  the  extent  to  which  this  business  of  aiding  desertion  by 
bounty  brokers  was  practised.  I  simply  refer  to  one  or  two  cases — all  that 
is  deemed  necessary.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  communication 
which  I  forwarded  you  from  New  York,  under  date  of  February  5,  1865: — 

I  am  progressing  with  my  investigations  satisfactorily.  In  order  to  more 
effectually  carry  out  your  instructions,  I  have  enlisted  three  of  my  detectives, 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  modus  operandi  by  which  so  many  enlisted 
men  are  allowed  to  escape,  or  desert.  Through  this  channel,  I  have  obtained 
my  most  valuable  information.  The  names  of  the  three  detectives  are,  G-» 
L.,  enlisted  January  31,  at  Captain  R.'s  office,  Chatham*  Street,  sent  to 
Governor's  Island;  J.  B.,  enlisted  January  31,  at  Cedar*  Street  rendezvous, 
sent  to  Governor's  Island;  D. ,W.  G.,  enlisted  February  2,  at  Captain  W.'s* 
rendezvous,  Crosby  and  Broome  Streets. 

*  These  were  recruiting  rendezvous  of  the  regular  army,  and  not  under  the  con 
trol  of  the  Provost-Marshal  General's  Bureau. 


406  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"Will  you  please  direct  the  proper  officer  to  order  these  men  to  report  to 
me,  No.  54  William  Street.  I  desire  to  eniist  these  men  at  Utica,  where,  it  is 
represented  to  me,  many  frauds  are  being  committed.  Please  send  order  by 
iny  messenger,  who  leaves  Washington  to-morrow  night.  Will  write  you 
more  fully  to-morrow.  Yours  very  truly, 

.     L.  C.  BAKEE. 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAI/B  BUREAU,  \ 
WASHINGTON,  December  19,  1SG5.        ) 

A  true  copy. 

(Signed)  GEO.  E.  SCOTT, 

Major  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

Two  of  the  detectives  above  referred  to,  were  permitted  to  escape  from 
Governor's  Island,*  by  the  payment  of  one  hundred  dollars  each  to  Sergeants 
M.  and  B.,  who  were  subsequently  tried  by  military  court-martial,  and  sen 
tenced  to  two  years'  imprisonment.  A.  C.,  a  bounty  broker,  doing  business 
at  82  White  Street,  New  York,  was  known  to  be  engaged  in  purchasing  from 
the  officers  at  Governor's  Island  passes  by  which  large  numbers  of  enlisted 
men  were  permitted  to  leave  the  Island  daily.  On  the  8th  of  April,  C. 
received  from  my  detectives  five  hundred  dollars,  for  the  purpose  of  pur 
chasing  passes  for  eight  recruits,  enlisted  the  day  previous.  The  money  was 
put  into  a  Bible  lying  on  the  table  in  the  office  of  the  officer  in  charge  of 
passes.  •  A  pass  was  given ;  the  recruits  left  the  Island,  came  over  to  New 
York,  re-enlisted,  were  the  same  evening  sent  back  to  the  Island,  and  the 
following  day  were  brought  off  again  by  C.,  and  again  enlisted. 

In  the  written  confession  of  A.  C.,  he  says:  I  think  I  have  brought  off, 
in  all,  about  four  hundred  men,  about  two-thirds  of  whom  I  re-enlisted.  It 
was  shown  in  the  course  of  my  investigation,  that  six  other  brokers  were 
engaged  in  the  same  business.  C.  was  tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  live 
years  to  the  penitentiary. 

Another  manner  of  desertion,  and  by  far  more  generally  practised,  was  by 
permitting  recruits  to  desert  in  transit  from  the  rendezvous  in  New  York  to 
the  Island,  or  receiving  ships.  For  instance,  I  will  refer  to  the  Cedar  Street 
rendezvous.  Between  the  20th  of  May,  1864,  and  the  9th  of  October,  1864, 
there  were  enlisted  at  this  rendezvous,  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  men.  The  books  on  Governor's  and  Hart's  Islands  show  but  eight  hun 
dred  and  thirteen  received  from  said  Cedar  Street  rendezvous.  About  a 
similar  deficiency  between  the  actual  number  enlisted  and  number  received, 
is  shown  by  the  examination  of  the  books  of  the  other  rendezvous.  Taking 
aix  of  the  army  recruiting  rendezvous  in  New  York,  Brooklyn,  and  Williams- 
burgh,  for  forty-four  days  in  1864,  the  total  deficiency,  or  difference  between 
the  number  of  men  actually  enlisted  and  credited  at  said  rendezvous  and 
those  actually  received  at  the  rendezvous  cainps,  is  two  thousand  two  hun 
dred  and  nineteen.  These  facts  are  startling,  but  the  difference  between  the 

*  Governor's  Island  was  not  under  the  control  of  the  Provost-Marshal  General's 
Bureau. 


DETECTIVE  OPERATIONS.  407 

number  actually  received  on  the  Island,  or  distribution  rendezvous,  and  the 
number  that  actually  reached  the  front,  is  still  more  startling. 

It  is  shown  by  a  careful  examination  of  statistics,  that  but  six  out  of  every 
ten  enlisted  men  received  as  stated  above,  at  the  general  rendezvous,  ever 
entered  the  service.  I  could  demonstrate  this  fact,  by  giving  copies  of  the 
official  records,  which  would  require  a  lajge  amount  of  labor,  and  consequent 
delay  in  preparing  it.  Under  the  call  of  December  19,  1864,  and  during  the 
month  of  January,  1865,  and  eight  days  in  February  following,  there  were 
enlisted  and  credited  at  the  seven  army  recruiting  depots  in  New  York, 
Brooklyn,  and  Williamsburgh,  five  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-four 
men ;  of  this  number,  four  thousand  and  thirty-three  reached  the  general,  or 
distribution  rendezvous,  and  three  thousand  and  twelve  started  for  the-  front, 
out  of  which  twenty-eight  escaped  in  transit,  leaving  two  thousand  and 
eighty-two  that  actually  entered  the  service,  out  of  five  thousand  two 
hundred  and  eighty-four  enlisted.  This  may,  I  think,  be  taken  as  a  fair 
average  case,  under  the  calls  of  1864-65,  in  New  York  City  and  vicinity. 

These  figures  may  appear  incredible,  but  they  are  compiled  from  the 
official  records  of  the  several  recruiting  depots  and  general  rendezvous.  To 
show  the  facilities  for  deserting,  I  enlisted  myself  three  different  times,  at 
three  different  recruiting  depots,  in  one  day,  receiving  each  time  one  hundred 
dollars,  as  first  installment  of  bounty. 

The  above  statement  referring  to  the  number  of  deserters,  does  not  in  the 
same  proportion  apply  to  other  localities  and  cities.  The  city  of  New  York, 
and  immediate  vicinity,  was  the  grand  focus,  center,  or  general  rallying 
ground  of  a  very  large  portion  of  all  the  professional  bounty  brokers  and 
jumpers  in  the  country.  It  was  common  and  customary  for  the  supervisors 
and  agents  of  interior  towns  and  localities  having  quotas  to  fill  to  come  to 
New  York  to  purchase  their  credits,  as  for  country  merchants  to  come  to 
New  York  to  purchase  their  goods. 

In  New  York  could  be  found,  perhaps,  more  degraded  and  disreputable 
characters  than  in  any  other  city  in  the  Union ;  indeed,  there  was  no  place  in 
the  land  where  so  many  civil  and  military  officers  were  actually  themselves 
engaged  in  the  bounty  and  substitute  business. 

The  fraudulent  operations  of  bounty  and  substitute  brokers  were  by  no 
means  confined  exclusively  to  New  York.  In  September,  1864,  M.  G.,  then 
temporarily  in  my  employ,  was  directed  to  make  an  investigation  at  Harris- 
burg,  Pennsylvania  (see  letter  under  date  November  29,  1864).  G.  took  with 
him  three  persons.  On  the  1st  of  October,  G.  and  his  three  men,  one  of 
whom  had  been  a  cripple  from  childhood,  were  enlisted  at  Harrisburg  by 
certain  bounty  brokers,  who  had  the  exclusive  privilege  of  enlisting  recruits 
at  that  rendezvous.  The  broker  paid  G.  and  his  three  men  one  hundred 
dollars  each,  with  the  understanding  that  they  should  be  furnished  with  a 
pass  that  would  enable  them  to  escape  the  same  night.  The  recruits  were 
sent  to  Camp  Curtin,  and  assigned  to  a  Colonel  R.'s  regiment.  The  same 
evening,  Colonel  R.,  with  one  or  two  brokers,  took  G.  and  his  three  com 
panions  from  Camp  Curtin  to  Troy,  Pennsylvania,  re-enlisted  them  again, 
had  them  assigned  to  Colonel  R.'s  regiment,  received  the  bounty;  took  them. 


408  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

the  following  day  to  Tonawanda,  Pennsylvania,  enlisted  them  the  third  time, 
collected  the  bounty,  and  then  left  them  to  desert  again  if  they  thought 
proper.  Colonel  R.,  his  brother,  one  army  surgeon,  and  four  bounty  brokers, 
all  connected  with  this  transaction,  were  arrested.  The  R.'s  and  one  broker 
were  tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  serve  a  term  at  Fort  Delaware  (see 
my  report  under  date  June  18, 1865,  jvhich  sets  forth  fully  all  the  facts  con 
nected  with  this  case). 

The  investigations  at  Elmira  resulted  in  the  arrest  and  conviction  of  the 
provost-marshal  at  that  post,  Major  H.  At  Albany,  Utica,  Buffalo,  and  many 
other  points  of  less  importance,  investigations  were  instituted,  always  result 
ing  in  the  arrest  of  those  engaged  in  committing  frauds  on  the  recruiting 
service.  A  more  detailed  account  of  my  operations  at  the  points  referred  to 
above  will  be  found  hereafter  in  this  report. 

As  yet,  I  have  but  casually  referred  to  the  frauds  committed  in  recruiting 
for  the  naval  service.*  A  volume  of  interesting  facts  could  be  written  on 
this  subject,  but  I  will  only  refer  to  the  results  achieved  by  my  investigations, 
In  the  whole  history  of  fraud  and  corruption  in  the  recruiting  service  during 
the  rebellion,  I  doubt  whether  there  is  a  parallel  to  that  practised  at  the 
naval  recruiting  rendezvous  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn.  Hardly  a  naval 
officer  connected  with  the  receiving  ships  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  but 
was,  in  some  way,  connected  with  enlistment  frauds.  The  following  commu 
nication,  perhaps,  contains  all  that  is  necessary  to  be  said  on  the  subject. 

WASHINGTON,  May  26,  1865. 

Brigadier-General  JAMES  B.  FKY,  Provost- Marshal  General : — 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  copies  of 
official  correspondence  between  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  your 
self  in  reference  to  certain  frauds,  alleged  to  have  been  perpetrated  by 
officers  of  the  navy  connected  with  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard. 

I  had  the  honor,  some  weeks  since,  of  a  personal  interview  with  the  Hon. 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  the  lion.  W.  E.  C.,  Solicitor  of  the  Navy,  at  which 
interview  I  exhibited  what  I  conceived  to  be  the  most  undeniable  and  unques 
tionable  proof  that  officers  connected  with  the  said  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  had, 
in  connection  with  one  J.  D.,  W.  &  W.,  F.  &  D.,  and  other  substitute  brokers, 
received  large  sums  of  money,  in  consideration  of  which  they,  the  officers 
referred  to,  had,  on  various  occasions,  furnished  fictitious  names  to  the  said 
brokers,  on  which  said  brokers  had  manufactured  forged  and  fraudulent 
enlistment-papers ;  that  in  many  instances  forged  ship  receipts,  purporting 
to  represent  men  received  on  board  the  receiving  ship,  had  been  furnished  by 
said  officers  to  said  brokers,  from  which  fraudulent  enlistment-papers  had 
been  made  and  credited  at  the  York  Street  naval  rendezvous ;  that  a  system 
of  bribery  and  manipulations  had  for  a  long  time  been  practised  by  said  bro 
kers  and  officers,  in  connection  with  naval  enlistments;  the  said  officers  had 
been,  for  the  past  year,  almost  daily  in  the  habit  of  receiving  from  said  bro- 

*  Recruiting  for  the  naval  service  was  not  under  the  control  of  the  Provost-Mar- 
ehal  General 


FRAUDS  IN  NAVAL  RECRUITING.  409 

kers  various  sums  of  money,  for  what  was  termed  special  orders,  for  the 
enlistment  of  apprentice  boys,  firemen,  and  landsmen,  who  were  to  enter  the 
naval  service.  So  common  had  this  practice  become,  that  none  but  the  bro 
kers  before  referred  to  could  even  obtain  admittance  to  the  naval  rendezvous, 
or  on  board  of  any  of  the  receiving  ships  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard.  Even 
the  gatekeeper  at  the  Navy  Yard  received  his  "  daily  stipend "  of  money 
from  said  brokers  for  permitting  them  to  enter  the  Yard.  As  evidence  of 
these  allegations  and  charges,  I  exhibited  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  and  Solicitor 
of  the  Navy  the  bank  checks  drawn  in  favor  of  said  officers,  and  signed  by 
said  brokers ;  in  many  instances  said  checks  were  indorsed  in  the  proper  hand 
writing  of  said  officers,  and  the  books  of  W.  &  TV.  show  that  the  said  vari 
ous  sums  of  money  were  properly  entered,  and  charged,  as  money  paid  to 
said  officers;  also  stating,  in  some  instances,  the  objects  and  purposes  of  said 
payments.  The  sworn  statement  of  J.  D.,  a  former  partner  of  W.  &  W.,  made 
previous  to  his  conviction  and  sentence,  fully  corroborates  these  statements ; 
in  addition  to  which  are  the  sworn  statements  of  S.  and  T.,  two  clerks,  then  in 
the  employ  of  the  officer  in  command  of  the  naval  rendezvous.  The  testi 
mony  of  J.  D.,  and  the  two  clerks  referred  to,  shows  that  Captain  J.  F.  G., 
then  in  command  of  the  York  Street  naval  rendezvous,  that  D.,  and  W.  &W. 
made  an  arrangement  with  said  G.,  by  which  said  G.  was  to  receive  one- 
fourth  of  all  the  profits  arising  either  from  the  genuine  or  fraudulent  enlist 
ment  of  the  recruits  into  the  navy.  W.  &  W.'s  check  on  the  Central  Bank, 
Brooklyn,  given  to  and  indorsed  in  the  proper  handwriting  of  said  G.,  as  well 
as  the  entries  in  "W.  &  W.'s  books,  would  seem  to  confirm  this  testimony. 
Said  checks  are  now  in  my  possession.  The  testimony  of  D.,  S.,  and  T.,  shows 
that  large  sums  of  money  were  paid  to  Lieutenant  G.  TV.  J.,  acting  master  of 
the  receiving-ship  Savannah,  for  which  the  said  acting  master,  G.  W.  J.,  fur 
nished  said  brokers  with  ship  receipts,  which  purport  to  represent  enlisted 
men  received  on  board  said  receiving-ship  Savannah.  That  the  said  J.  re 
ceived  the  sums  of  money  referred  to,  seems  to  be  fully  proven  by  "W.  &  W.'s 
checks  on  the  Central  Bank  of  Brooklyn,  indorsed  in  the  proper  handwriting 
of  the  said  G.  W.  J.  If  any  thing  more  is  needed  to  prove  this  allegation,  I 
would  refer  you  to  the  entries  on  W.  &  W.'s  books,  the  dates  of  which  cor 
respond  with  the  dates  on  said  checks.  The  testimony  of  J.  D.  shows  that 
W.  &  TV.  paid  to  Lieutenant  or  Captain  TV.  D.  TV.,  then  attached  to  some  of^ 
the  receiving- ships,  various  sums  of  money,  the  alleged  consideration  for 
which  was  the  furnishing,  by  Captain  or  Lieutenant  W.,  fictitious  or  forged 
ships'  receipts,  purporting  to  represent  men  who  had  enlisted  in  the  naval  ser 
vice.  TV.  <fo  W.'s  books  show  that  said  sums  of  money  were  paid;  in  addition 
to  which  proof,  I  have  W.  &  W.'s  checks  on  the  Central  Bank  of  Brooklyn. 
I  also  find  entries  in  W.  &  W.'s  books  of  various  sums  of  money,  paid  in 
checks  on  the  Central  Bank  of  Brooklyn  to  W.  D.,  C.  B.,  C.  J.  B.,  and  E.  M. 
B.,  acting  ensign  United  States  Navy.  It  is  alleged  that  the  money  was  paid 
to  the  B.'s  for  procuring  special  orders  for  the  shipment  of  boys  in  the  navy. 
The  testimony  of  D.,  S.,  and  T.,  shows  that  large  sums  of  money  were  paid  to 
Captain  B.,  of  the  navy.  This  statement  is  confirmed  by  entries  in  the  books 
of  W.  &  TV.,  which  show  that  Captain  B.  did  receive  said  money.  The  books 


410  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  W.  &  W.  also  show  that  one  W.,  who  was  Captain  or  Lieutenant  G.'s 
clerk,  received  various  suras  of  money,  the  entries  being  made  in  the  name  of 
W.  &  G.  During  a  period  of  six  months,  the  books  of  W.  &  W.  show  that 
not  less  than  five  thousand  dollars  was  paid  to  Commander  B.  There  is  no 
evidence,  however,  to  show  for  what  purpose  this  money  was  paid.  The 
inference  is  that  Commander  B.  was  sharing  the  profit^of  some  fraud  perpe 
trated  in  connection  with  naval  enlistments. 

There  is  abundance  of  evidence  to  show  that  one  S.  (first  name  not 
known),  a  gatekeeper  at  the  Navy  Yard,  received  from  ten  to  twenty  dollars 
per  day,  from  W.  &  W.  and  others,  for  procuring  special  orders,  and  other 
favors  shown  to  said  brokers ;  such  as  admitting  them  and  their  runners  into 
the  yard  at  all  times. 

The  above  is  but  a  very  brief  outline  of  the  testimony  that  can  be  pro 
duced  against  the  parties  referred  to. 

I  some  weeks  since  received,  through  your  department,  a  communication 
from  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  or  his  Solicitor,  Mr.  C. ;  said  commu 
nication  giving  me  permission  to  arrest  these  officers.  Being  an  officer  of  the 
War  Department,  and  subject  to  its  orders,  I  cannot  assume  the  responsibility 
of  making  any  arrests,  particularly  in  the  Navy  Department,  without  written 
orders  from  either  the  Secretary  of  War  or  Provost-Marshal  General. 

Respectfully  yours, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

I  found  in  possession  of  F.,  D.,  and  J.  D.,  eight  hundred  and  ninety  forged 
shipping  receipts,  or  receipts  purporting  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  eight 
hundred  and  ninety  enlisted  men  received  on  board  the  receiving-ship  Savan 
nah.  These  receipts  were  seized.  On  examining  the  books  of  the  receiving- 
ship  Savannah,  it  was  found  that  not  one  man  represented  by  those  receipts  was 
ever  on  board  of  said  ship,  and  of  course  could  not  have  entered  the  service. 
On  taking  possession  of  the  books  of  the  York  Street  naval  rendezvous,  I 
found  a  large  number  of  receipts  signed  in  blank;  these,  or  similar  ones,  were 
used  by  F.  and  D.  Other  forged  papers  were  made  out  from  these  receipts, 
and  the  counties  of  Lewis,  Washington,  and  Ilerkimer,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  got  credit  for  them.  From  a  careful  examination  of  the  books  of  the 
different  naval  rendezvous  in  New  York,  Brooklyn,  and  Jersey  City,  which 
of  course  purport  to  show  the  exact  number  of  naval  enlistments,  for  the 
month  of  February,  1865,  shows  that  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-four  men  were  enlisted,  while  the  books  of  the  receiving-ship  show 
that  but  two  thousand  and  eighty-one  were  received,  leaving  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  ninety-three  unaccounted  for.  To  make  a  just  distinction 
between  the  volunteer  and  regular  recruiting  depots  in  New  York  and  vicinity, 
I  desire  to  state  that  there  was  by  far  a  less  proportion  of  desertions  from  the 
volunteer  rendezvous  than  from  the  regular  rendezvous.  My  investigations 
having  fully  developed  the  extent  and  enormity  of  desertions,  I  was  very 
desirous,  if  possible,  to  break  it  up,  or  at  least  diminish  it.  With  this  object 
in  view,  I  consulted  you,  and  it  was  finally  decided  to  opeu  a  recruiting  depot 


A  RECRUITING  DEPOT.  411 

in  Hoboken,  New  Jersey,  where  professional  bounty  jumpers  only  would  be 
allowed  to  enlist  and  desert.  This  plan  was  adopted  and  carried  out,  and  the 
result  communicated  in  an  official  report  to  your  bureau. 

As  my  action,  as  well  as  your  own,  in  connection  with  this  particular 
matter,  has  for  months  been  the  subject  of  much  newspaper  comment,  result 
ing  in  the  finding  of  indictments  against  myself  (the  suit  since,  however, 
abandoned),  I  feel  it  a  duty  I  owe  myself,  as  well  as  a  defense  of  your  official 
action  in  the  case,  that  all  the  facts  concerning  this  Hoboken  case  should  be 
made  a  part  of  this  report. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  report,  I  refer  to  one  T.  A.,  with  whom  I  had 
arranged  to  assist  and  furnish  information,  &c.  Up  to  this  time,  I  had  never 
known  T.  A. ;  did  not  know  even  that  there  was  such  a  person  in  existence  ; 
had  never  heard  of  his  partners  R.  and  H.,  and  did  not  know  that  he  had  any. 
My  first  knowledge  of  M.  C.  S.  was,  I  believe,  in  18C3  or  1864,  when  he,  S., 
was  in  some  way  connected  with  the  sale  of  newspapers  in  the  Arrny  of 
the  Potomac.  I  did  not  understand  that  M.  0.  S.  was  in  any  way  connected 
witli  the  substitute  or  bounty-brokerage  business.  At  the  time  I  first  met 
and  conferred  with  A.  on  the  subject,  S.  was  present,  and  did  make  many 
suggestions  to  me,  as  to  how  the  investigation  should  be  conducted,  assuring 
me  of  A.'s  good  faith,  &c.  Before  any  positive  agreement  was  made  with 
A.,  he,  A.,  at  my  suggestion,  came  to  Washington,  and  conferred  with  you. 
See  my  letter  of  May  6th. 

After  it  was  decided  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  services  of  A.,  I  positively 
and  distinctly  informed  him,  on  two  or  three  occasions,  that  he,  A.,  would  not 
be  permitted  to  make  any  money  out  of  his  connection  with  the  investigation 
about  to  be  instituted.  Some  days  after  the  occurrence  of  the  above  facts, 
A.  introduced  me  to  his  partners,  H.  and  R.,  who  had  apparently  been  in 
formed  by  A.  of  his  arrangement  with  you  and  myself.  About  the  2d  of 
February,  I  made  the  first  arrest  of  these  alleged  bounty  brokers.  A.,  II.,  R., 
and  often  S.,  were  in  my  room  in  conference  with  me  concerning  the  alleged 
fraudulent  transactions  of  other  brokers  and  recruiting  agents  until,  I  think, 
about  the  middle  of  February,  when  I  received  a  telegram  from  the  Provost- 
Marshal  General  to  report  to  him  at  Washington.  Arriving  there  the  follow 
ing  day,  I  learned  that  you  desired  that  I  should  take  some  immediate  and 
summary  steps  for  the  arrest  of  that  large  number  of  deserters,  professional 
bounty  jumpers,  &c.  We  talked  the  matter  over,  but  failed  to  fix  upon  any 
definite  plan.  I  was  directed  by  you  to  confer  with  Brigadier-General 
H.,  then  in  command  of  the  recruiting  service  in  New  York  city.  See  fol 
lowing  dispatch : — 

WAR  DEPARTMKXT.  ) 

PROVOST-MAF.SHAL  GKNEKAL'S  UttRKAtr,  V 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  February  1, 18G5.  ) 

Col.  L.  C.  BAKER,  No.  54  William  Street,  Room  29,  New  York  City:— 

I  have  arranged  to  send  a  company  to  General  II.  I  desire  you  to 
see  General  II.,  and  arrange  with  him  for  the  arrest  of  deserters,  in  accordance 
with  the  conversation  I  had  with  you  when  here. 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FKY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 


412  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

I  returned  to  New  York  the  following  day,  saw  General  FT.,  and  sub 
mitted  plans ;  which  was  to  open  a  recruiting  office  somewhere  in  the  vicinity 
of  New  York  City,  arid  with  the  assistance  of  the  bounty  brokers  above 
referred  to,  who  were  supposed  to  know  these  professional  jumpers  and  the 
best  measures  by  which  they  can  be  captured.  We  finally  decided  to  open 
the  recruiting  office  at  Hoboken,  New  Jersey.  I  submitted  my  plan,  in  all 
its  details,  to  you,  who  approved  it,  and  selected  Lieutenant-Colonel  I.,  Four 
teenth  United  States  Infantry,  as  recruiting  and  mustering  officer,  as  will 
appear  from  Special  Orders  Nos.  16  and  14,  and  the  following  letters  from 
General  H. : — 

HEADQUARTERS  GENERAL  RECRUITING  SEE  VICE, 

No.  24  EAST  FOURTH  STRKET. 
NEW  YORK  CITT,  February  18,  1SC5. 

[SPECIAL  ORDER  No.  16.] 

Captain  G.  L,  Fourteenth  Infantry,  recruiting  officer  at  New  York  City, 
will  open  a  branch  rendezvous  at  Hoboken,  New  Jersey,  without  delay. 

The  Regimental  Superintendent  Fourteenth  United  States  Infantry  will 
increase  his  party  for  that  purpose,  if  necessary. 
By  order  of  General  COOKE. 

(Signed)  R.  T.  FRANK, 

Capt.  and  A.  A.  Adjutant-General. 

OFFICE  ACTING  ASSISTANT  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL,  | 
SOUTHERN  DIVISION  OF  NEW  YOBK.  ) 

[SPECIAL  ORDER  No.  41 — Extract.] 

****** 
IV.  By  special  authority  from  the  War  Department,  Brevet  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  G.  L,  United  States  Army,  in  addition  to  his  present  duties,  is  tem 
porarily  assigned  to  duty  as  mustering  officer  at  Hoboken,  New  Jersey,  and 
will  muster  volunteer  recruits  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  at  that 
place. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  I.  will  make  such  arrangements  for  the  temporary 
quarters  of  the  recruits  as  may  be  necessary. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  I.  will  be  subject  to  orders  from  this  office,  pursuant 
to  directions  from  the  office  of  the  Provost-Marshal-General. 
By  command  of  Brigadier-General  HENKS. 

(Signed)  H.  T.  BROWNSON, 

Acting  Adjutant-General. 


r  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GKNERAL,  ") 
ITEER  RECRUITING  SERVICE, 
«*  DIVISION  OF  NEW  YORK.        ( 
NEW  YORK,  February  '27, 1S65.  J 


OFFICE  ACTING  ASSISTANT  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GKNERAL, 
AND  SUPT.  VOLUNTEER 
SOUTHEIUV 


Colonel  BAKER: — 

Will  you  please  to  give  me  the  full  name,  rank,  and  corps  of  Colonel  I., 
that  I  may  issue  the  necessary  orders  to  put  him  on  duty  under  authority 
from  this  office. 

If  Colonel  I.  is  now  at  hand,  it  perhaps  will  be  well  to  send  him  to  my 
office  for  a  consultation. 


AFFAIRS   AT   HOBOKEN.  413 

I  inclose  you  a  letter  from  the  Provost-Marshal  General,  received  this 
morning,  which  you  will  please  return  by  bearer. 

I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  EDWARD  W.  HINKS, 

Brigadier-General,  &c. 

OFFICE  A.  A.  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL  "I 

AND   SUI'T.  VOLUNTEER    RECRUITING   SERVICE.  ! 
SOUTHERN    DIVISION    OF    NEW    Y<)KK, 

NEW  YOUK,  February  27,  16G5.  j 

COLONEL : — 

I  have  just  issued  orders  assigning  Lieutenant-Colonel  I.  to  duty  as  Mus 
tering  Officer  at  Hoboken,  which  will  obviate  the  difficulty  which  you  suggest. 
Lieutenant  W.  does  not  report  to  duty  at  these  headquarters. 

Yours,  &c., 
(Signed)  EDWARD  TV.  PIiNKs, 

Brigadier-General,  &c. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  WOOL,          j 
NEW  YORK  HARBOB,  March  9,  1S65.  j 

[SPECIAL  ORDERS  No.  12.] 

Pursuant  to  Special  Orders  No.  43,  from  Headquarters  United  States 
Troops,  City  and  Harbor  of  New  York,  of  this  date,  First  Lieutenant  J.  B.  II., 
Sixth  Infantry,  commanding  pen  party,  and  two  sergeants,  two  corporals,  and 
forty  (40)  men  of  his  company,  will  immediately  proceed  to  New  York  City, 
and  report  to  Colonel  Baker,  Special  Agent  War  Department,  at  No.  54  Wil 
liam  Street,  New  York  City,  for  special  duty. 

The  quartermaster's  department  will  furnish  the  necessary  transportation. 
(Signed)  CHARLES  J.  MERCHANT, 

Colonel  United  States  Army  Commanding  Post. 

Pursuant  to  these  orders.  Colonel  I.  opened  said  recruiting  rendezvous 
about  March  1,  being  furnished  with  the  necessary  guard,  as  shown  by  the 
following  orders: — 

OFFICE  A.  A.  PROVOST-MARSHAL  GKNEI-.AL,    ) 

SOUTHERN  DIVISION  OF  NKW  YORK,        '- 

NEW  YORK,  February  23,  18G5.  \ 

[SPECIAL  ORDER  No.  41 — Extracts.] 

****** 
V.  Lieutenant  G.  W.  L.,  commanding  Company  B,  Third  Regiment  Veteran 
Eeserve   Corps,  will  detail   one    non-commissioned    officer   and   twenty-four 
privates  to  report  to    Brevet    Lieutenant-Colonel  G.  L,  United  States  Army, 
Mustering  Officer  at  Hoboken,  New  Jersey,  for  duty  as  guards  to  recruits. 
The  quartermaster's  department  will  furnish  the  necessary  transportation. 
****** 

By  command  of  Brigadier-General  HINKS. 

(Signed)  II.  T.  BROWXSON-, 

Acting  Adjutant-General. 

Some  days  after  Colonel  I.  began  recruiting  at  Hoboken,  he  applied  tr 


414  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE.        • 

know  where  he  should  credit  his  recruits.  I  informed  him  he  had  better  get 
his  orders  from  headquarters,  as  I  suggested,  and  the  same  evening  received 
the  following  order  :- 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  March  4, 18G5. 

To  Captain  H.  J.  MILLS,  Provost-Marshal  Fifth  District,  N.  J. : — 

Until  otherwise  ordered,  yon  are  directed  to  allow  credit  for  such  men  as 
Lieutenant-Colonel  I.,  Captain  Fourteenth  United  States  Infantry,  certifies  to 
you  as  enlisted  by  him.  He  is  recruiting  at  lloboken.  Inform  Colonel  E.  of 
this  order. 

This  command  is  special  and  confidential. 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FRY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 

Soon  after  the  reception  of  this  order  by  Colonel  I.,  a  number  of  gentle 
men,  unknown  to  me,  called  at  my  office  and  desired  to  know  if  the  credits 
for  enlistments  made  by  Colonel  I.  at  the  lloboken  office  were  all  right;  that 
they  were  supervisors  or  agents  for  some  localities  in  New  Jersey  to  fill  their 
quota;  that  they  had  purchased  these  credits  from  the  brokers,  A.  R.  &  Co., 
but  would  not  pay  for  them  until  they  had  seen  me.  I  replied,  "  Yes,"  refer 
ring,  of  course,  only  to  those  enlistments  made  by  Colonel  I.  previous  to 
Mi*rch  10. 

The  manner  and  circumstances  under  which  these  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
three  bounty-jumpers  or  deserters  were  captured  is  so  well  known  to  the 
public  that  I  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  detail  it  here ;  that  the  plan  arranged 
by  General  Fry  and  myself,  assisted  by  General  II.,  as  to  the  manner  of  cap 
ture  and  subsequent  disposition  of  those  deserters,  was  ordered,  directed, 
sanctioned,  and  approved  by  both  the  military  authorities  at  Washington  and 
New  York,  is,  I  think,  so  plainly  proved  by  the  following  and  before-men 
tioned  telegrams  and  correspondence,  that  further  comment  on  this  subject  is 
unnecessary.  On  the  evening  that  the  jumpers  were  arrested  I  asked  you  to 
direct  what  should  be  done  with  them  ;  you  at  once  answered  ine  as  follows: — 


WAR  DEPARTMENT. 
PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BCRK/ 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  March  11,  1SC5. 


:KATT,  v 
S65.    \ 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  Astor  House,  New  York : — 

Major-General  H.  directs  that  the  bounty  jumpers  and  deserters  arrested 
by  you  will  be  confined  in  Fort  Lafayette,  for  which  the  prisoners  now  con 
fined  there  are  to  be  removed  to  Fort  Warren  and  Fort  Delaware. 
1  have  communicated  the  information  to  Major-General  Dix. 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FRY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 


In  reply  to  which  Major-General  Dix  writes  the  following: — 

DQtTARTERS,  DEPARTMENT   OF 

tf  KW  YORK  CITY,  March  11,  1665. 


HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EAST,  ) 


Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER  : — 

SIR— I  have  received  General  Fry's  dispatch,  and  have  requested  to  have 
it  repealed,  as  I  think  there  is  some  mistake  in  it. 


DESERTERS  AT  FORT  LAFAYETTE.  435 

Fort  Lafayette  will  have  to  be  cleared  of  the  prisoners  there  before  the 
bounty  jumpers  can  be  received.  I  shall  telegraph  Colonel  B.  at  once  and 
ascertain  when  he  can  receive  them.  In  the  mean  time  I  see  no  alternative 
but  to  keep  them  on  the  transport. 

Respectfully  yours, 

Jonx  A.  Dix,  Major-General. 

On  reception  of  this  letter  from  General  Dix,  I  telegraphed  you  as  fol 
lows: — 

NEW  YORK,  March  11, 13G5. 

Brigadier-General  JAMES  B.  FRY,  Provost-Marshal  General : — 

I  have  this  moment  received  a  communication  from  General  Dix,  stating 
that  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  receive  the  bounty  jumpers  referred  to  in  my 
dispatch  of  this  morning;  that  there  is  no  room  either  at  Governor's  or  Hart's 
Island;  that  both  places  are  filled  to  their  utmost  capacity.  I  do  not  deem  it 
safe  to  forward  these  jumpers  to  any  point  unless  securely  ironed.  Should 
you  decide  to  send  them  either  to  the  front  or  to  Fort  Warren,  at  least  two 
hundred  men  should  be  detailed  to  guard  them. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  War  Department. 

Still  failing  to  obtain  the  requisite  order  for  the  disposition  of  the  jumpers, 
then  at  the  Hoboken  rendezvous,  I  started  for  Washington  on  the  evening  of 
March  12,  to  lay  the  matter  before  you.  On  arriving  at  New  Brunswick,  I 
received  the  following  telegram  : — 

NEW  YORK,  March  12, 1865. 

To  Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER  : — 

I  have  General  Dix's  order  to  transfer  prisoners.  Shall  I  do  so  ?  Please 
answer.  THOMAS  BOWLES. 

ASTOR  HorsE. 

I  immediately  directed  them  to  be  removed  to  Fort  Lafayette  that  night, 
and  they  were  so  removed,  as  appears  from  the  following  receipt: — 

FORT  LAFAYETTE,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 

Received  of  Lieutenant  J.  B.  R.,  Sixth  Regiment  Infantry,  one  hundred 
and  seventy-six  (bounty  jumpers)  recruits  and  seventeen  brokers,  and  ninety- 
six  pair  handcuffs. 

(Signed)  MARTIN  BURKE, 

Lt.-Col.  N.  Y.  A.  Commanding  Post. 

It  is  true  I  knew  of  your  order  of  4th  March,  directing  Colonel  I.  to  make 
credits,  but  I  did  not  suppose,  for  one  moment,  that  he  intended  accompany 
ing  order  to  credit  them,  neither  did  I  know  that  the  credits  had  been  made, 
until  some  days  after  the  transaction,  as  will  appear  from  the  following  letter 
to  you. 

NEW  YORK,  March  16, 1S65. 

Brigadier-General  JAMES  B.  FRY,  Washington,  D.  C. : — 

SIR — Since  the  capture  of  the  bounty  jumpers  at  Hoboken  repeated  appli- 


416  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

cations  have  been  made  to  me  to  have  said  jumpers  credited  to  the  State  of 
New  Jersey.  Colonel  L,  the  mustering  officer,  applied  to  me  before  going 
to  Washington,  last  week,  to  make  application  to  you  to  have  said  jumpers  so 
credited.  I  informed  him  that  I  did  not  think  these  men  could  or  would  be 
credited,  advising  him  (Colonel  1.)  to  apply  to  you  for  the  requisite  instruc 
tions  or  permission.  On  Tuesday  last,  while  in  Washington,  and  after  my 
conversation  with  you  on  the  subject  referred  to  above,  I  received  a  telegram 
from  Colonel  L,  requesting  me  to  obtain  permission  to  make  these  credits. 
This  telegram  I  made  no  reply  to.  On  my  return  to  New  York,  yesterday 
morning,  I  heard  that  Colonel  I.  had  made  the  credits.  I  sent  for  him,  and 
asked  him  by  whose  order  or  direction  he  had  done  so.  He  referred  me  to 
your  telegram  of  March  11,  addressed  to  Captain  H.  J.  M.,  provost-marshal 
at  Newark,  for  his  authority.  I  informed  him  (Colonel  I.)  that  I  did  not 
think  that  you  intended,  by  the  telegram  referred  to,  to  convey  any  order  or 
authority  to  Captain  M.  to  credit  bounty  jumpers  or  deserters;  that  your  tele 
gram  was  intended  to  only  authorize  the  crediting  of  such  enlisted  men  as 
were  regularly  and  legitimately  enlisted  previous  to  the  Friday  on  which  it 
was  understood  that  none  but  jumpers  and  deserters  were  to  be  enlisted.  I 
have  advised  Colonel  I.  to  go  to  Washington  to-night,  and  to  make  such 
explanation  in  reference  to  this  matter  as  you  may  require.  These  explana 
tions,  I  trust,  will  be  satisfactory. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully  yours, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKEE, 

Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  War  Department. 

As  suggested  in  the  above  communication,  Colonel  I.  went  to  Washing 
ton  and  conferred  with  you,  the  result  of  which  was  the  issuing  of  the  follow 
ing  orders : — 

l:\ 

Brevet  Lieut.-Col.  GUIDO  ILGES,  U.  S.  A.,  Mustering  Officer,  Hoboken,  N.  J. : — 
COLONEL — I  am  directed  by  the  Provost-Marshal  General  to  inform  you 
that  the  credits  of  the  men  mustered  by  you  March  11,  1865,  at  Hoboken, 
New  Jersey,  and  credited  to  Jersey  City  at  large,  are  disallowed,  and  that 
you  will  refund  the  money  to  the  parties  who  advanced  it. 
I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  W.  O., 

Capt.  Fifth  U.  S.  Cav.  and  A.  A.  G. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

PROVOST-MAKSUAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  MarcJi  23, 1865. 

3t.  Lieut.-Col.  G.  L,  U.  S.  A.,  163  Hester  St.,  N.  Y.:— 

COLONEL — I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  communi 
cation  of  the  21st  instant,  and,  in  reply,  would  state  that  the  communication 
of  the  19th  instant,  referred  to,  was  intended  to  cover  the  cases  of  the  one 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GKNKRAI/R  BCRKATT, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  March  19,  1865. 


THE  HOBOKEN  ARRESTS.  417 

hundred  and  eighty -three,  so  called,  bounty  jumpers ;  and  that  the  amount, 
which  you  received  for  the  purpose  of  paying  bounty  to  these  one  hundred 
and  eighty-three,   so   called,   bounty  jumpers,    the   Provost-Marshal  General 
directs  be  refunded  to  the  parties  who  are  entitled  to  it. 
I  am,  Colocel,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  W.  O., 

Capt.  Fifth  U.  S.  Cav.  and  A.  A.  A.  Gen. 

I  have  been  charged  with  conspiring  with  these  brokers  here  to  defraud 
New  Jersey,  by  representing  to  Mayor  C.,  and  others,  that  the  credits  of 
Colonel  I.  were  all  fight,  thereby  inducing  Mayor  C.  to  pay  over  a  large  sum 
of  money  to  said  brokers.  That  after  said  money  was  paid  you  revoked  the 
orders  for  these  credits.  That  after  General  Fry  had  placed  in  my  hands 
orders  for  the  arrest  of  said  brokers,  I  allowed  them  to  escape,  or  refused  to 
execute  said  order.  Without  attempting  any  explanation  or  defense  against 
these  allegations,  I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  following: — 

As  soon  as  I  heard  that  A.,  R.  &  Co.  were  demanding  from  Colonel  I.  the 
fifty-four  thousand  nine  hundred  dollars,  I  sent  for  Colonel  I.,  and,  in  the 
most  positive  terms,  directed  him  not  to  pay  to  said  A.,  R.  &  Co.  the  said 
fifty-four  thousand  nine  Jmndred  dollars  without  positive  written  orders  from 
you.  Such  orders  were  received,  however,  being  those  referred  to  above,  of 
March  19  and  23.  On  March  24  I  received  the  following  telegram  : — 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  March  24, 


UREATT,  V 

i,  1S65.  f 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  No.  12  Vesey  Street,  New  York:— 

I  have  been  informed  by  T.  A.,  of  New  York,  that  Colonel  I.  declines  to 
turn  over  the  money  received  from  the  bounty  jumpers,  as  directed  by  me  on 
the  llth  instant.  I  wish  you  to  see  Colonel  L,  and  have  him  turn  over  this 
money,  as  directed. 

(Signed)  v  JAMES  B.  FEY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 

This  telegram  was  sent  because  I  had  directed  Colonel  I.  not  to  pay  the 
fifty-four  thousand  nine  hundred  dollars  to  A.,  R.  &  Co.  When  I  sent  for 
Colonel  I.,  and  showed  him  this  dispatch,  he  said,  I  have  just  paid  the  money 
to  A.,  mentioning,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  considered  it  a  great  outrage 
against  Jersey  City,  who  w"as  being  swindled  by  these  brokers.  I  remarked, 
that  I  had  done  all  in  my  power  to  prevent  it ;  that  I  had  paid  not  only  the 
fifty-four  thousand  nine  hundred  dollars,  but  was  ordered  to  do  so  by  telegram 
from  Washington.  On  the  26th  of  March  I  wrote  you  as  follows:— 

OFFICE  SPECIAL  AGENCY  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
NEW  YOKK,  Marcli  26,  1865.  f 

Brig.-Gen.  JAMES  B.  FRY,  Pro.-Mar.  Gen.  U.  S.,  Washington,  D.  C.  :— 

SIR — I  was  waited  upon  yesterday  by  Mayor  C.,  of  Jersey  City,  who  had 
obtained  credits  for  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  bounty  jumpers,  enlisted  at 
Hoboken  on  the  10th.  instant. 


418  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

There  seemed  to  be  much  bad  feeling  against  the  mayor,  on  the  part  of  the 
citizens  of  Jersey  City,  with  reference  to  this  matter.  It  appears  that  the 
mayor  had  assured  the  recruiting  committee  of  Jersey  City  that  he  (the  mayor) 
had  received  positive  assurances,  from  both  Colonel  Baker  and  Colonel  L,  that 
the  credits  referred  to  would  be  all  right,  if  obtained.  This  representation,  so  far 
as  it  refers  to  rne,  was  entirely  unwarranted  on  the  part  of  Mayor  C.  Imme 
diately  prior  to  the  capture  of  the  bounty  jumpers,  Mayor  C.  wrote  to  me  in 
reference  to  certain  credits  which  he  had  purchased,  or  was  about  to  pur 
chase,  from  the  bounty  brokers,  A.,  R.  &  Co.  I  informed  Mayor  C.  that  he 
had  better  pay  no  money  to  the  brokers,  or  any  one  else,  until  the  case  (re 
ferring  to  the  capture  of  the  bounty  jumpers)  was  fully  developed  ;  neither 
had  I  any  knowledge  or  intimation  that  these  credits  were  made  until  so 
informed  by  Colonel  L,  after,  or  about  the  time  the  bounty  jumpers  were 
sent  to  the  fort. 

The  case,  as  it  now  stands,  seems  to  be  one  of  exceeding  hardship  for  the 
tax-payers  and  citizens  of  Jersey  City,  having  paid  their  money  for  what  they 
supposed  to  be  real  credits.  I  spoke  with  Colonel  L,  in  compliance  with 
your  order  by  telegraph,  respecting  the  fifty-four  thousand  nine  hundred  dol 
lars  retained  by  him  belonging  to  the  brokers.  Colonel  I.  informed  me  that 
the  amount  was  returned  yesterday  to  the  parties  from  whom  he  received  it. 

Mayor  C.  and  ex-Governor  N.,  I  am  informed,  g%  to  Washington  to-mor 
row  for  the  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  get  the  credits  through.  If  any  thing 
can  be  done  to  relieve  the  mayor  from  his  present  position  I  hope  that  it  will 
be  done,  for  I  believe  the  mayor  to  be  an  honest  man,  although,  owing 
to  his  anxiety  to  fill  his  quota,  he  has  acted  very  hastily,  and  with  very  little 
discretion. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

On  the  29th  of  March  I  received  the  following  communication  from 
you: — 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ) 

PROVOST-MARSHAL  GKNERAI/S  BUREAU,  > 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  March  29,  1S65.      ) 

COLONEL : — 

By  the  course  of  things  in  reference  to  the  bounty  jumpers  taken  at  Hobo- 
ken,  Mayor  C.,  of  Jersey  City,  is  placed  in  a  very  unfortunate  position.  If 
possible,  he  should  be  relieved  from  it.  Under  date  of  March  23d,  I  directed 
Colonel  I.  to  return  the  money  in  his  possession  to  the  parties  who  advanced 
it  as  bounties  for  these  men,  the  credit  for  them  being  disallowed,  and  the 
money  still  in  his  possession.  It  seems  that  under  this  order,  repeatedly  tele 
graphed  to  you,  on  the  20th  of  March  Colonel  I.  had  delivered  the  money  in 
whole  or  part  to  T.  A.,  broker,  and  perhaps  to  some  other  brokers,  and  that 
Mayor  C.  is  unable  to  gain  possession  of  it.  The  proper  method  of  disposing 
of  this  business  has  all  the  time  seemed  to  me  plain  enough ;  it  is  this,  to 
allow  no  credits  for  the  bounty  jumpers — men  who  have  already  been  enlist 
ed  and  credited  several  times  over— but  to  credit  any,  if  there  be  any,  who 
are  bona-fide  recruits,  and  not  jumpers ;  to  return  to  the  town  authorities  all 


DIFFICULTIES  IX  JERSEY   CITY.  419 

the  money  they  advanced  on  account  of  men  whom  we  do  not  credit.  I  in 
tended  my  orders  to  carry  out  the  above  views,  but  it  seems  that  the  money 
advanced  by  Jersey  City  has  been  returned  to  A.,  the  broker;  perhaps  it  was 
turned  over  to  Colonel  I.,  through  A.,  and  on  tnis  account  he  returns  it  in  the 
same  way.  However  that  may  be,  A.  should  return  the  money  to  Jersey 
City,  and  I  desire  you  to  see  A.  and  tell  him  so.  Neither  he  nor  any  one  else 
has  any  right  to  profit  in  this  matter.  All  necessary  expenses  connected  with 
the  arrest  of  these  jumpers,  and  the  enlistment  of  such  as  are  proper  recruits, 
must  be  paid  by  the  United  States,  so  that  there  is  no  loss  for  individuals  in 
the  case. 

Please  report  to  me  as  soon  as  practicable  on  the  adjustment  of  this  affair 
You  had  better  send  for  Mayor  Cleveland  also. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FEY, 

Provost- Marshal  General. 
To  L.  C.  BAKER,  12  Yesey  Street,  New  York  City. 

I  had  made  so  many  demands  upon  A.,  R.  &  Co.,  as  required  by  General 
Fry's  orders,  that  they  became  frightened,  and  about  April  4th  or  5th,  I 
learned  that  J.  H.,  one  of  the  said  firm,  had  fled  to  Canada.  On  the  6th  of 
April,  I  sent  the  following  telegram  to  you : — 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,      ) 
NBW  YORK,  April  6, 1865.  j 

Brigadier-General  JAMES  B.  FRY,  Provost-Marshal  General : — 

II.,  one  of  the  partners  of  A.,  H.,  &  R.,  I  am  informed,  has  left  for  Canada. 
I  fear  A.  and  R.  will  go,  unless  arrested.  They  will  not  give  up  the  money. 
If  you  desire  to  arrest  them,  send  the  order  to  General  D.,  and  that  officer 
will  commit  them  to  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  War  Department. 

In  reply  to  which  I  received  the  following  answer : — 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  April  6, 1865. 

Col.  L.  C.  BAKER,  12  Yesey  Street  :— 

Report  to  me  in  person,  in  this  city,  and  bring  A.  and  R.  with  you. 

JAMES  B.  FRY, 
Provost-Marshal  General. 

I  immediately  directed  a  search  to  be  made  for  A.  and  R.,  but  could  not 
find  them.  On  the  Vth  of  April  I  received  the  following  communication  from 
you: — 

AU,  V 

Col.  L.  C.  BAKER,  Special  Agent  War  Department : — 

COLONEL — In  the  prosecution  of  the  investigation  of  the  frauds  con 
nected  with  the  recruiting  service  in  New  York,  a  proposition  was  made 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

PROVOBT-MARSFIAL  GENERAL'S  BUREAU 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  April  6,  1865, 


420         UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

by  Mr.  T.  A.,  of  the  firm  of  A.,  R.  &  Co.,  substitute  brokers,  of  the  city  of 
New  York,  to  co-operate  with  you,  under  ray  orders,  in  order  to  develop 
the  frauds  practised  by  substitute  brokers,  and  other  guilty  parties,  connected 
with  the  raising  of  troops,  which  proposition  was  accepted,  and  his  services 
secured. 

In  order  to  secure  the  arrest  of  a  large  number  ot  deserters,  who,  it  was 
understood,  had  several  times  enlisted  under  false  names,  and,  by  the  assist 
ance  of  substitute  brokers,  and  other  guilty  parties,  were  allowed  facilities 
for  escape,  it  was  determined  to  open  a  recruiting-office  at  Hoboken,  under 
the  charge  of  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel  Guido  Ilges,  U.  S.  A.,  with  the 
understanding  that  the  substitute  brokers  should  be  informed  that  at  this 
office  deserters  might  be  enlisted  and  suffered  to  escape. 

In  order  to  carry  out  this  plan,  T.  A.  undertook  to  induce  parties  having 
charge  of  fraudulent  recruiting,  to  bring  forward  their  deserters  and  so- 
called  bounty  jumpers  for  enlistment,  and  succeeded  in  securing  one  hundred 
and  eighty-three  deserters,  who  were  enlisted  in  due  form,  and  promptly 
arrested. 

It  appears  that  Hon.  O.  C.,  Mayor  of  Jersey  City,  had  previously  to,  or 
about  the  time,  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  firm  of  A..  R.  &  Co.,  for  the 
purchase  of  substitutes,  or  recruits,  to  fill  the  quota  of  Jersey  City,  and  under 
this  contract,  Mr.  T.  A.,  of  the  firm  of  A.,  R.  &  Co.,  received  from  Hon.  O. 
C.  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars,  or  nearly  that  amount, 
on  the  representation  of  A.,  R.  A.  &  Co.,  or  of  T.  A.,  that  the  deserters,  or 
bounty  jumpers,  so  called,  were  actual  and  ~bona  fide  recruits,  and  would  be 
credited  to  Jersey  City,  when  in  fact  it  was  well  known  to  A.  that  the  enlist 
ment  of  these  deserters  was  only  a  means  of  securing  their  arrest  and  return 
to  the  army,  and  of  exposing  the  frauds  of  their  accomplices. 

This  money  having  been  paid  A.,  while  he  was  co-operating  with  the 
officers  of  the  Government,  and  being  a  part  of  the  transaction  then  going  on, 
should  not  be  converted  to  A.'s  private  use.  You  are,  therefore,  directed  to 
demand  of  A.,  R.  &  Co.,  and  of  T.  A.,  the  entire  amount  of  money  received 
by  him  or  them  from  Hon.  0.  C.,  on  this  account ;  and  if  he  or  they  refuse  to 
return  the  same,  you  will,  in  accordance  with  the  orders  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  arrest  T.  A.,  R.,  and  each  and  all  of  his  confederates  in  this 
affair,  and  place  them  in  confinement  in  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  in  this  city, 
until  the  same  is  fully  paid. 

In  the  mean  time,  you  will  use  all  due  precautions  to  prevent  A.,  R.  &  Co. 
from  disposing  of  the  money,  and  you  will  take  such  steps  as  will  recover  the 
same,  if  in  their  possession,  or  held  by  any  other  person,  or  corporation. 
I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FUY,  «. 

Provost-Marshal  General. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  above  communication  from  you,  under  date 
of  A};ril  6  (but  not  received  until  the  7th),  contained  an  order  for  the  arrest 
of  A.,  H.,  R.,  and  their  confederates ;  and  further,  that  said  order  was  issued 


ORDER   OF  ARREST— ESCAPE.  421 

nt  my  special  request,  and  fearing  that  my  detectives  might  not  find  the  par 
ties.  I  requested  the  order  to  be  sent  to  Major-General  D.  also. 

Immediately  on  reception  of  this  order,  every  available  man  attached  to 
my  force  was  sent  in  search  of  the  parties.  I  had  the  residences  and  places 
of  resort  strictly  guarded.  Hearing  that  they  intended  to  escape  into  Canada, 
I  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the  police  authorities  at  the  following  named 
places:  Buffalo,  Niagara  Falls,  Rouse's  Point,  and  Ogdensburgh. 

NEW  YORK,  April  7, 1865. 

To  Chief  of  Police  :— 

Arrest  P.  R.,  and  T.  A.  R.,  five  feet  five  inches  high,  light  hair,  high 
forehead,  long  and  very  large  nose,  light  moustache,  and  no  whiskers.  A., 
five  feet  six,  pale  complexion,  no  whiskers,  full  face,  and  good-looking;  wears 
large  single  stone  ring.  Escaping  to  Canada.  Will  pay  five  hundred  dollars 
for  arrest  of  either. 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  "War  Department. 

From  April  7th  to  the  15th,  diligent  search  was  made  for  the  brokers. 
But  having  learned  from  good  authority,  that  P.  R.  had  been  the  financial 
man  in  this  bounty-brokerage  firm ;  that  he  had  transacted  all  the  business, 
and  received  all  the  money  from  the  Jersey  City  authorities,  and  also  that  he 
still  held  it  in  his  possession,  undivided,  I  suggested  to  you  that  we  permit 
A,  to  return  to  New  York.  In  this  request  I  was  solely  actuated  by  the 
desire  to  obtain  possession  of  the  funds,  .knowing  well  that  the  only  way  to 
attain  this  object  was  to  hold  out  some  inducement  for  R.  to  return ;  by 
leaving  A.  undisturbed  would,  in  my  opinion,  accomplish  this.  I  conferred 
with  you  on  the  subject,  and  you  coincided  with  me.  The  order  for  the 
arrest  of  all  parties  was  still,  however,  in  force,  and  remained  so  until  pro 
ceedings  were  commenced  by  the  authorities  of  Jersey  City. 

I  still  believe  that,  had  A.  been  arrested,  the  money  would  not  have  been 
recovered,  for  it  was  in  R.'s  possession,  and  he  in  Europe. 

I  may  have  been  mistaken  in  this  policy,  but  I  still  think  it  was  rigjht 
under  the  then  existing  circumstances.  On  Saturday  morning,  April  15, 
I  received  the  following  dispatch  from  the  Secretary  of  War  : — 

WASHINGTON,  April  15, 1865. 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  No.  12  Yesey  Street,  New  York  : — 

Come  to  Washington  by  first  train,  and  bring  your  men  with  you. 
(Signed)  E.  M.  S. 

Secretary  of  War. 

The  terrible  event  which  called  forth  this  order,  is  still  fresh  in  the  minds 
of  the  American  people.  I  went  to  Washington,  and.  with  hundreds  of  others, 
was  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  the  assassins.  All  the  business  of  the  War 
Department,  and  its  subordinate  bureaus,  was  for  the  time  abandoned,  for 
gotten,  and  swallowed  up  in  the  one  great  object,  viz. :  capture  and  conviction 


422  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

of  the  murderers  of  the  President,  and  attempted  assassination  of  the  Secre 
tary  of  State.  How  myself  and  those  attached  to  my  bureau  were  employed 
from  April  15th  to  the  day  of  the  execution  of  the  assassins,  I  can  with  pride 
refer  to  the  records  of  the  Bureau  of  Military  Justice.  The  army  of  the 
so-called  Confederacy  had  surrendered,  the  rebellion  had  closed,  military  rule 
and  sway  were  relaxing,  arrests  of  citizens,  and  their  tnal  by  military  courts, 
were  thought  no  longer  necessary,  and  since  entirely  abandoned  by  the 
Government. 

During  the  time  referred  to  above,  I  did  not  see  any  of  the  brokers,  and 
did  not  visit  New  York,  and  seldom  heard  the  case  referred  to.  You,  as  well 
as  myself,  had  always  strenuously  opposed  allowing  these  credits,  claiming 
that  those  enlisted  at  Hoboken  were  deserters,  and  not  proper  subjects  for 
credits;  but  felt  it  our  duty  to  render  all  the  assistance  in  our  power  to  aid 
the  authorities  of  Jersey  City  in  receiving  back  their  money. 

As  appears  from  the  following  letter,  the  authorities  of  Jersey  City,  as 
early  as  May  last,  began  criminal  proceedings  against  A.,  II.,  and  R. : — 

OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  or  POI.TCK,      ) 
JJEBBKY  CITY,  N.  J.,  August  28, 1S65.  f 

GENERAL : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  a  statement  of  my  proceedings  in  the 
case  of  R.,  A.,  and  H. 

On  or  about  the  first  of  May  last,  Alderman  Q.,  late  Commissioner  of  the 
Board  of  Enrolment  in  this  district,  informed  me  that  the  city  had  been 
defrauded  out  of  considerable  money,  and  explained  how  it  was  done,  and 
told  me  that  he  had  consulted  with  the  United  States  Attorney,  Keasby,  also 
with  the  United  States  Commissioner,  Jackson,  and  was  anxious  to  get  the 
money  back  for  the  city,  and  said  the  best  method  was  to  take  the  principals 
under  the  United  States  law  for  defrauding  recruits  out  of  their  bounty,  and 
he  requested  my  assistance  as  chief  of  police.  Accordingly  we  procured 
about  twelve  or  fourteen  of  said  recruits,  and  the  clerk  of  these  swindlers,, 
took  them  before  Commissioner  N.  S.  J.,  and  procured  their  affidavits.  The 
commissioner,  deeming  the  evidence  sufficient,  issued  warrants  for  the  arrest 
of  the  principals,  also  some  of  the  runners,  which  warrants  are  in  the  hands 
of  the  detectives  of  Marshal  M.  and  Sergeant  Y.,  in  New  York  City. 

At  present  we  learn  that  R.  is  in  Europe,  and  H.  and  A.  are  in  Canada. 
H.  is  stopping  at  the  St.  Lawrence  Hotel,  Montreal ;  and  a  former  partner  of 
his,  one  M.  M.,  who  resides  at  No.  131  Bleecker  Street,  New  York  City,  has 
in  his  possession,  or  banked  in  his  name,  the  sum  of  fifty-three  thousand  dol 
lars  ($53,000),  belonging  to  said  H.,  being  a  part  of  his  proceeds  in  the  Ilobo- 
ken  transaction,  belonging  to  Jersey  City.  This  information  is  received  ffom 
the  National  Express  Company  of  New  York  City,  who  turned  over  a  letter 
of  correspondence  from  H.  to  M.,  a  copy  of  which  I  herewith  inclose.  M.  is 
now  on  a  visit  to  H.,  in  Canada,  and  will  be  back  in  ten  days.  I  send  this 
information  to  you  to  see  if  any  measures  can  be  taken  to  secure  the  money 
in  the  hands  of  M.  Alderman  Q.  and  myself  have  been  on  the  alert,  working 
up  this  case  since  May  1,  1865,  believing  it  was  the  only  way  to  secure  tho 


MATTERS  IN  JERSEY  CITY.  423 

money.  The  mayor,  on  the  contrary,  looks  to  the  Government  to  reirnbnrse 
him,  and  the  people  that  the  men  should  be  credited  or  the  money  should  be 
refunded.  Be  this  as  it  may,  if  you  can  assist  us  in  securing  the  principals, 
or  holding  the  money  wherever  we  can  find  it,  we  believe  that  the  ends  of 
justice  will  be  met,  as  well  for  the  Government  as  for  the  city.  We  learn 
also  that  R.  has  property  located  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  Red 
Bank,  New  Jersey. 

If  these  things  can  be  reached  by  some  military  or  arbitrary  power,  we  are 
sure  to  recover  a  portion,  at  least,  of  said  money.  Please  advise  with  me  at 
your  earliest  convenience,  and  any  suggestions  from  you  will  be  duly  appre 
ciated,  not  only  by  me,  but  by  the  citizens  generally. 

I  am,  General,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  J.  McM., 

Chief  of  Police,  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 
To  General  FEY,  Provost-Marshal,  Washington,  D.  C. 

This  letter  was  sent  me  with  the  following  indorsement: — 

Respectfully  referred  to  General  L.  C.  Baker,  with  directions  to  communicate 
with  the  authorities  of  Jersey  City  in  the  matter  of  the  fraud  of  A.,  H.,  and 
R.,  and  do  every  thing  proper  to  aid  in  securing  the  return  of  the  money 
improperly  held  by  said  A.,  H.,  and  R.  It  has  been  said  that  the  authorities  in 
Jersey  City  have  stated  that  the  chances  of  recovering  the  money  by  civil  pro 
ceedings  against  the  property  of  these  parties,  said  proceedings  being  instituted 
and  conducted  by  the  authorities  of  Jersey  City,  would  be  better,  if  the  par 
ties  were  secured  against  the  fear  of  proceedings  by  the  General  Government. 
General  B.  will  ascertain  the  views  and  wishes  of  the  Jersey  City  authorities 
on  this  point,  and  confer  further  with  me. 

(Signed)  JAMES  B.  FRY, 

Provost-Marshal  General. 

August  30, 1865. 


To  which  I  replied  as  follows : — 


WAE  DEPARTMENT,  ) 


WASHINGTON  CITY,  August  30, 1865. 

J.  McM.,  Esq.,  Chief  of  Police,  Jersey  City,  N.  J.  :— 

SIR — Your  communication  of  the  28th  instant,  addressed  to  the  Provost- 
Marshal  General,  has  been  referred  to  me,  with  the  direction  that  I  commu 
nicate  with  the  authorities  of  Jersey  City  in  reference  to  the  matter  referred 
to.  As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  A.,  H.,  and  R.  had  fraudulently  obtained 
a  large  sum  of  money  from  Mayor  C.,  of  Jersey  City,  by  obtaining  credits  for 
bounty  jumpers,  &c.,  I  addressed  a  request  to  the  Provost-Marshal  General, 
asking  for  an  order  for  their  arrest.  The  request  was  granted,  and  the  order 
placed  in  my  hands  for  execution.  I  immediately  detailed  officers  to  arrest 
the  parties.  Learning  that  they  had  left  the  city  for  Canada,  I  forwarded 
telegrams  to  all  the  principal  points  of  crossing  the  border,  at  the  same  time 
offering  a  reward  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  their  apprehension.  Some  weeks 
subsequently  I  learned  the  parties  had  returned  to  New  York,  but  kept  them- 


424  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

selves  concealed.  I  then  directed  the  search  to  be  continued,  which  has  been 
done  thoroughly,  I  believe,  up  to  this  time,  but  without  success.  The  authori 
ties  here  who  are  conversant  with  the  facts  of  the  swindle,  are  very  anxious 
that  all  connected  with  it  should  be  arrested,  summarily  punished,  and  com 
pelled  to  disgorge  their  ill-gotten  gains.  It  is  represented  to  me  that  R.,  H., 
and  A.  do  not  fear  any  prosecution  on  the  part  of  tne  civil  authorities  at 
Jersey  City,  but  dare  not  return,  fearing  that  the  Government  will  arrest  and 
imprison  them  without  giving  them  an  opportunity  for  defense.  If  this  is  so  , 
(and  I  do  not  doubt  it),  I  will  recommend  that  the  Government  temporarily  ! 
withdraw  its  charges,  and  allow  them  to  return,  in  order  that  you  may  arrest 
them,  if  you  think  such  a  course  would  induce  their  return  to  New  York. 

Please  write  me  on  the  subject,  as  my  name  has  been  unfortunately  mixed 
up  with  this  transaction.  I  am  more  anxious  that  the  whole  matter  should 
be  thoroughly  and  promptly  investigated,  with  a  view  to  the  proper  indemni 
fication  of  your  citizens.  If  it  can  be  positively  ascertained  that  A.,  H.,  R., 
or  M.  have  money  to  their  credit  in  any  bank  in  the  United  States,  I  will 
recommend  to  you  that  he  immediately  cause  its  seizure.  I  have  to-day  sent 
an  agent  to  Red  Bank,  New  Jersey,  to  ascertain  whether  R.  has  property 
there,  as  stated  in  your  communication. 

I  ana,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Brig. -Gen.,  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Dept. 

Soon  after  the  writing  of  this  letter,  the  application  for  allowing  these 
credits  was  renewed  with  still  more  persistence  than  ever,  and  by  those  who 
were  supposed  to  possess  great  influence  with  the  authorities  at  Washington. 
I  undertook  to  counteract  this  pressure,  but  was  defeated,  and  the  credits 
were  finally  allowed,  with  certain  conditions  and  restrictions. 

It  is  reported,  and  I  have  no  doubt  with  some  cause,  that  M.  C.  S.  and 
the  counsel  for  A.,  H.,  and  R.,  have  in  their  possession  certain  correspond 
ence,  statements,  telegrams,  memorandums,  &c.,  which  have  been  furnished 
by  those  engaged  in  prosecuting  the  brokers,  and  which  should  have  been 
considered  confidential,  &c.  I  am  informed  that  one  of  the  counsel  for  A., 
H.,  and  R.  did,  surreptitiously  and  fraudulently,  obtain  from  your  bureau,  by 
the  payment  of  money  to  certain  clerks  there  employed,  certain  official  cor 
respondence,  orders,  &c.,  referring  to  this  Jersey  City  case.  These  orders  and 
correspondence  were  published  in  pamphlet  form,  a  copy  of  which  is  in  my 
possession.  If  official  papers  of  this  importance  could  thus  be  stolen  or 
abstracted  from  your  bureau,  it  certainly  is  not  impossible  that  they  might 
have  been  taken  from  my  bureau  in  the  same  way.  If  so,  I  certainly  could 
have  had  no  knowledge  or  intimation  of  it.  If,  as  alleged,  such  papers  are  in 
possession  of  these  brokers  or  their  counsel,  I  take  this  occasion  to  say  that 
they  were  never  obtained  but  by  actual  robbery  or  bribery  of  my  employees. 
I  desire  now  to  go  back  in  the  history  of  this  affair,  and  refer  to  a  subject 
which  has,  more  than  any  other,  given  rise  to  so  many  unfounded  reports  and 
rumors  concerning  my  connection  with  the  Hoboken  recruiting-office  and  the 
brokers  A.,  H.,  and  R.  I  refer  to  a  large  sum  of  money  represented  to  have 


A  TESTIMONIAL.  425 

been  received  by  subscription  in  New  York  city,  to  be  presented  to  me  as  a 
testimonial  in  recognition  of  my  services  in  breaking  up  recruiting- frauds,  &c. 
My  first  knowledge  of  this  testimonial  was  derived  from  reading  a  short 
editorial  paragraph  in  the  New  York  Tribune,  in  which  it  was  recommended 
that  Colonel  B.  be  presented  with  a  testimonial,  in  recognition  of  the  great 
services  he  had  rendered  the  country  at  large,  and  New  York  in  particular,  in 
breaking  up  recruiting  frauds.  Some  days  after  reading  this  article,  the  Hon. 
L.  E.  C.,  former  Register  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  who  had  been 
employed  by  you  to  assist  me  in  preparing  for  trial  the  cases  of  those  arrested, 
remarked  that  he  (Mr.  0.)  had  been  selected  as  the  treasurer  or  custodian  of 
the  testimonial  fund  referred  to,  and  that  he  had  already  received  subscriptions 
for  said  fund.  This  information  was  of  course  very  flattering  to  me,  whose 
official  acts  had  always  been  the  subject  of  censure  rather  than  praise.  I  then 
believed  that  this  testimonial  scheme  was  an  honorable  and  legitimate  trans 
action,  that  the  contributions  thereto  were  made  in  good  faith,  and  by  those 
who  certainly  could  have  no  pecuniary  motive  in  contributing.  Mr.  C.  con 
tinued  to  receive  these  subscriptions  for  nearly  two  weeks,  when  one  day  he 
remarked  to  me  that  he  thought  it  a  little  strange  that  so  large  an  amount 
should  be  contributed  by  two  individuals,  viz.,  C.  S.  S.  and  M.  C.  S.  This 
remark  at  once  excited  my  suspicion,  and  led  me  to  inquire  of  Mr.  0.  how 
much  had  been  paid  in,  and  by  whom  paid.  To  my  surprise,  I  learned  that 
the  above-named  persons  were  the  only  contributors.  About  this  time  Mr.  0. 
was,  "  at  his  own  request,"  relieved  from  duty  with  me,  and  the  Hon.  Judge  B. 
selected  to  fill  his  place.  It  required  but  little  investigation  into  this  testimo 
nial  business  to  satisfy  me  that  I  could  not  consistently  receive  it,  and  so 
informed  Mr.  0.,  whom  I  requested  to  retain  the  money  until  he  should  hear 
further  from  me.  "When  Mr.  0.  left  me,  he  took  the  money  with  him.  Soon 
after,  M.  C.  S.  called  on  me,  and  said  Mr.  C.  refused  to  hand  over  the  testi 
monial  fund.  I  replied  that  I  had  no  control  of  either  Mr.  C.  or  the  fund  in 
his  hands ;  that  as  the  intended  recipient  of  this  testimonial,  I  could  make  no 
suggestions  concerning  it.  Under  my  advice,  Mr.  C.  did  retain  this  money 
until  about  the  1st  of  May  last,  when  I  had  ascertained  precisely  from  whom 
and  how  it  was  received.  That  M.  C.  S.  had  represented  to  A.,  H.,  and  R., 
that  I  was  to  have  one-fifth  of  the  money  received  from  the  Hoboken  opera 
tions.  This  whole  testimonial  scheme,  then,  was  but  a  farce,  or  simply  a 
means  for  conveying  to  me  my  share  of  the  Hoboken  plunder.  I  wrote  Mr.  0. 
the  following  communication : — 

WASHINGTON,  May  12,  1S65. 

Hon.  L.  0.  0.  :— 

DEAR  SIR — Some  months  since,  during  the  investigations  conducted  by  you 
and  myself  in  New  York  city,  I  incidentally  learned  that  a  number  of  gentle 
men  who  claimed  to  appreciate  my  services  in  exposing  and  bringing  to  just 
punishment  a  large  number  of  persons  connected  with  enlistment  frauds, 
bounty  swindling,  &c.,  had  expressed  a  desire  to  present  me  with  a  testimo 
nial.  I  subsequently  learned  that  you  were  selected  as  treasurer  of  said  fund, 
and  had  already  received  subscriptions  amounting  to  five  or  six  thousand 


426  UNITED  STATES  SECKET  SERVICE. 

dollars.  I  was  also  informed  that  nearly,  if  not  all  of  this  amount  was  donated 
or  paid  to  you  by  Mr.  0.  S.  S.,  an  attorney,  who  had  been  employed  to  defend 
the  persons  arrested,  and  who  had  received  very  large  fees.  Therefore,  while 
I  should  very  highly  appreciate  any  recognition  of  my  services  from  the  loyal 
and  patriotic  people  of  your  city,  I  cannot  consent  to  receive  money  which  in 
my  opinion  has  been  robbed  or  stolen  from  the  families  of  soldiers  who  are 
fighting  the  battles  of  our  country.  I  have  therefore  respectfully  to  request 
that  you  will  return  to  the  donors,  Mr.  C.  S.  S.  and  Mr.  M.  C.  S.,  the  amount 
received  from  them.  With  my  thanks  for  the  kind  expression  of  your  regard 
and  friendship, 

I  remain,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  0.  BAKES. 

The  funds  were  paid  over  to  S.,  they  giving  their  receipts  to  Mr.  0.  for 
the  same.  So  explains  this  great  testimonial  operation.  To  deny  that  I  had 
ever  been  offered  money  by  these  brokers,  their  counsel,  and  friends,  would 
be  stating  what  is  not  true.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  recount,  or 
even  refer,  in  a  brief  statement  of  this  kind,  to  the  schemes,  devices,  and  plans 
resorted  to  by  certain  persons  to  induce  me  to  accept  money  in  payment  for 
services,  which  it  was  alleged  I  might  render  in  assisting  and  protecting  these 
bounty  brokers ;  hardly  an  interview  has  taken  place  between  us  that  money 
was  not  freely  offered,  but  never  paid,  because  of  my  (as  they  supposed)  ina 
bility  to  render  the  services  required.  All  the  conversations  that  occurred  at 
these  interviews,  all  the  propositions  to  pay  money,  were  immediately  com 
municated  to  you. 

In  concluding  this  brief  history  of  my  connection  with  the  Hoboken  affair, 
I  desire  distinctly  to  say,  that  I  have  never  received,  directly  or  indirectly, 
from  any  person  or  persons,  the  value  of  one  farthing  from  my  connection 
with  any  investigation,  either  at  New  York,  Hoboken,  Jersey  City,  or  else 
where.  Neither  has  there  ever  accrued  to  me  pecuniarily,  personally,  or 
politically,  one  particle  of  benefit  or  profit  from  my  official  connection  with 
this  Government,  except  that  received  as  my  regular  pay  as  a  commissioned 
officer. 

Respectfully, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Brig.-Gen.,  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Dept. 

The  recent  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  revoking  your  order  disallowing 
the  credits  of  the  bounty  jumpers,  has,  in  my  opinion,  still  further  complicated 
the  case.  First,  Jersey  City,  to  whom  the  bounty  jumpers  were  credited,  has 
claimed  from  Hudson  County  her  proportion  of  these  credits,  or  the  money 
therefor.  Second,  by  allowing  these  credits,  the  Government  admits  that 
these  bounty  jumpers  were  regularly  enlisted,  and  not  deserters,  as  claimed 
by  your  bureau,  thereby  clearly  establishing  the  fact  that  said  bounty  jumpers 
are  entitled  to  bounty.  The  great  object  to  be  accomplished  in  arresting 
these  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  bounty  jumpers,  was  to  punish  them,  and 


A  DIARY— LIST  OF  PRISONERS.  427 

thereby  prevent  further  frauds  practised  by  wholesale  desertions  from  the 
army. 

The  means  resorted  to  and  policy  adopted  in  arresting  these  jumpers,  may 
be,  I  think,  very  justly  questioned.  An  experience  of  nearly  five  years  in 
detecting  frauds  has,  however,  convinced  me  that,  in  order  to  remedy  great 
evils  and  suppress  frauds  on  the  Government  in  time  of  war  requires  the 
adoption  of  the  severest  treatment  towards  the  offenders ;  while  a  very  few 
innocent  persons  may  suffer  inconvenience,  the  great  good  accomplished 
justifies  the  act.  I  could  submit  the  sworn  affidavits  of  professional  bounty 
junipers,  detailing  their  exploits  in  the  matter  of  desertions.  The  following 
are  correct  copies  of  the  diary  of  a  few  professional  bounty  jumpers : — 

I  reside  at  163  East  Thirty-sixth  Street,  New  York.  Enlisted  February 
18,  1863,  in  the  Fourteenth  Regular  United  States  Infantry.  Deserted  on  the 
8th  of  March.  Enlisted  in  the  First  New  Hampshire  Cavalry,  Company  D, 
Captain  Woolburn,  on  the  12th  of  March.  Deserted  next  day.  Enlisted 
again  on  the  24th  March  in  One  Hundred  and  Twelfth  New  York  Volunteers. 
Deserted  April  2d.  Next  day  enlisted  in  Twelfth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 
Deserted  same  night.  The  following  day  enlisted  in  Eighth  New  Jersey 
Infantry.  Deserted  April  12th.  Enlisted  in  Twenty-second  Vermont  Infan 
try,  May  18th.  Deserted  same  day.  Enlisted  in  Fifty-second  Ohio,  May  28th. 
Deserted  June  18th.  Enlisted  July  12th  at  Harrisburg.  Deserted  same 
night.  Went  to  Pittsburg,  and  the  next  day  enlisted  again.  "Was  tried  twice 
for  desertion,  the  last  time  sentenced  to  be  shot,  but  escaped.  In  some  of  my 
enlistments  I  received  some  money ;  generally,  however,  the  brokers  made  it. 
(Signed)  F.  P.,  alias  J.  R. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  give,  with  any  degree  of  correctness,  from  any 
records  or  facts  in  my  possession,  the  entire  number  of  desertions  under  the 
different  calls  for  troops.  The  investigations  on  that  point,  before  referred 
to  in  this  report,  were  confined  exclusively  to  the  city  of  New  York  and 
immediate  vicinity.  No  other  State,  city,  or  locality,  without  regard  to  the 
number  of  troops  called  for,  or  actually  raised,  furnished  as  many  deserters  as 
New  York  City.  Immediately  after  the  extent  of  the  frauds  had  been  dis 
covered  in  New  York,  I  at  once  proceeded  to  the  arrest  of  those  implicated, 
after  first  submitting  the  written  evidence  in  each  case  to  the  Hon.  L.  E. 
C.,  whose  duty  it  was  to  examine  and  decide  upon  the  facts.  The  following 
exhibit  shows  the  names  of  all  persons  arrested  under  your  directions,  nature 
of  charges,  how  finally  disposed  of,  &c. 

Cases  tried  by  the  Military  Commission,  of  which  Colonel  N.  P.  C.  was 
Judge- Advocate,  and  which  were  begun  by  General  Baker. 

J.  D. — Forging  certificates  of  enlistment.  Convicted,  and  sentenced  ten 
years  penitentiary  and  ten  thousand  dollars  fine. 

J.  D. — Ditto.  Convicted,  and  sentenced  seven  years,  five  thousand  dollars 
fine.  (Pardoned.) 

J.  C. — Ditto.     Convicted,  and  sentenced  five  years.     (Pardoned.) 

W.  B. — Procuring  false  enlistments,  and  enticing  soldiers  to  desert.  Con 
victed,  and  sentenced  six  months,  fined  one  hundred  dollars.  (Pardoned.) 


428  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

L.  E. — Same  charge.  Sentenced  six  months,  one  hundred  dollars  fine. 
(Pardoned.) 

"VV.  H.  B. — Falsely  and  fraudulently  procuring  transportation  passes,  &c. 
Convicted,  fined  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars ;  imprisoned  till  paid.  (Par 
doned.) 

J.  W. — Enticing  soldiers  to  desert.  Convicted,  sentenced  one  year,  five 
hundred  dollars  fine.  (Pardoned.) 

C.  G. — Charge  the  same.  Convicted,  fined  five  hundred  dollars;  impris 
oned  till  paid.  (Pardoned.) 

J.  K.  (Soldier). — Aiding  desertion.    Convicted  and  sentenced.    (Pardoned.) 

J.  B.  (Government  detective). — Receiving  bribes.  Convicted,  and  sen 
tenced  to  Penitentiary.  (Pardoned.) 

J.  W.  M. — Aiding  desertion.     Convicted  and  sentenced. 

M.  D. — Fraudulent  enlistment-papers.     Convicted  and  sentenced. 

S.  R.  E. — Same  charge.     (On  bail,  "Washington.) 

J.  D.  (Government  detective). — Receiving  bribes.  Convicted,  sentenced. 
(Not  promulgated.) 

J.  McN. — Assuming  to  be  an  officer,  and  obtaining  money  under  falso 
pretences.  Convicted,  sentenced  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  fine ;  impris 
oned  till  paid.  (Pardoned.) 

W.  E. — Forging  appointment  from  Secretary  of  War.  Convicted,  and  sen 
tenced  ten  years'  imprisonment.  (Pardoned.) 

W.  1ST.  H. — Forging  enrollment-papers.  Convicted,  and  sentenced  one 
year,  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  fine.  (Pardoned.) 

C.  P.  II. — Bribery,  and  assuming  to  be  a  Government  officer,  and  aiding 
desertion.  Convicted,  and  sentenced  one  year,  three  hundred  dollars  fine. 
(Pardoned.) 

A.  C. — Enticing  soldiers,  and  making  false  enlistments.  Convicted,  and 
sentenced  two  years,  five  hundred  dollars  fine.  (Pardoned.) 

G.  M.  D. — Aiding  desertion,  fraudulent  practices  as  bounty  broker.  Con 
victed  and  sentenced  ten  years,  and  forty-five  thousand  dollars  fine.  In  prison. 

Captain  E.  W. — Procuring  recruits  in  violation  of  law;  bribery;  defraud 
ing  Government.  Convicted,  and  sentenced  two  years,  and  ten  thousand 
dollars  fine.  (Pardoned.) 

C.  W.  C. — Misconduct  in  office;  bribery;  frauds,  &c.  Convicted,  and 
sentenced  five  years.  (Pardoned.) 

T.  A. — Forging  muster-out  rolls,  &c.  Convicted,  and  sentenced  five  years. 
(Pardoned.) 

C.  L. — Aiding  desertion ;  making  false  enlistments.  Convicted,  and  sen 
tenced  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  fine,  and  one  year  imprisonment.  (Par 
doned.) 

The  following-named  persons  were  paroled  to  appear  whenever  the  Govern 
ment  required  them :  R.  McM.,  J.  McM.,  W.  H.  B.,  F.  I).,  J.  S.  II.,  W.  B.,  K. 
McN.,  A.  S.,  L.  J.,  S.  P.,  R.  R.,  and  I.  S. 

The  following  were  detained  as  witnesses :— J.  F.,  T.  McF.,  F.  C.,  A.  Z., 
G.  Z.,  by  military  court. 

After  the  conviction  and  sentence  of  the  persons  referred  to  above,  ana 


A  TRANSFER— CONVICTIONS— ATROCITIES.  429 

owing  to  the  speedy  termination  of  the  rebellion  by  the  fall  of  Richmond,  and 
subsequent  surrender  of  the  rebel  army,  I  made  application  to  you,  under 
date  of  May  26th,  to  have  all  the  prisoners,  arrested  in  connection  with  the 
recruiting  frauds,  then  confined  in  the  Old  Capitol  Prison,  released  and  sent 
to  the  United  States  District  Court,  New  York,  for  trial.  This  recommenda 
tion  was  approved  by  you,  and  the  following  cases  were  so  transferred : — 
J.  L.,  W.  C.,  J.  W.  E.,  A.  L.,  A.  W.  N.,  J.  C.,  C.  S.  W.,  J.  T.,  S.  W.  W.,  W. 
H.  T.,  J.  F.,  and  R.  D. 

Every  one  of  these  persons  who  were  placed  on  trial  were,  after  a  fair 
and  impartial  hearing,  before  a  military  court  composed  of  officers  selected 
with  a  direct  view  to  their  legal  ability  and  knowledge  of  criminal  proceed 
ings,  convicted,  thereby  fully  justifying  their  arrest.  Had  those  turned  over 
to  the  civil  authorities  in  New  York,  and  those  paroled,  been  tried,  there  is  no 
doubt  that  the  same  results  would  have  followed,  as  all  were  equally  guilty. 
The  persistent  interference  of  attorneys  and  others  in  high  official  positions 
in  New  York,  to  prevent  the  trial  of  these  persons  by  military  courts,  the 
rebellion  having  closed,  the  consequent  necessity  for  recruiting  more  troops 
had  ceased.  Civil  law  assumed  its  legitimate  functions  in  the  loyal  States,  as 
before  stated ;  in  this  report  it  was  decided  to  turn  said  processes  over  to  the 
civil  courts.  To  show  the  incompetency  and  insufficiency  of  civil  courts  to 
administer  justice  in  time  of  war  to  the  class  of  criminals  referred  to,  I  will 
simply  state,  that  not  one  of  the  cases  forwarded  to  the  civil  courts  in  New 
York  have  been  tried,  notwithstanding  the  evidence  is  as  complete  and  con 
clusive  in  each  case.  But  had  these  persons  been  tried  by  military  courts, 
and  convicted,  the  recent  decision  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  would 
not  only  have  necessarily  released  them,  but  compelled  the  Government  to 
have  remitted  and  returned  to  such  persons  all  moneys  collected  as  fines  and 
penalties.  The  frauds,  robberies,  and  impositions  practised  by  bounty  brokers 
and  recruiting  agents  upon  the  soldiers  and  their  families,  were  so  atrocious 
and  inhuman,  that  a  recital  of  them  would  almost  make  mankind  ashamed  of 
Lis  species.  Young  boys,  thirteen  and  fifteen  years  of  age,  were  first  drugged 
with  poisoned  liquors  in  some  of  these  murderous  dens,  kept  for  that  purpose, 
then  taken  to  a  recruiting-office  or  depot  and  enlisted;  old  and  infirm  men 
were  often  taken  by  actual  force  and  dragged  to  these  recruiting  depots  and 
compelled  to  enlist;  our  prisons  and  jails  were  ransacked  by  these  fiends  in 
human  shape;  even  the  insane  and  imbecile  were  not  safe  from  the  clutches 
of  the  professional  bounty  and  substitute  brokers. 

To  infer  ^hat  the  great  Union  army  was,  to  any  considerable  extent,  com 
posed  of  such  material,  would  be  an  inference  not  at  all  justified  by  the  facts, 
and  a  direct  reflection  upon  the  honor  and  patriotism  of  those  who  were  actu 
ated  by  the  highest  possible  motives,  viz. :  hatred  of  treason  and  love  of 
country ;  for  the  class  of  recruits  referred  to  never  reached  the  army,  but 
were  only  intended  to  fill  quotas. 

In  the  foregoing  brief  history  of  my  operations  in  connection  with  investi 
gations  in  recruiting  frauds,  I  have  but  very  hurriedly  and  imperfectly  referred 
to  the  various  modes  adopted  by  bounty  and  substitute  brokers  and  others,  to 
defraud  the  Government.  The  great  good  accomplished  by  the  investigation, 


430  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

arrest,  and  conviction  of  many  of  those  most  prominent  in  perpetrating  enlist 
ment  frauds,  bounty  jumping,  aiding  desertion,  &c.,  must  be  fully  understood 
by  your  bureau.     Had  the  war  continued,  thereby  requiring  the  recruiting  of 
additional  troops,  the  good  accomplished  would  have  been  incalculable. 
I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient*servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Brig.-Gen.,  and  Pro.-Mar.  of  the  AVar  Dent. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 


THE  BOUNTY  JUMPERS  AND  BROKERS. 

Quotas  filled  with  Falsified  Enlistment-Papers — Arrest  of  Brokers — Amusing  and 
Exciting  Scene — The  Hoboken  Raid — Slanderous  Charges — Large  Number  of 
Arrests — Incarceration  in  Fort  Lafayette — Other  Arrests — Trial  before  a  Mili 
tary  Commission. 

IT  is,  doubtless,  a  matter  of  surprise  that  forged  enli sting- 
papers  could  have  been  so  readily  manufactured  and  profit 
ably  used.  One  of  the  leading  brokers  arrested  was  a  notary 
public.  Aided  by  the  clerks  at  the  recruiting-office,  the 
necessary  blanks  were  obtained.  These  were  written  out 
with  fictitious  names,  properly  certified  by  the  notary  pub 
lic.  Each  set  of  the  papers  represented  an  enlisted  man,  and 
was  ready  for  sale  in  the  market,  to  any  unsuspecting  agent 
from  the  country  haying  a  quota  to  fill.  There  were  whole 
towns  in  the  interior  of  the  Empire  State  filled  with  these 
fraudulent  credits.  In  many  instances  the  same  false  enlist 
ments  were  credited  in  different  Congressional  districts.  The 
matter  will  be  more  fully  comprehended  by  a  reference  to 
my  official  report. 

I  took  up  my  headquarters  at  the  Astor  House,  and  let 
the  brokers  know  that  I  was  an  agent  or  supervisor  for  the 
interior  of  the  State,  having  several  large  quotas  to  fill.  I 
was  at  once  besieged  by  applications  to  purchase  credits. 
The  third  day  I  purchased  sixteen  sets  of  these  enlistment- 
papers  ;  and  on  the  fourth,  twenty-two,  when  a  proposition 
was  made  by  a  broker  to  purchase  forged  papers,  saying, 
those  I  had  were  such,  and  would  answer  the  same  purpose  ; 
that  so  skillfully  were  they  prepared  detection  was  impos 
sible.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  placed  me  on  the  most 
friendly  terms  with  my  associates  in  business.  For  a  num 
ber  of  days  I  continued  the  purchase  of  spurious  papers  for 
less  than  half  the  price  of  the  genuine  documents.  This 


432  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

feature  of  the  swindling  came  near  causing  a  quarrel  among 
the  brokers  ;  some  of  them  insisting  that  I  should  not  have 
been  informed  that  I  bought  forged  papers,  because  I  might 
then  have  paid  full  price.  The  other  party  contended,  that 
by  committing  me  to  the  forgery  I  was^  secured  against 
betrayal  of  the  cause.  The  former  further  claimed,  that 
forged  papers  were  worth  as  much  to  me  as  the  genuine. 
These  negotiations  were  carried  on  four  days,  when  I  deci 
ded  to  arrest  the  whole  company.  It  will  be  understood, 
that  the  arrest  of  a  single  broker  in  the  city  would  create  an 
alarm,  and  end  the  investigation.  The  greatest  strategy  and 
concealment  were  therefore  indispensable  to  success.  The 
knowledge  of  my  presence  in  the  metropolis  would  have 
defeated  my  plans.  On  a  certain  day  I  requested  nine  bro 
kers,  with  whom  I  had  business,  to  come  to  my  room  at  the 
same  hour,  bringing  their  papers.  I  had  concealed,  in  an 
adjoining  room,  a  number  of  my  assistants.  I  instructed 
them  that  the  signal  I  should  use  to  bring  them  to  my  aid, 
would  be  a  knock  on  the  door  of  the  apartment  in  which 
they  were  placed. 

The  illustrious  nine  stood  around  me,  forged  papers  in 
hand,  eagerly  waiting  for  the  checks  which  would  bring  the 
reward  of  their  villainy.  To  fasten  the  guilt  upon  the  crimi 
nals,  beyond  dispute,  I  had  written  receipts  for  the  money 
to  be  paid  each  broker.  As  they  walked  up  in  line,  and 
made  their  marks,  for  most  of  them  could  not  write,  I 
stepped  to  the  folding-doors  and  gave  the  signal.  Instantly 
a  detective  came  in,  and  I  said  to  my  broker-friends  :  "  Gen 
tlemen,  this  joke  has  gone  far  enough  ;  you  are  my  prisoners. 
I  am  General  Baker,  the  Chief  of  the  Detective  Bureau." 

It  would  be  futile  for  tongue  or  pen  to  attempt  to  describe 
the  effect  of  my  words  upon  the  assemblage  before  me.  The 
change  that  passed  over  it  was  very  marked,  and  to  me,  who 
was  the  cause  of  it,  irresistibly  entertaining.  The  explosion 
of  a  bomb-shell  in  the  battle-ranks  could  not  have  startled 
and  dismayed  the  soldiery  more  suddenly  than  this  unex 
pected  exposure  of  their  crimes,  and  the  powerful  grasp 
of  justice,  did  the  discomfited  brokers,  who  had  anticipated 
a  very  different  fate. 

Here,  a  dapper  little  fellow,  in  flashy  dress  and  jewelry, 


A  FIGHTER— CONFESSIONS— SLANDERS.  433 

changed  color,  looked  ghastly,  and  reeled  to  the  sofa. 
There,  a  burly,  red-faced  lighter  put  on  a  defiant  air,  and, 
with  an  oath,  said:  "I  would  like  to  see  you  arrest  me." 
A  display  of  my  six-shooter  cooled  him  off  wonderfully,  and 
he  stood  like  a  living  firebrand,  ready  to  go  into  a  self-con 
suming  flame.  Another  burst  into  tears,  and  pleaded  that 
he  was  seduced  into  the  crime  by  artful  men.  A  few  more 
resolved  to  make  a  joke  of  the  whole  matter,  and  laugh  off 
the  scare.  I  transferred  the  interesting  company  to  an 
apartment  in  the  Astor  House,  their  prison  for  the  time. 
Two  or  three  of  them  made  written  confessions,  which  re 
vealed  in  detail  the  criminality  of  their  companions,  and  of 
many  others. 

The  notorious  Hoboken  raid  upon  bounty  brokers  and 
bounty  jumpers,  which  has  been  the  subject  of  a  great  deal 
of  newspaper  comment  and  censure,  was  never  clearly 
understood.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  affair  was  original 
and  peculiar  in  its  character,  but  it  was  called  for  by  the 
unusual  and  manifold  expedients  resorted  to  by  the  dishon 
est  harpies  preying  upon  the  Government. 

The  late  civil  war  possessed  so  many  extraordinary  fea 
tures,  that  means  were  employed  to  mlet  them  which, 
although  unknown  before,  were  justified  by  the  emergen 
cies  ;  and  on  becoming  possessed  of  the  facts,  as  they  really 
were,  of  the  Hoboken  transaction,  every  reasonable  person, 
I  am  confident,  will  vindicate  the  action  of  the  bureau,  and 
especially  my  own  position  in  the  service. 

The  emissaries  of  the  South,  and  loyal  persons  prejudiced 
against  me  personally,  charged  me  with  a  financial  connec 
tion  and  interest,  and  consequently  represented  me  as  a 
sharer  in  substantial  pecuniary  profits.  These  slanderous 
intimations,  however,  are  wholly  without  foundation.  The 
careful  Congressional  investigation,  and  several  civil  suits 
that  were  instituted,  failed  to  bring  a  particle  of  reliable 
evidence  to  sustain  them. 

Men  can  believe  what  they  please,  still  there  is  a  wide 
difference  between  mere  opinion  and  conviction  following 
upon  positive  testimony.  Upon  receiving  the  latter,  no 
person  has  an  ( honest  right  to  condemn  my  motives  and 
conduct. 

28 


434  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

The  official  correspondence,  and  orders  connected  With 
the  opening  of  a  recruiting  rendezvous  at  Hoboken,  are  given 
in  my  report  to  the  Provost-Marshal  General. 

With  the  assistance  of  the  "bounty  brokers  referred  to 
therein,  I  enlisted  as  many  bounty  jumpers  as  possible,  with 
the  understanding  that  no  others  were  to  be  taken.  March 
10th,  it  was  given  out  among  the  brokers  that  a  "  walk 
away  "  had  been  opened  in^Hoboken.  This  novel  place  was 
understood  to  be  for  the  escape  of  enlisted  men  who  could 
safely  walk  away. 

Perhaps  a  more  ludicrous  trap  in  detective  policy  was 
never  laid  than  that  which  now  secured  the  swindlers. 
Appreciating  the  desperate  character  of  the  men  I  was 
preparing  to  deal  with,  I  had  a  body  of  soldiers  sta 
tioned  in  the  hall,  over  the  recruiting  headquarters.  To 
avoid  all  disclosure  of  the  plot,  it  was  arranged  that  no 
bounty  jumper  should  leave  or  communicate  with  those  out 
side.  Every  man  enlisted  was  taken  to  the  hall  above  ;  and 
here  it  is  proper  to  state  that  each  company  of  jumpers  had 
its  agent. 

If  none  of  those  enlisted  were  known  to  have  escaped,  it 
would  naturally  awaken  suspicion  in  the  minds  of  their  out 
side  friends  that  something  was  wrong ;  that  the  ' '  walk 
away"  was  not  genuine.  Any  uncertainty  on  this  point 
would  prove  fatal  to  the  scheme  of  detection. 

Recruiting  commenced  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning, 
and  continued  briskly  until  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon,  when  the  discovery  was  made,  that  not  a  single  jumper 
who  had  entered  the  hall  an  enlisted  soldier  had  been  seen 
afterward.  I  had  anticipated  this  difficulty,  and,  anxious  to 
keep  the  plot  secret  as  long  as  possible,  to  increase  the  num 
ber  of  jumpers,  I  directed  those  assisting  me  to  put  a  mark 
upon  the  back  of  each  of  the  brokers  engaged  in  furnishing 
recruits.  This  was  done  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  unno 
ticed  by  the  brokers  themselves,  but  perfectly  understood 
by  me.  I  then  directed  my  men  to  station  themselves  at  the 
ferry,  in  New  York,  and  arrest  the  brokers,  which  could  be 
done  with  no  difficulty,  as  the  white  signs  of  guilt  marked 
upon  their  shoulders  would  instantly  betray  them. 

As  I  had  anticipated,  the  brokers  became  uneasy  respect- 


THE  HOBOKEtf  BROKERS.  435 

ing  the  fate  of  those  already  enlisted,  and,  one  after 
another,  left  the  rendezvous,  and  took  the  boat  for  the 
metropolis. 

When  they  reached  the  gate  of  the  ferry,  the  chalk- 
marks  revealed  the  criminals,  and  their  arrest  immediately 
followed,  until  eighteen  of  the  brokers  and  one  hundred 
and  eighty  of  the  jumpers  were  caught. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  the  scene  in  the  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall  of  Hoboken,  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day  of 
arrest.  Formed  in  a  ring  were  many  hundred  soldiers, 
armed  for  any  emergency ;  within  it,  seated  on  benches, 
were  nearly  two  hundred  prisoners.  With  the  dawning 
of  the  truth  upon  the  minds  of  the  wondering  crowd  of 
arrested  men,  a  sudden  and  amusing  change  went  over  the 
faces  of  all.  They  had  been  especially  careful  to  avoid  me, 
and  now,  awakened  from  a  dream  of  security  to  find  them 
selves  in  my  toils  !  Some  looked  blank  with  amazement 
and  despair ;  others  had  an  expression  of  demoniac  hate ; 
while  a  portion  of  the  arrested  seemed  strongly  inclined  to 
treat  their  imprisonment  jocosely,  and  regard  it  as  a  trivial 
affair.  They  were  caught  in  the  net  set  by  hands  most 
dreaded  and  carefully  avoided. 

I  could  scarcely  conceal  an  expression  of  mischievous 
merriment,  which,  notwithstanding  my  efforts  to  the  con 
trary,  was  apparent  at  the  singular  scene  presented  by  the 
mixed  assembly. 

The  soldiers  looked  quietly  on,  while  the  dandy  apparel 
and  gaudy  jewelry  of  the  swindling  fraternity  presented  a 
mocking  and  cruel  contrast  to  their  anxious  and  crestfallen 
countenances. 

The  facts  were  communicated  to  the  Provost-Marshal 
General,  with  the  request  to  be  informed  what  to  do  with 
them.  After  a  delay  of  nearly  a  day  and  a  half,  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  ordered  them  to  be  removed  to  Fort  Lafayette. 
Their  incarceration  for  weeks,  with  no  disposal  of  their  case, 
was  a  topic  of  severe  animadversion,  and  the  responsibility 
laid  at  my  door ;  a  responsibility  no  more  my  own  than  any 
other  act  of  the  War  Department  through  my  official  relation 
to  it. 

I  repeatedly  called  the  attention  of  the  Department  to 


436  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

these  prisoners,  urging  that  they  should  be  tried  as  deserters, 
and  punished  accordingly. 

The  only  reason  which  can  "be  given  for  the  delay,  and 
which,  to  many  patriotic  persons,  will  be  a  sufficient  one, 
was  the  excitement  and  rejoicing  attending  .the  fall  of  Rich 
mond  and  the  surrender  of  General  Lee,  which  occurred  at 
this  particular  time,  absorbing  the  attention  of  all  parties. 

Although  overlooked  for  a  while,  they  were  by  no  means 
designedly  neglected. 

The  final  disposal  of  the  brokers  arrested,  and  those 
engaged  in  frauds  upon  the  Government,  was  equally  an 
affair  entirely  outside  of  my  official  authority. 

My  arrests,  independent  of  the  brokers  and  jumpers  at 
Hoboken,  were  about  forty- six  persons,  in  every  case  of 
which  a  written  order  was  received  from  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  and,  by  his  direction,  they  were  committed 
to  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

I  was  requested  to  furnish,  and  did  so,  a  written  synopsis, 
or  memorandum,  in  respect  to  each  individual  arrested. 
These  statements  were  submitted  to  the  Hon.  L.  E.  C.,  and 
Judge  B.,  of  New  York,  two  of  the  most  eminent  jurists  in 
the  country. 

A  military  commission  was  convened  at  Washington, 
by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  for  the  trial  of  these 
prisoners.  The  ones  first  arrested  were  first  tried.  The 
great  array  of  counsel  for  the  defendants,  and  the  number 
of  witnesses  produced  by  both  parties,  made  the  investiga 
tions  extended  and  wearisome.  But,  notwithstanding  the 
precautions  taken  by  the  prisoners,  and  the  large  number  of 
counsel  which  they  employed,  they  were  all  convicted,  as 
will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  records  of  the  Bureau  of 
Military  Justice.  The  Department  exacted  from  me  the 
most  persistent  activity  in  the  prosecution  of  these  cases. 

Not  governed  by  motives  of  revenge,  or  personal  feeling, 
it  was  the  simple  aim  to  render  justice  to  the  guilty,  and 
carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  Government. 

In  the  midst  of  the  trials,  and  immediately  succeeding 
the  conviction  of  about  a  dozen  of  the  prisoners,  the  rebel 
lion  suddenly  collapsed.  Great  changes  in  popular  senti 
ment,  and  policy  of  the  Government,  awakened  the  desire, 


THE  PROCLAMATION  OF  AMKESTY.  437 

which  soon  found  expression,  for  the  restoration  of  civil 
courts.  Fully  sympathizing  with  this  natural  longing,  I 
sent  a  written  request  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  all 
prisoners  in  my  custody  might  be  transferred  to  the  proper 
authorities. 

If  they  were  regarded  as  legitimate  recruits,  the  order 
discontinuing  further  enlistments,  and  discharge  of  all  en 
listed  men  held  in  barracks  and  rendezvous,  would  apply 
to  these  bounty  jumpers.  They  could  not  be  tried  for 
desertion,  because  the  President's  proclamation  of  amnesty, 
which  applied  to  deserters,  would  reach  their  case  also.  In 
any  view  that  may  be  taken  of  the  incarceration  of  the  pris 
oners,  complaints  against  me  for  the  fact  fall  to  the  ground ; 
I  was  not,  and  could  not  be,  responsible  for  it,  under  the 
circumstances,  which  need  only  to  be  known  to  make  the 
assertion  of  innocence  clear. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

BOUNTY    JUMPING    INCIDENTS. 

Personal  Experience  in  Bounty  Jumping — A  Perfect  Trump — Detectives  Enlisted — 
Passes  obtained  for  Bounty  Jumpers — Arrest  and  Surprise — Court-Martial  and 
Conviction. 

IT  has  been  sufficiently  demonstrated,  by  incidents  re 
corded,  that  monstrous  frauds  were  perpetrated  by  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  enlistment  papers. 

Indeed,  it  is  very  evident,  from  knowledge  thus  far 
obtained,  that  not  a  small  proportion  of  all  such  documents, 
on  which  credits  were  given,  were  forged. 

I  shall  only  add  to  the  record  a  few  incidents,  which 
combine  in  their  character  both  the  comic  and  tragic  quali 
ties. 

I  had  been  told  that  soldiers  would  receive  the  bounty, 
re-enlist  the  same  day,  be  sent  to  the  Island,  and  repeat  the 
process  the  day  following.  I  was,  at  the  time,  skeptical 
respecting  such  facility  in  deception  and  incredible  assu 
rance,  and  to  satisfy  myself  in  regard  to  the  truth  of  the 
matter,  I  dressed  myself  in  the  garb  of  a  regular  jumper  and 
repaired,  February  9th,  to  a  recruiting  office  in  the  public 
square  near  the  Astor  House,  New  York.  Assuming  the 
air  of  a  veteran  in  the  business,  I  asked  the  officer  what  he 
was  paying  for  recruits. 

Before  the  question  could  be  answered,  the  gentlemanly 
broker,  always  at  hand,  inquired  of  me  my  name  and  place 
of  residence,  which  I  gave  him.  In  a  low  tone  of  voice,  and 
with  a  knowing  wink,  he  said:  "Have  you  been  through 
before  in  New  York  ?"  I  answered  :  "  Not  since  last  fall." 
He  added:  "All  right;  come  inside."  And  in  less  time 
than  it  has  taken  to  relate  the  incident,  I  was  one  of  "  Uncle 
Sam's  boys." 


A  DRINK,  AND   WHAT  FOLLOWED.  439 

My  friend  gave  me  one  hundred  dollars,  promising  the 
remainder  due  me  when  I  should  arrive  at  the  Island  ;  then 
directing  me  to  remain  where  I  was  for  a  while,  he  left  me. 

Returning  within  an  hour,  he  opened  the  following  con 
versation  with  me :  "Have  you  ever  been  on  the  Island?" 
I  replied,  "Yes."  Evidently  enlightened  in  regard  to  the 
matter,  he  immediately  remarked:  "You  know  how  to  get 
off,  then  ?  When  you  do,  come  up  to  Tammany  Hall,  and  I 
will  put  you  through  up  town:"  meaning,  of  course,  he 
would  enlist  me  again.  While  this  conversation  was  pass 
ing  between  us  another  broker  stepped  up,  and  said  :  "  Gen 
tlemen,  let  us  take  a  drink."  We  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  they  conducted  me  across  the  Park  to  a  saloon,  where  I 
saw,  at  a  glance,  they  were  quite  at  home.  Liquor  was 
called  for,  and  while  the  vender  was  getting  it,  one  of  the 
brokers  quietly  stepped  behind  the  bar  and  addressed  some 
conversation  to  him. 

We  then  all  drank  to  the  success  of  the  Union,  or  rather, 
all  of  us  appeared  to  do  so. 

I  raised  the  glass  to  my  lips,  and,  unobserved  by  the  rest, 
poured  its  contents  into  my  bosom,  as  I  had  done  many  times 
before  when  compelled  to  join  the  convivial  ring.  I  was 
convinced  that  my  potation  had  been  drugged.  Next  fol 
lowed  a  proposition  to  repair  to  an  adjoining  room  and 
engage  in  a  game  of  cards. 

We  played  until  I  thought  it  necessary  to  affect  drowsi 
ness  and  insensibility.  My  eyes  began  to  close,  until  at 
length  my  head  rested  on  the  table  in  front  of  me,  and  my 
whole  appearance  indicated  to  my  betrayers  my  entire  help 
lessness  in  their  hands. 

At  this  juncture  one  of  them  left  the  room,  but  soon 
returning,  exclaimed,  "All  right."  Immediately  I  caught 
the  sound  of  carriage  wheels,  and,  as  I  anticipated,  was  car 
ried  to  the  door,  and,  supported  by  broker  number  one, 
lifted  into  a  vehicle,  and  driven  rapidly  to  the  Cedar  Street 
rendezvous.  My  hat  was  then  unceremoniously  pushed 
over  my  face,  and  I  was  hurried  into  the  presence  of  the 
recruiting  officer  in  attendance,  who  asked  me,  "Do  you 
wish  to  enlist  ?"  Number  two  answered,  in  a  tone  to  repre 
sent  my  own  voice,  "  Ye-e-s." 


440  UNITED   STATES   SECPwET  SERVICE. 

I  was  again  declared  to  be  one  of  the  volunteers,  taken 
into  another  room,  and  laid  on  a  bench,  where  I  remained 
an  hour,  in  company  with  three  other  recruits,  who  had  been 
drugged  in  the  same  manner,  my  friends  the  brokers  sup 
posing  they  had  disposed  of  me.  .^ 

In  the  mean  time  broker  number  one  returned,  and  said : 
"Well,  old  fellow,  how  do  you  feel?"  to  which  I  replied, 
"Very  sick."  Then  remarking,  "You'll  be  all  right  by- 
and-by,"  he  left  me. 

I  looked  about  me  to  judge  of  the  possibility  of  escape. 
I  saw  at  once  that  I  could  not  pass  out  by  the  door,  as  a  sen 
try  was  stationed  there,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I 
would  have  to  try  my  chances  at  a  window. 

I  opened  one  which  overlooked  a  back  yard,  sprang  out, 
and  after  walking  through  a  long  passage-way,  which  led 
me  into  the  open  street,  I  went  deliberately  to  my  room  in 
the  Astor  House. 

Here  I  masked  my  face,  disguised  myself  anew,  and  pro 
ceeded  directly  to  the  office  of  Mr.  Blunt,  where  I  offered 
myself  to  the  army  service,  to  make  my  third  enlistment  for 
that  day. 

I  was  hardly  seated,  when  broker  number  three  ap 
proached  me,  saying : 

"  You  want  to  enlist,  do  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  am  thinking  of  it.  What  are  you  paying  re 
cruits  now  ?" 

"Six  hundred  dollars.     Where  are  you  from  ?" 

"  Steuben  County.  I  would  like  to  enlist  if  I  could  get 
a  situation  as  clerk.  I  can  write  a  pretty  good  hand,  and 
am  hardly  able  to  go  into  the  ranks." 

He  replied  quickly,  "  Oh,  I  can  fix  all  that  right." 

A  conversation  then  followed  between  him  and  the  re 
cruiting  officer,  when  I  was  made  a  soldier  of  the  Union 
army  once  more.  I  was  requested  to  be  seated  for  a  few 
moments.  Soon  after  the  broker  asked  me  to  take  "a 
glass."  I  went  with  him  to  an  old  drinking- saloon  in 
Cherry  Street,  where  I  found  brokers  numbers  one  and  two, 
who  immediately  recognized  me,  but  expressed  no  surprise 
at  the  meeting.  My  successful  escape  from  the  Cedar  Street 


BOUNTY  JUMPERS'  EXPLOITS.  441 

headquarters  convinced  my  friends  that  I  was  an  old  expert 
in  the  tricks  of  the  trade. 

Their  admiration  for  me  became  so  great  that  they  re 
ceived  me  into  full  fellowship,  regarded  me  as  a  shrewd 
member  of  the  bounty  jumping  brotherhood,  and,  after 
freely  discussing  their  plans  and  prospects,  declared  me  to 
be  a  "  perfect  trump."  Propositions  were  made  to  enter 
into  partnership  at  once. 

I  was  greatly  amused  while  listening  to  the  exploits  of 
each,  as  he  in  turn  detailed  them.  One  related,  that  at  a 
certain  period  he  left  New  York,  and  having  enlisted  at 
Albany,  Troy,  Utica,  Buffalo,  and  Chicago,  returned  ma 
Elmira,  at  which  place  he  likewise  enlisted.  Another  had 
enlisted  at  every  rendezvous  from  New  York  to  Portland, 
Maine ;  while  a  third  boasted  of  the  amounts  he  had  re 
ceived,  and  mentioned  those  paid  to  recruiting  officers,  sur 
geons,  brokers,  and  detectives.  The  den  in  which  I  spent 
the  evening  was  a  favorite  haunt  of  the  bounty  jumpers.  It 
contained  a  wardrobe  of  wearing  apparel,  consisting  of  both 
soldiers'  and  citizens'  outfits.  The  idea  of  this  I  easily  com 
prehended  ;  here  the  jumpers  could  assume  whatever  dress 
they  pleased,  to  carry  out  their  designs.  Three  times  that 
night,  before  two  o'clock,  I  saw  the  interesting  operation 
performed. 

I  selected  one  of  my  assistants  to  experiment  in  this  mili 
tary  lottery.  He  dressed  himself  in  the  appropriate  apparel, 
and  in  one  day  enlisted  three  times ;  he  was  sent  to  the 
Island,  bought  himself  off,  and  reported  for  duty  the  follow 
ing  day. 

The  scenes  described  were  followed  by  numberless  ar 
rests  of  bounty  brokers,  bounty  jumpers,  and  others  in  the 
business,  and  consequently  by  the  disclosures  of  their  crimes, 
which  have  since  attracted  much  public  attention. 

To  illustrate  the  secrecy  with  which  I  necessarily  pur 
sued  my  inquiries,  I  mention  the  following  incident :  I  had 
received  intelligence  of  a  notorious  bounty  broker,  doing 
business  on  State  Street,  whose  specialty  seemed  to  be  to 
secure,  for  a  consideration,  desertion  and  escape  after  enlist 
ment.  Rumor  also  said  that,  at  any  time,  he  had  the  power 
to  obtain  an  enlisted  man  from  Governor' s  Island.  Extremely 


442  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

desirous  to  test  his  proficiency  in  such  swindling,  I  enlist 
ed  two  of  my  own  detectives,  and  had  them  sent  to  the 
Island.  I  then  directed  another  to  apply  to  the  broker  for 
his  interposition  in  their  behalf.  He  consented,  on  the  con 
dition  that  he  should  receive  two  hundred  dollars  for  his 
trouble.  The  amount  was  paid  him  ;  and  my  assistant,  be 
ing  curious  to  know  in  what  manner  he  would  obtain  the 
release  of  the  two  detectives,  begged  leave  to  accompany 
him  to  the  Island. 

Upon  their  landing,  he  observed  that  the  broker  was  on 
excellent  terms  with  the  officers  of  different  grades  who  had 
the  recruits  in  charge. 

Two  sergeants,  being  consulted,  furnished  a  pass  to  the 
desired  recruits,  signed  in  the  name  of  the  provost-general 
of  the  Island,  requiring  their  return  at  roll-call  the  same 
evening.  For  this  pasa  the  sergeant  received  fifty  dollars. 
Sergeant  number  two,  at  the  end  of  the  wharf,  whose  duty 
it  was  to  examine  the  passes,  being  in  collusion  with  the 
other,  shared  the  profits.  The  detective,  and  his  associates 
who  had  been  recruited,  had  no  difficulty  in  leaving  the 
Island. 

I  made  arrangements  for  the  arrest  of  the  whole  party  on 
their  landing  in  New  York.  When  brought  to  my  head 
quarters,  the  broker  confessed  the  crime,  seeing  no  possible 
means  of  escape,  and  embarrassed  with  surprise  and  terror. 

His  arrest  was  kept  secret  for  several  days.  The  ser 
geants,  his  companions  in  guilt,  missing  him,  became  un 
easy,  and  suspicious  that  he  had  been  murdered,  and  his 
body  thrown  into  the  river.  The  following  Sunday  they 
applied  at  the  office  of  the  City  Police  for  assistance  in  dis 
covering  the  missing  man,  having  been  informed  before 
hand,  by  the  boy  in  the  broker's  office,  that  he  had  not 
been  seen  since  he  left  with  the  stranger  to  go  to  the  Island. 

The  Metropolitan  detectives  declined  to  give  any  assist 
ance,  and  sent  them  to  me,  as  the  person  most  likely  to  be  of 
use  to  them  in  solving  the  mysterious  fate  of  their  friend. 

Accordingly,  on  Sunday  evening,  the  sergeants  came  to 
my  office  and  excitedly  told  their  story,  dwelling  on  the  fact 
that  the  broker  was  last  seen  on  Wednesday,  upon  the 
Island,  in  company  with  a  suspicious-looking  stranger ;  that 


A  DISAGREEABLE  SURPRISE.  443 

he  had  a  large  amount  of  money ;  and  they  gave  five  hundred 
dollars  for  information  respecting  him. 

After  a  lengthy  conversation,  I  told  them  I  thought  I 
could  find  their  friend.  I  ordered  an  officer  to  bring  in  the 
broker.  There  was,  of  course,  a  mutual  recognition,  and  the 
sergeants  were  overjoyed  that  the  lost  man  was  found  and 
alive,  until  they  learned  that  not  only  the  broker  was  under 
arrest,  but  that  they  also  were  in  the  hands  of  the  law. 

The  scene  was  a  rich  and  rare  one.  The  glad  surprise  of 
the  sergeants  was  soon  toned  down  by  the  mysterious  grav 
ity  of  their  friend,  and  also  my  own.  I  then  took  out  a  pair 
of  handcuffs,  and  said  to  the  young  men,  "  I  am  very  glad 
you  have  saved  me  the  trouble  of  sending  for  you,  as  I 
intended  to  do  to-morrow." 

The  broker  was  sent  to  the  penitentiary,  and  the  ser 
geants  were  tried  by  court-martial  and  convicted. 

These  statements  will  probably  appear  exaggerated  to 
many  readers,  but  they  are  strictly  true,  and  will  be  found 
on  official  records. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

BOUNTY  JUMPERS   IN   ORGANIZED   BANDS. 

Gipsy-like  Bounty  Jumpers — "Wholesale  Bounty  Jumping  carried  on  adroitly  by  a 
Gang  of  Operators — Opposition  from  a  Canadian  Gang — Thirty-two  Thousand 
Dollars  in  as  many  Days — Frauds  in  Drafting — An  Old  Man  put  in  as  a  Sub 
stitute — A  Boy  decoyed — His  Adventures — A  Mother  of  Thirteen  Children — 
Unavailing  Efforts  of  a  Mother  hi  Search  of  her  Idiotic  Son. 

I  SHALL  next  relate  the  movements  of  these  speculators 
in  organized  gangs.  They  had  a  leader,  whom  they  selected 
chiefly  for  his  insinuating  and  plausible  manner  of  address, 
and  with  whom  they  acted  in  the  capacity  of  Gipsies,  wan 
dering  from  one  promising  field  of  action  to  another. 

On  March  17,  1865,  I  ordered  a  detective  to  join  one 
of  these  strolling  companies,  and,  by  closely  watching 
every  movement  made  by  them,  ascertain  the  modus  ope- 
randi  of  enlistment  under  this  social  form  of  enterprise. 

The  company  left  the  Hudson  River  Depot  in  the  half- 
past  eleven  o'clock  train,  and  presented  a  most  desperate 
and  villainous  appearance.  Indeed,  a  more  unmanageable 
set  of  desperadoes  scarcely  ever  was  seen  on  the  highway 
of  adventure. 

The  next  morning,  before  noon,  they  arrived  in  Pough- 
keepsie,  where  eleven  of  the  thirty- six  were  enlisted,  four 
of  whom  escaped  the  same  afternoon,  two  during  the  night, 
and  the  remainder  the  following  morning. 

The  next  day,  the  whole  of  the  gang  appeared  at  the 
recruiting-office  in  Albany,  seventeen  re-enlisting  there,  five 
of  whom  had  enlisted  in  Troy.  Nine  of  these  escaped  that 
evening,  and  returned  to  Troy  ;  two  pleaded  illness,  became 
in  consequence  inmates  of  the  hospital,  effecting  their  escape 
during  the  night,  and  proceeding  immediately  to  Utica,  to 
meet  those  who  had  gone  elsewhere.  Four  others  of  the 


THE  PROFITS   OF  BOUNTY  JUMPING.  445 

company  enlisted  in  Troy,  "but  made  their  escape  the  same 
night. 

The  whole  party  then  remained  five  days  in  Utica,  at 
which  place  twenty-one  enlisted,  four  of  them  twice,  and 
one,  three  times.  At  Buffalo,  owing  to  the  competition  in 
the  business  by  parties  in  Canada,  none  of  the  parties 
enlisted.  At  Chicago,  eight  of  the  band  enlisted,  four  were 
recognized  as  old  bounty  jumpers  and  arrested,  one  other 
was  arrested  for  picking  pockets,  while  the  remainder, 
frightened  at  the  turn  events  had  taken,  hurried  from  the 
city.  In  Detroit  the  Canadian  gang  had  the  field,  and 
would  not  permit  any  interference  with  their  operations. 

The  company  next  appeared  in  Rochester,  but  too  many 
being  known  there  as  deserters  to  make  their  business  prom 
ising,  they  proceeded  to  Elmira,  where  six  were  arrested  for 
desertion,  the  remainder  returning  to  New  York. 

These  men  were  absent  thirty-two  days,  and  their  total 
profits  amounted  to  thirty-two  thousand  dollars.  The  ques 
tion  will  be  naturally  asked,  how  this  handsome  profit  was 
made.  The  bounty  broker  who  was  the  leader,  must  first 
ascertain  just  how  far,  and  by  what  means,  he  can  insure 
the  escape  of  the  jumper  after  enlistment.  A  hundred  dol 
lars  paid  to  the  sergeant  or  corporal  in  charge  at  the  rendez 
vous,  would  secure  the  liberation  of  ten  men,  while  the 
records  would  show  a  certain  number  enlisted  on  a  given 
day,  properly  credited  to  some  locality ;  and  the  books  of 
the  State  rendezvous  would  have  the  record  of  but  two  or 
three  from  the  same  place. 

This  broker  was  entitled  to  receive  for  every  recruit  from 
four  to  six  hundred  dollars,  and  the  whole  sum,  after  the 
expedition  closed,  was  divided  among  the  men.  It  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  many  gangs,  the  number  of  which  is  not 
known,  were  moving  about  in  the  northern  States  at  the 
same  moment. 

On  this  subject,  thus  far,  I  have  only  narrated  frauds 
committed  by  the  roving  military  bandits  in  disguise.  There 
was  another  way  of  dishonest  speculation,  no  less  remunera 
tive  and  criminal.  The  draft  requiring  men  to  enter  the 
service,  or  furnish  substitutes,  afforded  an  excellent  oppor 
tunity  to  "buy,  sell,  and  get  gain."  I  knew  many  instances 


446  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

where  lads  fourteen  years  of  age  were  enticed  into  drinking 
saloons,  drugged,  and  made  to  perjure  themselves,  to  become 
the  substitutes  of  some  patriotic  citizens,  the  substitutes  each 
receiving,  perhaps,  one  hundred  dollars,  which  was  almost 
invariably  stolen  from  them  before  reaching  the  general 
rendezvous. 

A  superannuated  Frenchman,  seventy -two  years  old,  un 
able  to  speak  English,  was  taken  in  an  alley  at  New  York, 
while  getting  a  scanty  but  honest  livelihood,  by  gathering 
rags.  His  hair  and  whiskers,  which  were  white  as  snow, 
were  colored  by  a  barber,  then  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Second  Congressional  District,  Williamsburgh,  and  enlisted 
as  a  substitute  for  a  well-known  shipbuilder  there.  Hearing 
of  the  outrage,  I  sent  for  the  aged  man,  and,  through  an 
interpreter,  ascertained  the  name  of  the  broker.  The  latter 
was  obliged  to  disgorge  six  hundred  dollars,  which  was  paid 
to  the  victim  of  the  dismayed  trader  in  his  fellow-men. 
The  aged  stranger  thanked  me  tremulously,  and,  with  eyes 
suffused  with  tears,  departed  from  my  office,  haying  in  his 
possession  a  purse  which  his  rag-bag  would  not  have  yielded 
in  a  long  space  of  time. 

The  law  required  that  all  minors  desiring  to  enlist,  should 
first  obtain  the  consent  of  their  parents.  A  respectable  Ger 
man,  residing  in  Beaver  Street,  suddenly  missed  his  son, 
about  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  searched  for  him  diligently 
during  three  weeks,  but  all  attempts  to  discover  him  proving 
fruitless,  the  anxious  father  applied  to  me  for  counsel  and 
assistance.  I  made  him  give  me  a  written  description  of  the 
boy,  promising  him  that,  to  discover  his  whereabouts,  I 
would  leave  no  means  in  my  power  untried.  I  then  called 
a  detective  and  placed  in  his  hand  the  paper,  with  directions 
to  use  it  in  tracing  the  boy.  He  soon  returned,  with  the 
information  that  the  lad  had  enlisted  at  the  Brooklyn  rendez 
vous,  in  charge  of  Colonel  Fowler. 

I  sent  for  the  papers,  from  which  I  learned  that  a  woman, 
claiming  to  be  the  mother  of  the  boy,  had  accompanied  him 
to  the  office  and  made  the  required  affidavit.  Then  sending 
to  the  front  I  procured  the  lad's  return,  who  furnished  me 
with  the  following  particulars.  One  evening,  while  passing 
from  his  father's  store  to  his  house,  an  elderly  man,  gentle- 


KIDNAPPING  BOYS.  447 

manly  in  appearance,  accosted  him,  inquiring  if  lie  did  not 
want  a  situation.  He  replied:  "No,  sir."  His  venerable 
friend  then  left  him,  and  a  boy  of  his  own  age  came  up  and 
said,  "Come  in  here  and  get  a  glass  of  lemonade,"  pointing 
to  a  Chatham  Street  saloon.  They  went  in,  and  soon  after 
calling  for  the  drink  the  elderly  man  entered.  He  recol 
lected  nothing  more  until  the  next  morning,  when  he  found 
himself  in  a  drinking  saloon  in  Brooklyn.  His  hat  and  boots 
were  gone,  and  while  searching  for  them  an  old  man  entered, 
whom  he  recognized  as  the  one  he  had  seen  the  evening 
before.  He  was  accompanied  by  a  woman,  who  exclaimed : 
"  You  are  a  fine-looking  boy  ;  would  you  like  to  enlist  for  a 
bugler?"  at  the  same  time  taking  from  under  her  cloak  a 
small  silver  bugle,  and  adding,  "  Now,  my  son,  if  you  will 
enlist  you  shall  have  this  bugle." 

He  refused,  and  immediately  was  hurried  into  a  carriage, 
and,  in  company  with  this  admirable  couple,  was  driven  to 
Colonel  Fowler' s  headquarters. 

His  papers  were  here  made  out,  the  wretched  woman 
swearing  that  she  was  his  mother,  and  giving  her  full  con 
sent  to  his  enlistment.  The  poor  lad's  mother  had  been 
dead  ten  years.  He  was  paid  twenty-five  dollars,  while  the 
couple  who  enlisted  him  received  six  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  dollars. 

The  boy's  description  of  the  two  worthies  soon  led  to 
their  arrest,  and  it  turned  out  that  the  man  was  a  notorious 
Jew  bounty  broker,  while  the  woman  was  equally  well 
known  as  a  prostitute  of  the  city. 

Investigating  more  deeply,  I  came  to  the  startling  revela 
tion  that  this  vile  woman  had  sworn  to  be  the  mother  of  thir 
teen  other  little  boys  about  the  same  age  as  this  German  lad. 

I  shall  select  only  one  additional,  very  peculiar,  and 
highly  interesting  narrative,  from  the  mass  of  fragmentary 
materials  in  my  possession ;  that  of  the  kidnapping  of  the 
idiot  boy  Cornelius  Garvin,  of  Troy,  New  York.  Some  of 
the  facts  found  their  way  into  the  newspapers  at  the  time  of 
their  occurrence. 

Mrs.  Garvin,  the  mother  of  the  boy,  was  a  poor,  but  hon 
est  and  respectable  Irishwoman,  who  supported  her  family 
by  hard  daily  labor.  She  had  placed  her  imbecile  son  in 


448  UNITED  STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

the  almshouse  at  Troy,  happy  in  the  consciousness  of  his 
safety,  and  being  near  enough  to  visit  him  occasionally. 
The  child,  while  playing  in  the  grounds,  was  carried  off  by 
bounty  brokers,  and  transported  to  Albany,  where  he  was 
enlisted  and  sent  to  the  front. 

The  mother,  upon  receiving  the  news,  became  nearly 
frantic  ;  and,  leaving  her  work,  managed  to  get  to  Washing 
ton,  where,  through  the  interest  which  her  story  awakened, 
she  gained  an  interview  with  the  President. 

That  good  man,  whose  ear  was  ever  open  to  the  appeals 
of  humanity  and  justice,  gave  her  a  note  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  who  referred  the  case  to  me.  I  detailed  a  detective 
to  accompany  her  to  the  battle-field.  Nearly  a  month  was 
spent  in  the  fruitless  search  for  the  lost  boy,  notwithstanding 
it  was  proved  that  "poor  Con "  was  somewhere  in  the  army. 
The  disappointed  but  not  discouraged  mother  went  back  to 
her  toil  again,  to  get  money  to  bring  her  once  more  to  the 
Capital. 

Seven  months  passed  over  in  the  search,  with  no  clue 
to  the  boy.  Officers  lent  their  assistance,  and  no  means 
were  left  untried  to  find  the  wanderer.  The  persistency  of 
purpose,  the  undying  hope  and  affection  of  the  sorrowing 
mother  for  her  simple  "Con,"  were  hardly  ever  surpassed 
in  human  experience. 

Unable  to  read  or  write,  she  carried  always  in  her  apron 
a  large  number  of  letters,  and  other  memoranda,  from  promi 
nent  officers  and  others,  given  to  aid  her  unrewarded  search. 
Yet  she  could,  as  if  by  intuition,  or  the  inspiration  of  her 
love,  place  her  hand  upon  any  of  the  documents  she  desired 
to  use,  and  repeat  their  contents.  And  whenever  she  found 
an  interested  listener  to  her  mournful  story,  she  would  select 
the  particular  document  she  wanted  and  give  its  statements. 

After  exhausting  the  subject,  she  would  sit  in  a  musing 
mood,  gazing  into  vacancy  for  several  moments,  and  then 
start  from  her  revery,  gather  up  her  treasure  of  manuscripts, 
and  exclaiming  :  "My  poor  Con  ;  I  must  go  and  find  him  !" 
she  would  start  again  on  her  journey  among  the  regiments 
of  the  Union  army. 

When  the  money  which  was  given  her,  and  earned  by 
the  severest  toil,  was  gone,  she  would  get  back  to  Troy, 


"POOR  CON."  449 

replenish  her  purse  by  her  daily  labor,  and  return  to  the 
hrtnt  for  "Con,"  along  a  neTT  path  of  adventure,  on  which 
had  suddenly  fallen  a  ray  of  hope  from  some  quarter  re 
specting  the  absent  boy. 

Thus  month  after  month  passed  away,  and  the  undying 
love  of  this  mother  for  the  imbecile  child,  over  whose  un 
steady  steps  and  aimless  wanderings  she  had  watched  with 
a  fondness  intensified  by  his  very  helplessness,  led  her 
along  the  army  lines,  and  into  the  camps,  at  the  heart  of 
the  great  and  bloody  war. 

"  Poor  Con  !"  was  on  her  lips  when  she  sought  brief  and 
restless  sleep,  and  at  the  dawn  of  day,  when  she  resumed 
the  travel,  which  would  have  no  pause  until  darkness  made 
it  impossible. 

While  she  was  roaming  at  will,  followed  by  the  sympa 
thizing  interest  of  the  President,  and  the  humblest  official  in 
the  army,  I  received  the  following  letter  :— 

BUBEATJ  OF  MILITARY  JUSTICE,  WAS  DEPARTMENT,  June  1, 1865. 
COLONEL: — 

The  case  of  Cornelius  Garvin,  an  idiot  boy,  enlisted  into  the  Fifty-second 
Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  has  been  referred  to  this  bureau  for 
report. 

Among  the  papers  in  the  case,  is  a  letter  of  yours  to  the  Mayor  of  the 
city  of  Troy,  New  York,  in  which  you  state  that  Captain  Degner — in  whose 
company  the  boy  is  supposed  to  have  been — refused,  or  neglected,  to  search 
for  him,  when  ordered  to  do  so,  although  repeatedly  assured  that  he  was  in 
his  company,  under  an  assumed  name ;  but,  instead  of  doing  so,  endeavored 
to  intimidate,  by  threats,  privates  of  his  company  who  were  disposed  to  aid 
in  the  search  for  the  boy. 

Be  pleased  to  furnish  this  bureau  with  any  proof  that  may  be  in  your 
possession  of  the  statements  referred  to,  or  which  may  otherwise  throw  light 
on  the  case. 

It  is  desirable  that  any  material  information  you  have  in  the  case  should 
be  communicated  at  your  earliest  convenience. 

Your  obedient  servant,   . 

W.    W.    WlNTHROP, 

Major,  and  Judge-Advocate,  for  Judge-Advocate  General. 
To  Col.  L.  C.  BAKER,  Special  Agent  War  Department. 

Mr.  Trott,  from  this  bureau,  has  twice  called  at  your  office  on  this  subject, 

But  all  efforts  to  find  Cornelius  Garvin  were  in  vain. 
Several  times  the  mother  seemed  to  be  near  him ;  but  the 

29 


450  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

joy  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  him  soon  faded  before  cruel 
disappointment. 

It  was  rumored  that  he  died  in  the  army  ;  which  was 
doubtless  true,  for  no  further  tidings  to  this  hour,  I  be 
lieve,  have  been  received  of  his  fate.  I  append  a  report 
of  my  investigations  in  the  case,  addressed  to  the  Mayor  of 
Troy. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  8, 1865. 
Mayor  TIIORNE,  Troy,  New  York : — 

SIR — Nearly  two  years  since  Mrs.  Catherine  Garvio,  the  mother  of  the 
idiot  hoy  Cornelius  Garvin,  alleged  to  have  been  stolen  from  the  County- 
House  at  Troy,  applied  to  my  headquarters  in  this  city  for  assistance  to  find 
said  hoy.  With  the  meagre  facts  at  my  disposal,  I  immediately  instituted  a 
search,  which  has  resulted  in  disclosing  the  following  facts: — 

1st.  That  the  idiot  boy,  C.  Garvin,  was  stolen,  or  surreptitiously  taken  from 
the  County  Poorhonse  at  Troy;  that  he  was  enlisted,  sent  to  Rikers  Island, 
assigned  to  the  Fifty-second  New  York  Volunteers,  and  forwarded,  with 
other  recruits,  to  Alexandria,  Virginia;  that  said  Garvin  was  seen  and  recog 
nized  by  a  number  of  privates  of  Company  I,  at  Mitchell's  Station,  Virginia, 
afterward  at  Mine  Run,  and  other  places ;  it  is  further  shown  that  Captain 
Degner,  Company  I,  Fifty-second  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers,  wa.s 
repeatedly  informed  that  said  idiot  boy  was  in  his  company,  under  an 
assumed  name ;  that  he,  Captain  Degner,  instead  of  prosecuting  the  search 
for  said  boy,  as  directed  by  his  commanding  officer,  attempted  to  intimidate, 
by  threats  of  punishment,  those  privates  of  his  company  who  were  disposed 
to  assist  Mrs.  Garvin  and  others  engaged  in  the  investigation. 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  May,  1864,  by  direction  of  the  Hon.  Secretary 
of  War,  I  dispatched  a  detective  officer  to  your  city  for  the  purpose  of  ascer 
taining,  if  possible,  whether  the  boy,  Con.  Garvin,  was  sold,  taken  away,  or 
enlisted  by  the  Superintendent  of  the  County  Poorhouse.  While  the  testi 
mony  elicited  did  not  directly  implicate  the  said  superintendent,  enough  was 
shown  to  satisfy  me  that  said  idiot  boy  could  not  have  escaped  without  the 
direct  knowledge  and  connivance  of  said  superintendent.  The  subsequent 
conduct  of  the  superintendent  toward  Mrs.  Garvin  and  those  engaged  in  the 
investigation,  in  ray  opinion,  strongly  confirms  this  opinion. 

Since  the  arrival  of  the  Fifty-second  New  York  Volunteers  in  this  city  I 
have  placed  Captain  Degner  under  arrest,  to  await  a  further  development  of 
facts.  I  am  exceedingly  desirous  of  probing  this  matter  to  the  bottom.  Our 
late  beloved  President,  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  War,  Brigadier-Generals  Hardy 
and  Townsend,  and  in  fact  all  the  officers  connected  with  the  War  Depart 
ment  who  have  listened  to  Mrs.  Garvin's  statements,  have  taken  a  deep  inter 
est  in  this  case.  The  enormity  of  the  crime,  the  affection  of  the  poor  mother 
for  her  son,  her  energy,  her  persistence  and  determination  in  following  up 
every  visible  trace  of  her  poor  idiot  boy,  has  awakened,  in  the  minds  of  all 
those  conversant  with  the  facts  and  circumstances  of  the  case,  a  feeling  of 


REPORT  IN  THE  CASE  OF  CON.  GARVIN.'  451 

deep  interest  and  sympathy.  I  believe  that  the  boy  is  still  living,  and  will  yet 
be  found.  I  shall  neither  spare  time  or  means  ill  prosecuting  my  investiga 
tions,  with  a  view  to  bring  to  speedy  justice  all  those  engaged  in  this  inhuman 
and  diabolical  outrage. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKEB, 
Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

THE   GREAT   CONSPIRACY. 

Assassinations — Eglon,  King  of  Moab — Caesar,  Emperor  of  Rome — James  I.  of 
England — Marat,  the  French  Revolutionary  Leader — Alexander  of  Russia — 
Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States. 

THE  history  of  treason,  conspiracy,  and  assassination, 
would  be  a  record  of  awful  interest — a  revelation  of  singular 
contrasts  in  motive,  while  the  tragical  end  sought  was  the 
same.  The  desperate  determination  to  secure,  at  least  avenge 
trampled  rights ;  religious  fanaticism ;  and  revengeful  pas 
sion  ;  these  have  been  the  most  frequent  causes  of  a  resort  to 
treasonable  plots  and  regicide,  with  its  kindred  homicides, 
and  attempted  murder  of  representative  men  in  a  State. 

As  introductory  to  the  narrative  of  the  facts  respecting 
the  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  which  came  under  my  eye 
and  official  investigation,  with  fresh  details  and  documents, 
I  shall  cite  a  few  illustrations  from  the  annals  of  the  past, 
not  unfamiliar  to  intelligent  readers,  but  which,  grouped 
together,  will  be  a  suggestive  background  for  the  most 
revolting  scene  of  depravity  treason  has  ever  presented  to 
the  world.  The  earliest  instance  of  regicide  in  the  sacred 
annals  is  that  of  Ehud,  the  left-handed  Benjamite.  To 
avenge  the  tyranny  of  Eglon,  the  king  of  Moab,  the  invader 
of  his  country,  he  made  a  two-edged  dagger,  over  a  foot  and 
a  half  in  length,  and,  hiding  it  under  his  robe,  took  in  his 
hand  a  present  to  the  king.  Feigning  important  intelligence, 
the  ruler  ordered  the  attendants  to  retire,  when  Ehud  witli 
his  left  hand  drew  the  dagger  from  his  right  side,  thrust  it 
into  the  king' s  body  over  the  hilt,  and,  leaving  it  there,  fled, 
after  shutting  behind  him  and  locking  the  "  doors  of  the 
parlor."  He  then  blew  a  trumpet,  raised  an  army,  drove 
back  the  invaders,  and  delivered  the  nation  from  a  foreign 


ASSASSINATION  OF  (LESAR.  453 

yoke.  It  was  a  successful  assassination,  "because  a  dernier 
resort  in  resisting  oppressive  usurpation,  and  under  the 
providential  sanction  of  the  Almighty. 

In  old  Roman  history,  the  mind  turns  intuitively  to  the 
successful  conspiracy  of  which  Brutus  was  the  leader  ;  and 
who,  undoubtedly,  was  governed  by  patriotic  motives.  He 
sought  to  restore  the  Government  to  the  hands  of  the  Senate 
and  the  people.  This  friend  of  Caesar  very  reluctantly  con 
sented  to  become  a  traitor  ;  and  did  not,  until  the  persistent 
and  crafty  appeals  of  Cassius  and  his  fellow- conspirators 
made  him  feel  that  he  must  strike  the  blow  for  the  people. 

Plutarch's  description  of  the  assassination  is  graphic  :— 

"  When  Caesar  entered  the  house,  the  senate  rose  to  do 
him  honor.  Some  of  Brutus' s  accomplices  came  up  behind 
his  chair,  and  others  before  it,  pretending  to  intercede,  along 
with  Metilius  Cimbri,  for  the  recall  of  his  brother  from 
exile.  They  continued  their  entreaties  till  he  came  to  his 
seat.  When  he  was  seated,  he  gave  them  a  positive  denial ; 
and  as  they  continued  their  importunities  with  an  air  of  com 
pulsion,  he  grew  angry.  Cimbri,  then,  with  both  hands, 
pulled  his  gown  off  his  neck,  which  was  the  signal  for  the 
attack.  Casca  gave  him  the  first  blow.  It  was  a  stroke 
upon  the  neck  with  his  sword,  but  the  wound  was  not  dan 
gerous  ;  for  in  the  beginning  of  so  tremendous  an  enterprise 
he  was  probably  in  some  disorder.  Caesar,  therefore,  turned 
upon  him,  and  laid  hold  of  his  sword.  At  the  same  time 
they  both  cried  out,  the  one  in  Latin — '  Villain !  Casca  1 
what  dost  thou  mean  ?'  and  the  other  in  Greek,  to  his  bro 
ther—'  Brother,  help !' 

"After  such  a  beginning,  those  who  knew  nothing  of  the 
conspiracy  were  seized  with  consternation  and  horror,  inso 
much  that  they  durst  neither  fly,  nor  assist,  nor  even  utter  a 
word.  All  the  conspirators  now  drew  their  swords,  and 
surrounded  him  in  such  a  manner,  that  whatever  way  he 
turned  he  saw  nothing  but  steel  gleaming  in.  his  face,  and 
met  nothing  but  wounds.  Like  some  savage  beast  attacked 
by  the  hunters,  he  found  every  hand  lifted  against  him,  for 
they  all  agreed  to  have  a  share  in  the  sacrifice  and  a  taste  of 
his  blood.  Therefore  Brutus  himself  gave  him  a  stroke  in 
the  groin.  Some  say,  he  opposed  the  rest,  and  continued 


454  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

struggling  and  crying  out  till  he  perceived  the  sword  of 
Brutus  ;  then  he  drew  his  robe  over  his  face,  and  yielded  to 
his  fate.  Either  by  accident,  or  pushed  thither  by  the  con 
spirators,  he  expired  on  the  pedestal  of  Pqmpey'  s  statue,  and 
dyed  it  with  his  blood :  so  that  Pompey  seemed,  to  preside 
over  the  work  of  vengeance,  to  tread  his  enemy  under  his 
feet,  and  to  enjoy  his  agonies.  Those  agonies  were  great,  for 
he  received  no  less  than  three-and- twenty  wounds ;  and 
many  of  the  conspirators  wounded  each  other  as  they  were 
aiming  their  blows  at  him. 

"Csesar  thus  dispatched,  Brutus  advanced  to  speak  to 
the  Senate,  and  to  assign  his  reasons  for  what  he  had  done  ; 
but  they  could  not  bear  to  hear  him ;  they  fled  out  of  the 
house,  and  rilled  the  people  with  inexpressible  horror  and 
dismay.  Some  shut  up  their  houses  ;  others  left  their  shops 
and  counters ;  all  were  in  motion :  one  was  running  to  see 
the  spectacle  ;  another  running  back.  Antony  and  Lepidus, 
Caesar's  principal  friends,  withdrew,  and  hid  themselves  in 
other  people's  houses.  Meantime,  Brutus  and  his  confed 
erates,  yet  warm  from  the  slaughter,  marched  in  a  body, 
with  their  bloody  swords  in  their  hands,  from  the  senate- 
house  to  the  capitol,  not  like  men  that  fled,  but  with  an  air 
of  gayety  and  confidence,  calling  the  people  to  liberty,  and 
stopping  to  talk  with  every  man  of  consequence  whom  they 
met.  There  were  some  who  even  joined  them,  and  mingled 
with  their  train  ;  desirous  of  appearing  to  have  had  a  share 
in  the  action,  and  hoping  for  one  in  the  glory." 

A  no  less  conspicuous,  and  still  more  modern  conspiracy, 
although  a  failure,  was  the  Gunpowder  Plot  of  England, 
tinder  James  I. ; — the  grandest  conspiracy  in  its  scope,  and, 
if  successful,  in  results,  on  record.  Religious  fanaticism 
was  its  inspiration.  The  king's  growing  dislike  of  the 
Catholics,  and  Parliamentary  enactments  unfavorable  to 
their  prosperity,  awakened  a  fierce  opposition.  This  enmity 
was  organized  into  a  conspiracy,  under  Robert  Catesby. 
He  was  "a  gentleman  of  good  property,  in  Northampton 
and  Warwickshire,"  says  Keightly,  u  descended  from  the 
minister  of  Richard  III.,  and  had  been  brought  up  a  Catho 
lic  ;  but  he  deserted  that  religion,  plunged  into  all  sorts  of 
excesses,  and  ran  through  his  patrimony.  He  then  (1598) 


GUNPOWDER  PLOT.  455 

returned  to  his  old  religion,  and,  making  up  for  his  apostasy 
"by  zeal,  became  a  fanatic,  and  engaged  in  all  the  treasons 
and  conspiracies  which  agitated  the  latter  years  of  Elizabeth. 

"He  now  conceived  the  diabolical  project  of  blowing  up 
the  Parliament-house  with  gunpowder.  This  design  he 
communicated  in  Lent,  1604, -to  John  Wright  and  Thomas 
Winter,  two  Catholic  gentlemen  of  good  character,  family, 
and  fortune.  The  latter  hesitated  at  first,  but  his  scruples 
soon  gave  way,  and  he  went  over  to  the  Netherlands  on  a 
double  mission  ;  the  one  was  to  try  to  induce  the  Constable 
of  Castile,  who  was  coming  over  to  conclude  the  peace,  to 
make  some  stipulations  in  favor  of  the  Catholics ;  the  other 
to  engage  in  the  plot  some  gentleman  of  courage  and  of 
military  knowledge  and  experience.  Finding  that  the  Court 
of  Spain  would  not  hazard  the  peace  which  was  so  neces 
sary  to  it,  on  their  account,  he  proceeded  to  execute  the 
other  part  of  his  commission ;  and  the  person  on  whom  he 
fixed  was  one  Guy  Fawkes,  a  man  of  good  family  in  York 
shire,  who,  having  spent  his  little  property,  had  entered  the 
Spanish  service.  If  we  may  credit  Father  Greenway,  the 
associate  and  panegyrist  of  the  conspirators,  Fawkes  was 
4  a  man  of  great  piety,  of  exemplary  temperance,  of  mild 
and  cheerful  demeanor,  an  enemy  of  broils  and  disputes,  a 
faithful  friend,  and  remarkable  for  his  punctual  attendance 
upon  religious  observances' — in  a  word,  a  fanatic  in  whose 
eyes  religion  justified  every  deed.  Though  this  high- wrought 
character  is  doubtless  beyond  the  truth,  there  seems  on  the 
other  hand  to  be  no  ground  for  regarding  Fawkes  as  a  mere 
vulgar  ruffian. 

"On  the  night  of  the  llth  of  December,  Catesby  and  his 
associates  entered  the  house  in  Westminster,  well  supplied 
with  mining  tools,  and  with  hard  eggs  and  baked  meats  for 
their  support.  They  began  to  mine  the  wall  of  three  yards  in 
thickness  between  theirs  and  the  Parliament-house.  Fawkes 
stood  sentinel  while  the  others  wrought.  They  spread  the 
matter  which  they  extracted  in  the  day  over  the  garden  at 
night,  and  not  one  of  them  ever  went  out  of  the  house,  or 
even  into  the  upper  part  of  it,  lest  they  might  be  seen. 
They  wrought  without  ceasing  till  Christmas-eve,  when 
Fawkes  brought  them  intelligence  that  Parliament  was  fur- 


456  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

ther  prorogued  till  October.  They  then  agreed  to  separate 
till  after  the  holidays,  when  they  would  resume  their  labors. 
In  February  they  renewed  their  labors  in  the  mine,  and 
they  had  pierced  half  way  through  the  wall,  when  they  sud 
denly,  as  we  are  assured,  heard  the  tolling  of  a  i)ell  within 
the  wall  under  the  Parliament-house  ;  they  stopped  and  lis 
tened  ;  Fawkes  was  called  down,  and  he  also  heard  it.  On 
sprinkling  the  place,  however,  with  holy  water,  the  myste 
rious  sound  ceased;  it  was  frequently  renewed,  but  the  same 
remedy  always  proved  efficacious,  and  it  at  length  ceased 
altogether.  One  day  they  heard  a  rushing  noise  over  their 
heads ;  they  thought  they  were  discovered,  but  Fawkes,  on 
inquiry,  found  that  it  was  made  by  a  man  of  the  name  of 
Bright,  who  was  selling  off  his  coals  from  a  cellar  under  the 
House  of  Lords,  in  order  to  remove.  They  resolved  at  once 
to  take  the  cellar,  for,  exclusive  of  the  labor,  they  found 
the  water  now  coming  in  on  them.  The  cellar  was  taken  in 
Percy' s  name  also  ;  twenty  barrels  of  powder  were  conveyed 
to  it  from  the  house  in  Lambeth,  their  iron  tools  and  large 
stones  were  put  into  the  barrels  with  it,  in  order  to  give 
more  efficacy  to  the  explosion,  and  the  whole  was  covered 
with  billets  and  fagots  ;  and  lumber  and  empty  bottles  were 
scattered  through  the  cellar.  They  then  closed  it  up,  placing 
marks  withinside  of  the  door,  that  they  might  be  able  to 
ascertain  if  any  one  should  enter  it  during  their  absence. 
Having  sent  Fawkes  to  Flanders  to  inform  Sir  William 
Stanley  and  other  English  officers  of  the  project,  and  try  to 
obtain  foreign  aid,  they  separated  for  the  summer.  In  the 
autumn,  Sir  Edmund  Baynham  was  sent  to  Rome,  as  the 
agent  of  the  conspirators,  with  whose  designs  it  is  likely  he 
was  acquainted.  As  it  was  necessary  to  have  horses  and 
arms  ready,  Catesby  pretended  that  he  was  commissioned 
to  raise  a  troop  of  horse  for  the  Spanish  service,  and  he  had 
thus  a  pretext  for  collecting  arms,  &c.,  at  his  own  house, 
and  at  that  of  Grant ;  and  several  Catholic  gentlemen  under 
taking  to  join  him  as  volunteers,  he  directed  them  to  pre 
pare  their  arms,  and  to  be  ready  when  called  on.  He  and 
Percy  now  thought  it  necessary  to  associate  some  gentlemen 
of  wealth,  in  order  to  obtain  the  requisite  funds; and  they 
fixed  on  Sir  Everard  Digby,  of  Rutlandshire,  Ambrose 


GUNPOWDER  PLOT.  457 

Rookwood,  of  Suffolk,  and  Francis  Tresham,  of  Northamp 
tonshire  ;  the  two  first,  who  were  weak  bigots,  but  virtuous 
men,  hesitated  at  first,  but  finally  joined,  cordially  in  the 
project ;  the  last,  a  man  of  indifferent  character,  was  only 
admitted  on  account  of  his  wealth,  and  Catesby,  it  is  said, 
had  always  a  mistrust  of  him. 

"  Parliament  being  finally  appointed  to  meet  on  the  5th 
of  November,  the  conspirators  made  their  final  arrangements. 
Fawkes  was  to  fire  the  mine,  by  means  of  a  slow  match, 
which  would  take  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  reach  the  powder  ; 
and  as  soon  as  he  had  lighted  it,  he  was  to  hasten  and  get 
aboard  a  small  vessel  which  was  ready  in  the  river,  and 
carry  the  news  over  to  Flanders.  Bigby  was  on  that  day  to 
assemble  a  number  of  the  Catholic  gentry,  under  pretext  of  a 
hunting-party,  at  Dunchurch,  in  Warwickshire  ;  and  as  soon 
as  they  heard  of  the  blow  being  struck,  they  were  to  send  a 
party  to  seize  the  Princess  Elizabeth,  who  was  at  Lord  Har 
rington's,  in  that  neighborhood,  and  she  was  to  be  pro 
claimed  in  case  Winter  should  fail  in  the  part  assigned  him, 
of  securing  one  of  her  brothers. 

"  There  was  one  point  which  had  been  disputed  from  the 
beginning,  namely,  how  to  act  with  respect  to  the  Catholic 
nobles.  Catesby,  it  would  seem,  had  little  scruple  about 
destroying  them  with  the  rest,  but  the  majority  were  for 
saving  their  friends  and  relations.  Tresham,  in  particular, 
was  most  earnest  to*  save  his  brothers-in-law,  the  Lords 
Stourton  and  Mounteagle.  It  was  finally  agreed  that  no 
express  notice  should  be  given,  but  that  various  pretexts 
should  be  employed  to  induce  their  friends  to  stay  away. 
This,  however,  did  not  content  Tresham,  and  some  days 
after  he  urged  on  Catesby  and  Percy  that  notice  should  be 
given  to  Lord  Mounteagle  ;  and  on  their  hesitating,  he  hinted 
that  he  should  not  be  ready  with  the  money  he  had  promised, 
and  proposed  that  the  catastrophe  should  be  put  off  till  the 
closing  of  the  Parliament.  His  arguments,  however,  proved 
ineffectual. 

i 'On  the  26th  of  October,  Lord  Mounteagle  went  and 
supped  at  his  house  at  Hoxton,  where  he  had  not  been  for  a 
month  before.  At  supper  a  letter  was  handed  him  by  a  page, 
who  said  he  had  received  it  from  a  strange  man  in  the  street. 


458  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

It  was  anonymous.  By  his  lordship' s  direction,  a  gentleman 
named  Ward  read  it  aloud.  It  desired  him  to  make  some 
excuse  for  not  attending  Parliament,  'for  God  and  man,'  it 
said,  'hath  concurred  to  punish  the  wicke4ness  of  this  time,' 
with  sundry  other  mysterious  hints.  Lord  Mounteagle  took 
it  that  very  evening  to  Lord  Salisbury,  at  Whitehall,  who 
showed  it  to  some  other  lords  of  the  council ;  and  it  was 
decided  that  nothing  should  be  done  till  the  king's  return 
from  ^  Roy  ston,  where  he  was  hunting. 

"'Next  day  (31st)  the  king  returned  to  London  ;  a  council 
was  held  the  following  day  on  the  subject  of  the  letter,  and 
James  himself  is  said  to  have  divined  its  secret  meaning.* 
It  was  determined  to  search  the  cellar,  but  not  till  Monday, 
the  4th.  On  that  day,  the  Lord  Chamberlain,  Lord  Mount- 
eagle,  and  others,  went  to  the  Parliament-house.  They  found 
Fawkes  in  the  cellar,  but  they  made  no  remark,  and  that 
night,  Sir  Thomas  Knevett,  a  magistrate,  was  sent  to  the 
place  with  his  assistants  ;  he  met  Fawkes  as  he  was  stepping 
out  of  the  door,  and  arrested  him,  and  on  searching  the  cellar, 
thirty-six  barrels  of  powder  were  discovered.  Fawkes  was 
brought  before  the  council,  where  he  avowed  and  gloried  in 
his  design,  but  refused  to  name  his  accomplices  ;  he  was  then 
committed  to  the  Tower. 

"Fawkes  was  at  first  sullen,  but  on  the  8th  of  November 
he  made  a  full  confession,  concealing,  however,  the  names  of 
his  associates,  whom,  however,  next  day  he  named  to  Lord 
Salisbury.  It  is  highly  probable  that,  according  to  custom, 
the  rack  had  been  applied  to  him. 

"  In  the  whole  course  of  history,  an  instance  more  demon 
strative  of  the  baleful  effects  of  a  false  sense  of  religion  on 
the  .mind  and  heart  is  not  to  be  found  than  this  plot.  A 
more  horrible  design  never  was  conceived ;  yet  those  who 
engaged  in  it  were  mostly  men  of  mild  manners,  correct 
lives,  and  independent  fortunes — all,  we  may  say,  actuated 
by  no  ignoble  motive,  but  firmly  believing  that  they  were 
doing  good  service  to  God.  'I  am  satisfied,'  said  John 
Grant,  on  the  day  of  his  execution,  *  that  our  project  was  so 
far  from  being  sinful,  that  I  rely  on  my  merits  in  bearing  a 

*  lie  might  havo  done  this,  and  yet  Cecil  have  known  the  real  fact  already. 


CHARLOTTE  CORDAY— MARAT.  459 

part  of  that  no"ble  action  as  an  abundant  satisfaction  and 
expiation  for  all  sins  committed  by  me  during  the  rest  of  my 
life.'  '  Nothing  grieves  me,'  said  Robert  Winter  to  Fawkes, 
4  but  that  there  is  not  an  apology  made  by  some  to  justify 
our  doing  in  this  business ;  but  our  deaths  will  be  a  suf 
ficient  justification  of  it,  and  it  is  for  God's  cause.'  It  is  said 
by  Greenway,  that  as  Rookwood  was  drawn  to  execution, 
his  wife  stood  at  an  open  window  in  the  Strand,  comforting 
him,  and  telling  him  *  to  be  of  good  courage,  inasmuch  as  he 
suffered  for  a  great  and  noble  cause.'  Of  the  truth  of  this, 
however,  we  are  rather  dubious  ;  fear  alone  would,  we 
apprehend,  prevent  her  from  giving  utterance  to  such  ex 
pressions." 

During  the  revolutionary  movements  of  the  last  century, 
no  figure  attracts  more  sympathy  and  interest  among  the 
actors  in  sanguinary  scenes  of  unjustifiable  violence,  than 
that  of  Charlotte  Corday,  of  Normandy,  herself  descended 
from  the  Norman  nobility.  She  was  masculine  in  the  vigor 
of  her  intellect  and  acquaintance  with  political  economy, 
but  virtuous  and  modest  in  character.  At  first  an  advocate 
of  the  French  Revolution,  because  she  hailed  it  as  the  dawn 
of  national  liberty,  the  unprincipled  and  bloody  aspect  it 
soon  assumed  disheartened  and  alarmed  her,  until  her  single 
absorbing  thought  was  the  protection  of  whatever  of  free 
dom  remained  to  France. 

"  Marat,"  records  Madame  Junot,  "was  at  this  period 
the  ostensible  chief  of  the  mountain  party,  and  the  most 
sanguinary  of  its  members.  He  was  a  most  hideous  deform 
ity,  both  in  mind  and  person ;  his  lank  and  distorted  fea 
tures,  covered  with  leprosy,  and  his  vulgar  and  ferocious 
leer,  were  a  true  index  of  the  passions  which  worked  in  his 
odious  mind.  A  series  of  unparalleled  atrocities  had  raised 
him  to  the  highest  power  with  his  party  ;  and  though  he 
professed  to  be  merely  passive  in  the  revolutionary  govern 
ment,  his  word  was  law  with  the  Convention,  and  his  fiat 
irrevocable.  In  every  thing  relating  to  the  acquisition  of 
wealth  he  was  incorruptible,  and  even  gloried  in  his  poverty. 
But  the  immense  influence  he  had  acquired  turned  his  brain, 
and  he  gave  full  range  to  the  evil  propensities  of  his  nature, 
now  unchecked  by  any  authority.  He  had  formed  princi- 


460  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

pies  of  political  faith  in  which,  perhaps,  he  sincerely  be 
lieved,  but  which  were  founded  on  his  inherent  love  of 
blood,  and  his  hatred  of  every  human  being  who  evinced 
talents  or  virtue  above  his  fellow-men.  The  guillotine  was 
not  only  the  altar  of  the  distorted  thing*  he  worshipped, 
under  the  name  of  Liberty,  but  it  was  also  the  instrument 
of  his  pleasures  :  for  his  highest  gratification  was  the  writh- 
ings  of  the  victim  who  fell  under  his  axe.  Even  Robespierre 
attempted  to  check  this  unquenchable  thirst  of  human  blood ; 
but  in  vain  ;  opposition  only  excited  Marat  to  greater  atroci 
ties.  With  rage  depicted  in  his  livid  features,  and  with  the 
howl  of  a  demoniac,  he  would  loudly  declare  that  rivers  of 
blood  could  alone  purify  the  land,  and  must,  therefore,  flow. 
In  his  paper,  entitled  'L'  AmiduPeuple,'  he  denounced  all 
those  whom  he  had  doomed  to  death,  and  the  guillotine 
spared  none  whom  he  designated. 

"  Charlotte  Corday,  having  read  his  assertion  in  this 
journal,  that  three  hundred  thousand  heads  were  requisite 
to  consolidate  the  liberties  of  the  French  people,  could  not 
con-tain  her  feelings.  Her  cheeks  flushed  with  indigna 
tion  :— 

"'What!'  she  exclaimed,  'is  there  not  in  the  whole 
country  a  man  bold  enough  to  kill  this  monster  ?' 

"Imagining  that,  if  she  could  succeed  in  destroying 
Marat,  the  fall  of  his  party  must  necessarily  ensue,  she 
determined  to  offer  up  her  own  life  for  the  good  of  her 
country. 

"She  went  to  the  Palais  Royal,  and  bought  a  sharp- 
pointed  carving-knife,  with  a  black  sheath.  On  her  return 
to  the  hotel  in  which  she  lodged— Hotel  de  la  Providence, 
Rue  des  Augustins — she  made  her  preparation  for  the  deed 
she  intended  to  commit  the  next  day.  Having  put  her 
papers  in  order,  she  placed  a  certificate  of  her  baptism  in  a 
red  pocket-book,  in  order  to  take  it  with  her,  and  thus 
establish  her  identity.  This  she  did  because  she  had  re 
solved  to  make  no  attempt  to  escape,  and  was,  therefore, 
certain  she  should  leave  Marat' s  house  for  the  conciergerie, 
preparatory  to  her  appearing  before  the  revolutionary  tri 
bunal. 

"  Next  morning,  the  14th,  taking  with  her  the  knife  she 


ASSASSINATION  OF  MARAT.  401 

had  purchased,  and  her  red  pockjet-book,  she  proceeded  to 
Marat's  residence.  The  representative  was  ill,  and  could 
not  be  seen,  and  Charlotte's  entreaties  for  admittance  on  the 
most  urgent  business  were  unavailing.  She  therefore  with 
drew,  and  wrote  the  following  note,  which  she  herself 
delivered  to  Marat's  servant: — 

"  CITIZEN  REPRESENTATIVE  : — 

"I  am  just  arrived  from  Caen.  Your  well-known  patriotism  leads  me  to 
presume  that  you  will  be  glad  to  be  made  acquainted  with  what  is  passing  in 
that  part  of  the  Republic.  I  will  call  on  you  again,  in  the  course  of  the  day ; 
have  the  goodness  to  give  orders  that  I  may  be  admitted,  and  grant  me  a  few- 
minutes'  conversation.  I  have  important  secrets  to  reveal  to  you. 

"CHARLOTTE  CORD  AT. 

"At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  she  returned,  and 
reached  Marat's  antechamber;  but  the  woman  who  waited 
on  him  refused  to  admit  her  to  the  monster's  presence. 
Marat,  however,  who  was  in  a  bath  in  the  next  room,  hear 
ing  the  voice  of  a  young  girl,  and  little  thinking  she  had 
come  to  deprive  him  of  life,  ordered  that  she  should  be 
shown  in.  Charlotte  seated  herself  by  the  side  of  the  bath. 
The  conversation  ran  upon  the  disturbances  in  the  depart 
ment  of  Calvados  ;  and  Charlotte,  fixing  her  eyes  upon 
Marat's  countenance,  as  if  to  scrutinize  his  most  secret 
thoughts,  pronounced  the  names  of  several  of  the  Girondist 
deputies. 

"  'They  shall  soon  be  arrested,'  he  cried,  with  a  howl  of 
rage,  'and  executed  the  same  day.' 

"He  had  scarcely  uttered  these  words,  when  Charlotte's 
knife  was  buried  in  his  bosom. 

"  'Help!'  he  cried;  'help!  I  am  murdered.'  He  died 
immediately." 

The  very  latest  attempt  at  assassination  was  the  fruitless 
aim  of  the  weapon  of  death  at  the  life  of  Alexander  of  Russia, 
whose  details  are  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  civilized 
world — a  madly  rash  endeavor  to  slay  a  monarch  unrivaled 
in  regard  for  popular  rights,  and  in  the  admiration  of  his 
subjects,  no  less  than  of  other  nations.  It  revealed  the 
slumbering  hate  of  the  aristocratic  class,  and  the  certainty 
that  if  a  ruler's  policy  infringe  upon  time-honored  exclusive- 


462  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

ness,  and  proud  but  unrighteous  distinctions,  his  life  is  in 
peril,  along  with  that  of  the  tyrant  who  exasperates,  with 
better  reason  on  their  part,  the  outraged  masses.  This 
naturally  brings  me  to  the  assassination  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
the  purest  patriot  and  wisest,  most  paternal'ruler  of  any  age. 

I  shall  not  discuss  the  political  questions  and  resolutions 
whose  issue  was  the  election  to  the  presidential  chair  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  in  the  autumn  of  1860.  But  to  follow 
the  conspiracy  against  his  life  from  the  beginning  to  the 
fearful  end,  I  go  back  to  the  thwarted  plot  which  followed 
that  popular  choice. 

The  statement  made  by  a  gentleman  of  Philadelphia,  who 
was  a  prominent  actor  in  the  defeat  of  the  deliberate  and 
well-arranged  plan  to  murder  the  President  elect,  will 
furnish  an  argument  in  behalf  of  the  detective  service,  the 
strength  of  which  is  measured  by  the  value  of  his  useful  life 
during  more  than  four  years.  The  narrative  was  substan 
tially  as  follows : — 

In  the  month  of  January,  1861,  a  gentleman,  holding  a 
position  in  this  city  which  made  him  a  proper  agent  to  act 
on  the  information,  was  waited  upon  by  a  lady,  who  stated 
to  him  her  suspicions  or  knowledge — whence  derived  we  are 
not  able  to  say — of  a  plot  to  assassinate  Mr.  Lincoln  when 
on  his  way  from  his  home,  in  Illinois,  to  Washington,  to  be 
inaugurated  as  President.  The  active  parties,  or  some  of 
them,  in  the  business,  were  understood  to  be  in  Baltimore. 
At  all  events,  the  gentleman  considered  that  the  intelligence 
had  sufficient  foundation  to  make  it  his  duty  to  satisfy  him 
self  whether  it  might  be  correct.  He  accordingly  employed 
a  detective  officer,  a  man  who  had  in  his  profession  become 
notable  for  his  sagacity  and  success,  to  go  to  Baltimore  and 
adopt  his  own  course  to  detect  the  parties  to  and  plan  of 
the  conspiracy.  The  officer  went  to  Baltimore,  and  opened 
an  office  as  some  sort  of  broker  or  agent,  under  an  assumed 
name.  Being  supplied  with  needful  funds,  he  made  occa 
sions  to  become  acquainted  with  certain  classes  of  secession 
ists,  and  by  degrees  was  on  free  and  easy  terms  with  them. 
He  took  each  man  in  his  humor,  dined  and  supped  with 
some,  gambled  with  others,  'treated,' and  seconded  dissipa 
tions  in  more  ways  than  need  be  expressly  stated,  until  he 


FIRST  CONSPIRACY  AGAINST  MR.  LINCOLN.  463 

had  secured  enough  of  their  confidence  to  be  familiar  with 
the  particulars  of  their  schemes.  Meanwhile  it  had  "been 
ascertained  that  on  the  line  of  the  Baltimore  Railroad  there 
were  men  engaged  in  military  drilling.  Several  other  detec 
tives  were  employed  by  the  chief  to  discover  the  purpose 
of  those  organizations  ;  and,  disguised  as  laborers  or  farm 
hands,  they  got  themselves  mustered  in.  One  of  the  military 
companies  proved  to  be  loyal  in  its  purpose  ;  another,  under 
pretense  of  being  prepared  to  guard  one  or  more  of  the 
bridges  north  of  Baltimore,  was  designed  for  quite  an  oppo 
site  purpose.  It  will  be  remembered  that  some  time  before 
Mr.  Lincoln  set  out  from  his  home  for  Washington,  his 
intended  route  thither  was  published.  A  part  of  the  pro 
gramme  was  that  he  should  visit  Harrisburg  and  Philadel 
phia.  We  believe  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  not  advised  espe 
cially  of  any  personal  danger  until  he  was  about  to  go  to 
Harrisburg,  and  then,  at  the  instance  of  the  gentleman 
referred  to,  he  was  urged  to  proceed  without  delay  to  Wash 
ington.  He  replied,  however,  that  he  had  promised  the 
people  of  Harrisburg  to  answer  their  invitation,  and  he 
would  do  so  if  it  cost  him  his  life.  He  accordingly  visited 
Harrisburg  on  the  22d  of  February,  1861.  It  \vas  intended 
he  should  rest  there  that  evening.  But  under  the  manage 
ment  of 'the  gentleman,'  another  arrangement  was  effected. 
The  night  train  from  Philadelphia  to  Baltimore  and  Wash 
ington  left  at  half- past  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening.  It  was 
determined  that  Mr.  Lincoln  should  go  secretly  by  that  train 
on  the  evening  of  the  23d ;  and  to  enable  him  to  do  so,  a 
special  train  was  provided  to  bring  him  secretly  from  Harris 
burg  to  Philadelphia.  After  dark,  in  the  former  city,  when 
it  was  presumed  he  had  retired  to  his  hotel,  he  accordingly 
took  the  special  train,  and  came  to  Philadelphia.  Mean 
while,  in  anticipation  of  his  coming,  'the  gentleman'  had 
insured  the  detention  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore 
train,  under  the  pretense  that  a  parcel  of  important  docu 
ments  for  one  of  the  departments  in  Washington  must  be 
dispatched  by  it,  but  which  might  not  be  ready  until  after 
the  regular  time  of  the  starting  of  that  train.  By  a  similar 
representation,  the  connecting  train  from  Baltimore  to  Wash 
ington  was  also  detained.  Owing  to  the  late  hour  at  which 


464  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

the  special  train  left  Harrisburg  with  Mr.  Lincoln,  it  did  not, 
as  was  anticipated,  reach  this  city  until  after  the  usual  Phila 
delphia  and  Baltimore  time.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  accompanied 
by  the  officer  who  had  been  employed  in  Baltimore.  A  formi 
dable  bundle  of  old  railroad  reports  had  been  made  up  in  the 
office  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  Company,  which  the 
officer,  duly  instructed,  had  charge  of.  On  the  arrival  of  the 
Harrisburg  train,  Mr.  Lincoln  took  a  carriage  in  waiting,  and 
with  his  escort  was  driven  to  the  depot  at  Broad  and  Prime 
Streets.  The  officer  made  some  ostentatious  bustle,  arriving 
with  his  parcel  for  which  the  train  was  detained,  and  pass 
ing  through  the  depot  entered  the  cars,  Mr.  Lincoln  in  his 
company.  As  Mr.  Lincoln  passed  through  the  gate,  the  man 
attending  it  remarked:  'Old  fellow,  it's  well  for  you  the 
train  was  detained  to-night,  or  you  wouldn't  have  gone  in 
it.'  No  one  aboard  the  train  but  the  agent  of  the  company 
and  the  officer  knew  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  being  in  it.  He  was 
conducted  to  a  sleeping  car,  and  thus  was  kept  out  of  the 
way  of  observation.  To  guard  against  any  possible  commu 
nication  by  telegraph  at  this  time,  the  circuit  was  broken,  to 
be  united  when  it  would  be  safe  to  do  so.  The  plan  of  the 
conspirators  was  to  break  or  burn  one  of  the  bridges  north 
of  Baltimore,  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  anticipated  ap 
proach,  on  the  following  day  ;  and  in  the  confusion  incident 
to  the  stoppage  of  the  train,  to  assassinate  him  in  the  cars. 
Hence  the  extra  precaution  above  mentioned,  regarding  the 
telegraph.  In  due  time  the  train  with  Mr.  Lincoln  reached 
Washington,  and  he  being  safe  there,  the  officer,  as  pre 
viously  instructed,  sent  a  dispatch  to  'the  gentleman'  that 
'the  parcel  of  documents  had  been  delivered.'  The  public, 
and,  above  all,  the  conspirators,  awoke  on  the  morning  of 
the  24th  to  be  astonished  with  the  intelligence  that  Mr.  Lin 
coln  had  arrived  in  Washington.  It  may  be  well  to  mention 
here  that  the  story  of  his  disguise  in  a  'Scotch  cap'  and 
cloak,  was  untrue.  He  wore  his  ordinary  traveling  cap,  and 
was  in  no  sense  of  the  word  disguised. 

His  safe  arrival  in  the  Capital,  the  public  receptions,  and 
the  joyful  anticipations  of  the  loyal  people,  succeeded  the 
hours  of  unappreciated  danger,  because  generally  unknown. 


ASSASSINATION    OF  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN.  465 

The  services  of  the  remarkable  man,  during  the  war,  have 
become  familiar  history  to  the  humblest  citizen. 

April  11,  1865,  the  National  Capital  and  the  country  were 
again  jubilant  over  the  closing  victories  of  the  conflict.  The 
recently  reinaugurated  President  was  serenaded,  and  made 
congratulatory  speeches  amid  the  splendors  of  the  evening 
illumination.  Then  came  the  14th,  with  the  commemorative 
Hag-raising  at  Fort  Sumter  ;  and  the  17th  was  set  apart  for  a 
general  expression  o£  grateful  joy. 

But  it  was  a  day  of  darkness  and  woe,  which  has  no 
parallel  in  national  annals.  The  events  which  shrouded  the 
land  in  this  tearful  gloom  will  be  detailed  in  the  account  of 
the  capture  of  the  assassin,  and  his  career  in  its  relation 
to  it. 

There  was  a  very  extraordinary  indifference  in  the  mind 
of  Mr.  Lincoln  in  regard  to  threats  of  assassination,  some  of 
which  I  communicated  to  him.  Several  times  I  walked  with 
him  in  the  grounds  of  the  White  House,  at  a  late  hour  of 
the  evening,  conversing  upon  such  intelligence  of  the  war  as 
I  had  received.  Whenever  allusion  was  made  to  the  intima 
tions  of  cherished  designs  upon  his  life,  he  almost  playfully 
listened,  and  apparently  was  unable  to  believe  depravity 
could  go  so  far  as  to  destroy  a  friend  of  all  the  people,  such 
as  he  felt  himself  to  be.  But  the  risJc  was  taken,  and  the 
plotting  was  too  successful  against  the  victorious  loyalty  of 
the  North. 

About  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  April  14/1865,  while 
the  play,  "Our  American  Cousin,"  was  progressing,  a  stran 
ger,  who  proved  to  be  John  Wilkes  Booth,  an  actor  of  some 
note,  worked  his  way  into  the  proscenium  box,  occupied  by 
the  presidential  party,  and  leveling  a  pistol  close  behind  the 
head  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  he  fired,  and  the  ball  was  lodged  deep 
in  the  brain  of  the  President.  The  assassin  then  drew  a  dirk, 
sprang  from  the  box,  flourishing  the  weapon  aloft,  and 
shouted,  as  he  reached  the  stage,  the  motto  upon  the  es 
cutcheon  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  "  Sic  temper  Tyrannis  /" 
He  dashed  across  the  stage,  and  before  the  audience  could 
realize  the  real  position  of  affairs,  the  murderer  had  mounted 
a  fleet  horse  in  waiting  in  an  alley  in  the  rear  of  the  theatre, 
and  galloping  off,  he  escaped  for  a  time. 

30 


466  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

The  screams  of  Mrs.  Lincoln  first  disclosed  to  the  audi 
ence  the  fact  that  the  President  was  shot,  when  all  rose, 
many  pressing  toward  the  stage,  and  exclaiming,  "Hang 
him  !  Hang  him  !"  The  excitement  was  of  the  wildest  nature. 
Others  rushed  for  the  President's  box,  jvhile  others  cried 
out,  "Stand  "back!  Give  him  fresh  air!"  and  called  for 
stimulants.  It  was  not  known  at  first  where  he  was  wound 
ed,  the  most  of  those  about  him  thinking  that  he  was  shot 
through  the  heart;  but  after  opening  his  vest,  and  finding 
no  wound  in  his  breast,  it  was  discovered  that  he  was  shot 
in  the  head,  between  the  left  ear  and  the  centre  of  the  back 
part  of  the  head.  In  a  few  moments  he  was  borne  to  a  pri 
vate  house,  Mr.  Peterson's,  just  opposite  the  theatre,  where 
the  Surgeon-General,  and  several  prominent  physicians  and 
surgeons  were  speedily  summoned.  Meanwhile  the  mem 
bers  of  the  Cabinet,  with  the  exception  of  Secretary  Seward, 
whose  life  had  been  attempted  by  an  assassin  at  about  the 
same  hour  with  the  President,  assembled  in  the  room  where 
the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  nation  lay  dying. 

Secretaries  Stanton,  Welles,  Usher,  McCulloch,  Attorney- 
General  Speed,  and  Assistant  Secretaries  Maunsell  B.  Field, 
of  the  Treasury,  and  Judge  William  T.  Otto,  of  the  Interior, 
together  with  Speaker  Colfax,  and  several  other  prominent 
gentlemen  were  present.  The  scene  was  one  of  extraordi 
nary  solemnity.  The  history  of  the  world  does  not  furnish 
a  parallel.  Quiet,  breathing  away  his  life  serenely,  uncon 
scious  of  all  around,  sensible  to  no  pain,  lay  the  great  MAN 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  passing  hence  to  that  immortality 
which  has  been  accorded  by  Providence  to  few  of  earthly 
mould. 

All  the  long,  weary  night,  the  watchers  stood  by  the 
couch  of  the  dying  President.  From  the  moment  when  the 
fatal  bullet  entered  his  brain  he  never  spoke,  never  evinced 
any  consciousness,  but,  with  closed  eyes,  rested  in  a  repose 
which  appeared  to  be  the  quiet  of  death.  Mrs.  Lincoln  and 
Captain  Robert  Lincoln  several  times  entered  the  chamber, 
but  their  grief  was  such  that  they  tarried  but  a  brief  time, 
tender  friends  urging  them  to  remain  in  the  adjoining  room. 

Day  dawned  at  length,  and  the  tide  of  life  ebbed  more 
rapidly,  and  at  twenty-two  minutes  past  seven  o'clock,  on 


LAST  HOURS   OF  THE   PRESIDENT.  467 

the  morning  of  Saturday,  April  15,  1865,  the  President 
breathed  his  last,  closing  his  eyes  as  if  falling  to  sleep,  and 
his  countenance  assuming  an  expression  of  perfect  serenity. 
There  were  no  indications  of  pain,  and  it  was  not  known 
that  he  was  dead  until  the  gradually  decreasing  respiration 
ceased  altogether. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Gurley,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  Washington,  which  Mr.  Lincoln  attended  regularly  with 
his  family,  immediately  on  its  being  ascertained  that  life  was 
extinct,  knelt  at  the  bedside,  and  offered  an  impressive 
prayer,  which  was  responded  to  by  all  present. 

Dr.  Gurley  then  proceeded  to  the  front  parlor,  where 
Mrs.  Lincoln,  Captain  Robert  Lincoln,  Mr.  John  Hay,  the 
President's  Private  Secretary,  and  others  were  waiting, 
where  he  again  offered  prayer  for  the  consolation  of  the 
family. 

The  following  minutes,  taken  by  Dr.  Abbott,  show  the 
condition  of  the  President  throughout  the  night: — 11  P.  M., 
pulse  44  ;  11.05  P.  M.,  pulse  45,  and  growing  weaker  ;  11.10 
p.  M.,  pulse  45  ;  11.15  P.  M.,  pulse  42  ;  11.20  p.  M.,  pulse  45, 
respiration  27  to  30  ;  11.25  p.  M.,  pulse  42  ;  11.32  P.  M.,  pulse 
48  and  full ;  11.40  P.  M.,  pulse  45  ;  21.45  P.  M.,  pulse  45,  respi 
ration  22  ;  12.08  A.  M.,  respiration  22  ;  12.15  A.  M.,  respiration 
21,  ecchymosis  of  both  eyes;  12.30  A.  M.,  pulse  54;  12.32 
A.  M.,  pulse  60 ;  12.35  A.  M.,  pulse  66  ;  12.40  A.  M.,  pulse  69  ; 
right  eye  much  swollen,  and  ecchymosed  ;  12.45  A.  M.,  pulse 
70,  respiration  27 ;  12.55  A.  M.,  pulse  80,  struggling  motion  of 
arms;  1  A.  M.,  pulse  86,  respiration  30  ;  1.30  A.  M.,  pulse  95, 
\  appearing  easier;  1.45  A.  M.,  pulse  87,  very  quiet,  respira 
tion  irregular,  Mrs.  Lincoln  present ;  2.10  A.  M.,  Mrs.  Lincoln 
retired  with  Robert  Lincoln  to  an  adjoining  room  ;  2.30  A.  M.. 
the  President  is  very  quiet,  pulse  54.  respiration  28;  2.52 
A.  M.,  pulse  48,  respiration  30  ;  3  A.  M.,  visited  again  by  Mrs. 
Lincoln  ;  3.25  A.  M.,  respiration  24,  and  regular;  3.25  A.  M., 
prayer  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gurley  ;  4  A.  M.,  respiration  26,  and 
regular  ;  4.15  A.  M.,  pulse  60,  respiration  25  ;  5.50  A.  M.,  res 
piration  28  and  regular,  sleeping ;  6  A.  M.,  pulse  failing,  res 
piration  28 ;  6.30  A.  M.,  still  failing,  and  labored  breathing  ; 
7  A.  M.,  symptoms  of  immediate  dissolution  ;  7.22  A.  M., 
death. 


468  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Surrounding  the  death -bed  of  the  President  were  Secreta 
ries  Stanton,  Welles,  Usher,  Attorney-General  Speed,  Post 
master-General  Dennison,  M.  T.  Field,  Assistant  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury ;  Judge  Otto,  Assistant  Secretary  of  Interior ; 
General  Halleck,  General  Meigs,  Senator.  Sumner,  F.  R. 
Andrews,  of  New  York ;  General  Todd,  of  Dacotah ;  John 
Hay,  Private  Secretary  ;  Governor  Oglesby,  of  Illinois  ;  Gen 
eral  Farnsworth,  Mr.  and  Miss  Kenny,  Miss  Harris,  Captain 
Robert  Lincoln,  son  of  the  President,  and  Dr.  E.  W.  Abbott, 
R.  K.  Stone,  C.  D.  Gatch,  Neal  Hall,  and  Leiberman.  Sec 
retary  McCulloch  remained  with  the  President  until  about  5 
A.  M.,  and  Chief- Justice  Chase,  after  several  hours  attend 
ance  during  the  night,  returned  again  early  in  the  morning, 

A  special  Cabinet  meeting  was  called  immediately  after 
the  President' s  death,  by  Secretary  Stanton,  and  held  in  the 
room  where  the  corpse  lay.  Secretaries  Stanton,  Welles, 
and  Usher,  Postmaster-General  Dennison,  and  Attorney- 
General  Speed,  were  present. 

After  his  death,  a  complete  examination  was  made  of  the 
wound  with  the  following  result :  The  ball  entered  the  skull 
midway  between  the  left  ear  and  the  center  of  the  back  of 
the  head,  and  passed  nearly  to  the  right  eye.  The  ball  and 
two  loose  fragments  of  lead  were  found  in  the  brain.  Sin 
gularly  enough,  both  orbital  roofs  were  fractured  inwardly, 
•  properly  from  contre-coup.  The  tenacity  of  life  was  special 
ly  noticed  by  every  surgeon  in  attendance.  The  brain  was 
taken  out,  but  a  considerable  portion  of  it  had  already 
escaped  from  the  wound. 

The  autopsy  of  the  President  was  made  in  the  presence 
of  Surgeon-General  Barnes,  Dr.  Crane  and  Dr.  Stone,  of 
Washington,  and  by  Drs.  Woodward,  Notson,  and  Curtis, 
of  the  regular  army. 

STATEMENT   OF  MR.  FIELD,   ASSISTANT   SECRETARY   OF   THE 

TREASURY. 

On  Friday  evening,  April  14,  1865,  at  about  half-past  10  o'clock,  I  was 
Bitting  in  the  reading-room  at  Willard's  Hotel,  engaged  with  a  newspaper, 
when  a  person  hurriedly  entered  the  hotel  and  passed  up  the  hall,  announcing 
in  a  loud  tone  of  voice  that  the  President  had  just  been  shot  at  Ford's  Theatre. 
I  started  to  my  feet,  arid  had  hardly  reached  the  office  when  two  other  per- 


STATEMENT   OF  MK.  FIELD.  469 

sons  came  in,  and  confirmed  the  report — which  at  first  I  was  hardly  able  to 
credit.  I  had  parted  about  fifteen  minutes  previously  with  Mr.  Mellen,  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  who  had  retired  to  his  room  for  the  night,  and  I  at 
once  went  to  him.  and  communicated  what  had  occurred,  and  we  started 
together  for  the  scene  of  the  tragedy. 

We  found  the  streets  already  crowded  with  excited  masses  of  people,  and 
when  we  reached  the  theater  there  was  a  very  large  assemblage  in  front  of  it, 
as  well  as  of  the  opposite  house,  belonging  to  Mr.  Peterson,  into  which  the 
President  had  been  conveyed.  The  people  around  the  theater  related  to  us 
substantially  the  general  facts  connected  with  the  assassination,  which  have 
since  been  communicated  to  the  public.  The  impression  was  prevalent, 
however,  at  that  time,  that  the  President  had  been  shot  in  the  breast, 
about  the  region  of  the  heart,  and  that  the  wound  might  not  prove  fatal. 
After  a  few  minutes,  we  crossed  the  street,  and  endeavored  to  gain  admis 
sion  into  the  house  where  Mr.  Lincoln  lay.  This  I  effected  with  some  little 
difficulty. 

The  first  person  whom  I  met  in  the  hall  was  Miss  Harris,  daughter  of 
United  States  Senator  Ira  Harris,  of  New  York,  who  had  been  at  the  theater 
with  the  Presidential  party.  She  informed  me  that  the  President  was  dying, 
but  desired  me  not  to  communicate  the  fact  to  Mrs.  Lincoln,  who  was  in  the 
front  parlor.  Several  other  persons  who  were  there  confirmed  the  statement 
ns  to  Mr.  Lincoln's  condition.  I  then  entered  the  front  parlor,  where  I  found 
Mrs.  Lincoln  in  a  state  of  indescribable  agitation.  She  repeated  over  and 
over  again,  "Why  didn't  he  kill  me?  "Why  didn't  he  kill  me?" 

I  asked  if  there  was  any  service  I  could  render  her,  and  she  requested  me 
to  go  for  Dr.  Stone,  or  some  other  eminent  physician.  Both  Dr.  Stone  and 
Sungeon-General  Barnes  had  been  already  sent  for,  but  neither  had  yet 
arrived.  On  my  way  out  I  met  Major  T.  T.  Eckert,  of  the  War  Department, 
who  told  me  that  he  was  himself  going  for  Dr.  Stone.  I  then  went  for  Dr. 
Hall,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  surgeons  in  the  District.  I  found  him  at 
home,  and  he  at  once  accompanied  me.  When  we  again  reached  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  house,  access  had  become  very  difficult,  guards  having  been 
stationed  on  every  side. 

After  much  effort,  I  was  enabled  to  obtain  admission  for  Dr.  Hall,  but  was 
not  at  that  time  permitted  to  enter  myself;  accordingly  I  returned  to  Wil- 
lard's.  The  whole  population  of  the  city  was  by  this  time  out,  and  all  kinds 
of  conflicting  stories  were  being  circulated.  At  three  or  four  o'clock,  I  again 
started  for  Mr.  Peterson's  house.  This  time  I  was  admitted  without  difficulty. 
I  proceeded  at  once  to  the  room  in  which  the  President  was  dying.  It  was  a 
small  chamber,  in  an  extension  or  back  building,  on  a  level  with  the  first  or 
parlor  floor.  The  President  was  lying  on  his  back,  diagonally  across  a  low, 
double  bedstead,  his  head  supported  by  two  pillows  on  the  outer  side  of  the 
bed. 

The  persons  in  the  room  were  the  Secretaries  McCulloch.  Stanton,  Welles, 
and  Harlan,  Postmaster-General  Dennison,  the  Attorney-General,  the  Assist 
ant  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  Senator  Sumner,  of  Mussachusetts,  General 
Halleck,  General  Augur,  General  Meiers,  General  J.  F.  Farnsworth,  of  Illinois, 
General  Todd,  of  Dacotah,  the  President's  Assistant  Private  Secretary,  Major 


470  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Hay,  the  medical  gentlemen,  and  perhaps  two  or  three  others.  Dr.  Stone 
was  sitting  on  the  foot  of  the  bed.  An  army  surgeon  was  sitting  opposite 
the  President's  head,  occasionally  feeling  his  pulse,  and  applying  his  fingers 
to  the  arteries  of  the  neck  and  the  heart. 

Mr.  Lincoln  seemed  to  be  divested  of  all  clothing,  except  the  bed  cover 
ings.  His  eyes  were  closed,  and  the  lids  and  surrounding  parts  so  injected 
with  blood  as  to  present  the  appearance  of  having  been  bruised.  He  was 
evidently  totally  unconscious,  and  was  breathing  regularly  but  heavily,  and 
with  an  occasional  sigh  escaping  with  the  breath.  There  was  scarcely  a  dry 
eye  in  the  room,  and  the  scene  was  the  most  solemn  and  impressive  one  I 
ever  witnessed.  After  a  while,  Captain  Robert  Lincoln,  of  General  Grant's 
staff,  and  eldest  son  of  the  President,  entered  the  chamber,  and  stood  at  the 
headboard,  leaning  over  his  father. 

For  a  time  his  grief  completely  overpowered  him,  but  he  soon  recovered 
himself,  and  behaved  in  the  most  manly  manner  until  the  closing  of  the  scene. 
As  the  morning  wore  on,  the  condition  of  the  President  remained  unchanged 
unttt  about  seven  o'clock.  In  the  mean  time,  it  came  on  to  rain  heavily,  and 
the  scene  from  the  windows  was  in  dreary  sympathy  with  that  which  was 
going  on  within.  Just  before  this,  Mrs.  Lincoln  had  been  supported  into  the 
chamber,  and  had  thrown  herself  moaning  upon  her  husband's  body.  She 
was  permitted  to  remain  but  a  few  minutes,  when  she  was  carried  out,  in  an 
almost  insensible  condition. 

At  about  seven  o'clock,  the  President's  breathing  changed  in  a  manner  to 
indicate  that  death  was  rapidly  approaching.  It  became  low  and  fitful,  with 
frequent  interruptions.  Several  times  I  thought  that  all  wa$  over,  until  the 
feeble  respiration  was  resumed.  At  last,  at  just  twenty-two  minutes  past 
seven  o'clock,  without  a  struggle,  without  a  convulsive  movement,  without  a 
tremor,  he  ceased  breathing — and  was  no  more. 

Thus  died  this  great,  pure,  kind-hearted  man,  who  never  willingly  injured 
a  human  being — the  greatest  martyr  to  liberty  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

Shortly  after  his  death,  finding  that  his  eyes  were  not  entirely  closed,  I 
placed  my  hands  upon  them.  One  of  the  attendant  surgeons  first  put  nickel 
cents  upon  them,  and  then  substituted  silver  half  dollars.  It  was  twenty 
minutes  or  half  an  hour  before  the  body  commenced  to  grow  cold.  The  lower 
jaw  began  to  fall  slightly,  and  the  lower  teeth  were  exposed.  One  of  the 
medical  gentlemen  bound  up  the  jaw  with  a  pocket  handkerchief.  Mr. 
Stanton  threw  down  the  window-shades,  and  I  left  the  chamber  of  death. 
Immediately  after  the  decease,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gurley  had  offered  up  a  fervent 
and  affecting  prayer  in  the  room,  interrupted  only  by  the  sobs  of  those 
present. 

When  I  left  the  room,  he  was  again  praying  in  the  front  parlor.  Poor 
Mrs.  Lincoln's  moans  were  distressing  to  listen  to.  After  the  prayer  was 
over,  I  entered  the  parlor,  and  found  Mrs.  Lincoln,  supported  in  the  arms  of 
her  son,  Robert.  She  was  soon  taken  to  her  carriage.  As  she  reached  the 
front  door,  she  glanced  at  the  theater  opposite,  and  exclaimed  several  times, 
U0h.  iliat  dreadful  house!  that  dreadful  house!"  Immediately  thereafter, 
guards  were  stationed  at  the  door  of  the  room  in  which  the  President's  body 


MAJOR  RATHBONE'S   STATEMENT.  471 

lay.     In  a  few  minutes  I  left  myself.     It  is  hoped  that  some  historical  painter 
will  be  found  capable  of  portraying  that  momentous  death -scene. 

MAJOR  RATHBONE'S  STATEMENT. 

In  connection  with  the  murder  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  we  give 
the  statements  of  Major  Rathbone  and  Miss  Harris,  who  were 
in  the  President' s  box  at  the  time.  Being  the  only  persons 
except  Mrs.  Lincoln,  who  were  present  when  Booth  executed 
his  foul  purpose,  their  statements  are  of  great  interest,  delin 
eating  as  they  do  the  scenes  which  immediately  transpired. 
Major  Rathbone  appeared  before  the  investigating  magis 
trate,  and  testified  as  follows  : — 

That  on  the  14th  April,  1865,  at  about  twenty  minutes  past  eight  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  he,  with  Miss  Clara  H.  Harris,  left  his  residence,  at  the  corner 
of  Fifteenth  and  H  Streets,  and  joined  the  President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln,  and 
went  with  them  in  their  carriage  to  Ford's  Theater,  in  Tenth  Street.  The 
box  assigned  to  the  President  is  in  the  second  tier,  on  the  right-hand  side  of 
the  audience,  and  was  occupied  by  the  President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln,  Miss  Har 
ris,  and  the  deponent — and  by  no  other  person.  The  box  is  entered  by  pass 
ing  from  the  front  of  the  building,  in  the  rear  of  the  dress  circle,  to  a  small 
entry,  or  passage-way,  about  eight  feet  in  length  and  four  feet  in  width. 

This  passage-way  is  entered  by  a  door,  which  opens  on  the  inner  side. 
The  door  is  so  placed  as  to  make  an  acute  angle  between  it  and  the  wall 
behind  it  on  the  inner  side.  At  the  inner  end  of  this  passage-way  is  another 
door,  standing  squarely  across,  and  opening  into  the  box.  On  the  left-hand 
side  of  the  passage-way,  and  very  near  the  inner  end,  is  a  third  door,  which 
also  opens  into  the  box.  This  latter  door  was  closed.  The  party  entered  the 
box  through  the  door  at  the  end  of  the  passage-way.  The  box  is  so  con 
structed,  that  it  may  be  divided  into  two  by  a  movable  partition,  one  of  the 
doors  described  opening  into  each.  The  front  of  the  box  is  about  ten  or 
twelve  feet  in  length,  and  in  the  center  of  the  railing  is  a  small  pillar,  over 
hung  with  a  curtain.  The  depth  of  the  box  from  front  to  rear  is  about  nine 
feet.  The  elevation  of  the  box  above  the  stage,  including  the  railing,  is  about 
ten  or  twelve  feet. 

When  the  party  entered  the  box,  a  cushioned  arm-chair  was  standing  at 
the  end  of  the  box  furthest  from  the  stage,  and  nearest  the  audience.  This 
was  also  the  nearest  point  to  the  door  by  which  the  box  is  entered.  The 
President  seated  himself  in  this  chair — and,  except  that  he  once  left  the  chair 
for  the  purpose  of  putting  on  his  overcoat,  remained  so  seated  until  he  was 
shot.  Mrs.  Lincoln  was  seated  in  a  chair  between  the  President  and  the 
pillar  in  the  center  above  described.  At  the  opposite  end  of  the  box — that 
nearest  the  end  of  the  stage — were  two  chairs.  In  one  of  these,  standing  in 
the  corner,  Miss  Harris  was  seated.  At  her  left  hand,  arid  along  the  wall 
running  from  that  end  of  the  box  to  the  rear,  stood  a  small  sofa.  At  the  end 


472  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  this  sofa,  next  to  Miss  Harris,  this  deponent  was  seated.  The  distance 
between  this  deponent  and  the  President,  as  they  were  sitting,  was  about 
seven  or  eight  feet;  and  the  distance  between  this  deponent  and  the  door  was 
about  the  same. 

The  distance  between  the  President,  as  he  sat,  and  the  door,  was  about 
four  or  five  feet.  The  door,  according  to  the  recollection  of  this  deponent, 
was  not  closed  during  the  evening.  When  the  second  scene  of  the  third  act 
was  being  performed,  and  while  this  deponent  was  intently  observing  the 
proceedings  upon  the  stage,  with  his  back  toward  the  door,  he  heard  the 
discharge  of  a  pistol  behind  him,  and  looking  around,  saw,  through  the  smoke, 
a  man  between  the  door  and  the  President.  At  the  same  time,  deponent 
heard  him  shout  some  word,  which  deponent  thinks  was  "Freedom!"  This 
deponent  instantly  sprang  toward  him  and  seized  him ;  he  wrested  himself 
from  the  grasp,  and  made  a  violent  thrust  at  the  breast  of  deponent  with  a 
large  knife.  Deponent  parried  the  blow  by  striking  it  up,  and  received 
a  wound  several  inches  deep  in  his  left  arm,  between  the  elbow  and  the 
shoulder.  The  orifice  of  the  wound  is  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length, 
and  extends  upward  toward  the  shoulder  several  inches.  The  man  rushed 
to  the  front  of  the  box,  and  deponent  endeavored  to  seize  him  again,  but  only 
caught  his  clothes,  as  he  was  leaping  over  the  railing  of  the  box.  The  clothes, 
as  deponent  believes,  were  torn  in  this  attempt  to  seize  him. 

As  he  went  over  upon  the  stage,  deponent  cried  out,  with  a  loud  voice, 
"Stop  that  man!"  Deponent  then  turned  to  the  President;  his  position  was 
not  changed ;  his  head  was  slightly  bent  forward,  and  his  eyes  were  closed. 
Deponent  saw  that  he  was  unconscious,  and  supposing  him  mortally  wounded, 
rushed  to  the  door  for  the  purpose  of  calling  medical  aid.  On  reaching  the 
outer  door  of  the  passage-way,  as  above  described,  deponent  found  it  barred 
by  a  heavy  piece  of  plank,  one  end  of  which  was  secured  in  the  wall,  and  the 
other  resting  against  the  door.  It  had  been  so  securely  fastened,  that  it 
required  considerable  force  to  remove  it.  This  wedge,  or  bar,  was  about  four 
feet  from  the  floor.  Persons  upon  the  outside  were  beating  against  the  door, 
for  the  purpose  of  entering.  Deponent  removed  the  bar,  and  the  door  was 
opened. 

Several  persons,  who  represented  themselves  to  be  surgeons,  were  allowed 
to  enter.  Deponent  saw  there  Colonel  Crawford,  and  requested  him  to  pre 
vent  other  persons  from  entering  the  box.  Deponent  then  returned  to  the 
box,  and  found  the  surgeons  examining  the  President's  person.  They  had 
not  yet  discovered  the  wound.  As  soon  as  it  was  discovered,  it  was  deter 
mined  to  remove  him  from  the  theater.  He  was  carried  out,  and  this  depo 
nent  then  proceeded  to  assist  Mrs.  Lincoln,  who  was  intensely  excited,  to 
leave  the  theater.  On  reaching  the  head  of  the  stairs,  deponent  requested 
Major  Potter  to  aid  him  in  assisting  Mrs.  Lincoln  across  the  street,  to  the 
house  to  which  the  President  was  being  conveyed.  The  wound  which  depo 
nent  had  received  hud  been  bleeding  very  profusely,  and  on  reaching  the 
house,  feeling  very  faint  from  the  loss  of  blood,  he  seated  himself  in  the  hall. 


AFFIDAVIT  OF  MISS  HARRIS.  473 

and  soon  after  fainted  away,  and  was  laid  upon  the  floor.     Upon  the  return 
of  consciousness,  deponent  was  taken  in  a  carriage  to  his  residence. 

In  the  review  of  the  transaction,  it  is  the  confident  belief  of  this  deponent 
that  the  time  which  elapsed  between  the  discharge  of  the  pistol  and  the  time 
•when  the  assassin  leaped  from  the  box,  did  not  exceed  thirty  secunds.  Neither 
Mrs.  Lincoln  nor  Miss  Harris  had  left  their  seats. 

H.  R.  RATHBOXE. 
Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me,  this  17th  day  of  April,  1865. 

A.  B.  OLIX, 
Justice  Supreme  Court,  District  of  Columbia. 

AFFIDAVIT   OF  MISS  HARRIS. 

District  of  Columbia,  City  of  Washington,  ss.  : 

Clara  II.  Harris,  being  duly  sworn,  says  that  she  has  read  the  foregoing 
affidavit  of  Major  Rathbone,  and  knows  the  contents  thereof;  that  she  was 
present  at  Ford's  Theater  with  the  President,  and  Mrs.  Lincoln,  and  Major 
Rathbone,  on  the  evening  of  the  14th  of  April  instant ;  that  at  the  time  she 
beard  the  discharge  of  the  pistol  she  was  attentively  engaged  in  observing 
what  was  transpiring  upon  the  stage,  and  looking  round,  she  saw  Major 
Rathbone  spring  from  his  seat  and  advance  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  box; 
that  she  saw  him  engaged,  as  if  in  a  struggle,  with  another  man,  but  the 
smoke  with  which  he  was  enveloped  prevented  this  deponent  from  seeing 
distinctly  the  other  man;  that  the  first  time  she  saw  him  distinctly,  was  when 
he  leaped  from  the  box  upon  the  stage;  that  she  then  heard  Major  Rathbone 
cry  out,  "Stop  that  man!"  and  this  deponent  then  immediately  repeated  the 
cry,  "Stop  that  man!  Won't  somebody  stop  that  man?"  A  moment  after, 
some  one  from  the  stage  asked,  "What  is  it?"  or  "What  is  the  matter?"  and 
deponent  replied.  "The  President  is  shot.  Very  soon  after,  two  persons,  one 
wearing  the  uniform  of  a  naval  surgeon,  and  the  other  that  of  a  soldier  of  the 
Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  came  upon  the  stage,  and  the  deponent  assisted  them 
in  climbing  up  to  the  box. 

And  this  deponent  further  says,  that  the  facts  stated  in  the  foregoing 
affidavit,  so  far  as  the  same  came  to  the  knowledge  or  notice  of  this  deponent, 
are  accurately  stated  therein. 

CLARA  H.  HARRIS. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me,  this  17th  day  of  April,  1865. 

A.  B.  OLIX, 
Justice  of  Supreme  Court,  District  of  Columbia. 

SURGEON-GENERAL  BARNES'S   STATEMENT. 

On  the  night  of  the  assassination,  Surgeon-General  Barnes  was  met  in 
front  of  Willard's  Hotel,  by  an  officer,  pale  and  breathless,  who  informed  him 
that  the  President  had  been  shot.  Supposing  that  the  deed  was  done  at  the 
White  House,  General  Barnes  hurried  thitherward.  Stopping  at  the  Sur 
geon-General's  office,  to  give  orders  for  assistance,  he  found  a  summons  to 


474  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

the  bedside  of  Secretary  Seward,  who  had  been  attacked  by  an  assassin. 
Believing  that  the  two  stories  were  from  this,  Barnes  hurried  to  the  chamber 
of  Mr.  Seward.  He  found  him  lying  upon  the  bed,  with  one  cheek  cut  open 
and  part  of  the  flesh  lying  upon  the  pillow.  The  room  presented  a  horrible 
scene.  Blood  was  everywhere.  The  attendants  were  helpless.  A  deed  of 
horror  had  been  enacted ;  but  there  was  no  one  to  ^explain  its  details.  Dr. 
Barnes  immediately  gave  his  attention  to  Mr.  Seward ;  but  soon  afterward 
Dr.  Norris  arrived,  and  turning  over  the  Secretary  to  his  care,  the  Surgeon- 
General  proceeded  to  look  after  the  Assistant  Secretary,  Frederick  Seward, 
who  was  lying  insensible  upon  a  sofa  in  the  adjoining  room.  In  the  mean 
time,  other  surgical  attendants  had  come,  among  whom  was  Dr.  Notson,  and 
while  ministering  to  the  wounded  at  Secretary  Se  ward's,  the  Surgeon-General 
was  summoned  to  the  dying  murdered  President. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  FORD'S  THEATRE. 

Ford's  Theater,  now  converted  into  a  museum  of  war 
relics,  is  situated  on  Tenth  Street,  just  above  E  Street ;  a 
large  edifice,  built  of  brick,  and  plain  in  appearance.  The 
four  upper  boxes  were  the  boxes  of  the  theatre,  and  very 
elegant  and  spacious. 

The  box  which  the  President  occupied,  and  which  was 
known  as  "  The  President's  Box,"  consisted  of  the  two 
upper  boxes  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  house  as  you  face 
the  stage,  thrown  into  one.  It  was  fitted  up  with  great  ele 
gance  and  taste.  The  curtains  were  of  fine  lace  and  buff 
satin,  the  paper  dark  and  figured,  the  carpet  Turkey,  the 
seats  velvet,  and  the  exterior  ornamentations  were  lit  up 
with  a  chaste  chandelier  suspended  from  the  outside.  A 
winding  staircase  led  up  to  the  lobbies  which  conducted  to 
the  box,  and  unless  the  arrangements  were  stringent,  no 
decently  dressed  person  would  find  much  difficulty,  proba 
bly,  in  entering  after  being  opened  for  the  ingress  of  the 
party.  The  house  would  hold  probably  between  two  and 
three  thousand  people. 

There  were  two  alleys  at  Ford' s  Theater.  One  led  from 
the  stage,  along  the  east  side  of  the  theater,  between  the 
theatre  and  a  refreshment  saloon,  and  so  out  to  Tenth  Street. 
The  alley  was  neatly  paved,  and  boarded  and  papered  on 
both  sides.  The  entry  to  it  from  the  stage  was  through  a 
glass  door,  and  the  exit  from  it  on  to  Tenth  Street  through  a 
wooden  one. 


ANONYMOUS  COMMUNICATIONS.  475 

The  other  passage-way  led  from  the  back  of  the  theatre  to 
a  small  alley  which  communicated  with  Ninth  and  other 
streets,  and  conducted  to  a  livery-stable  locality.  It  was  in 
this  alley  that  the  horse  of  the  murderer  was  kept  waiting. 

The  Tenth  Street  door  would  have  been  too  public,  and 
escape,  even  temporary,  a  matter  of  impossibility.  But  the 
escape  by  the  alley  leading  from  the  back  of  the  stage  was 
comparatively  safe. 

There  were  two  doors  there,  one  used  for  the  egress  and 
ingress  of  the  actors,  and  the  other  devoted  to  the  accommo 
dation  of  scenery  and  machinery.  It  was  through  the  smaller 
one  that  the  assassin  made  his  exit. 

On  one  occasion  I  carried  to  Mr.  Lincoln  two  anonymous 
communications,  in  which  he  was  threatened  with  assassina 
tion.  In  a  laughing,  joking  manner,  he  remarked,  "  Well, 
Baker,  what  do  they  want  to  kill  me  for  ?  If  they  kill  me, 
they  will  run  the  risk  of  getting  a  worse  man." 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

THE   ASSASSINS   CAPTURED. 

Excitement  around  my  Headquarters  at  Washington — The  Chief  Conspirator — A 
Graphic  Narrative  of  his  Arrest — His  Burial — Desire  for  Relics  from  his  Body — 
Hanging  of  the  Conspirators. 

ALONG  with  my  own  narrative,  and  that  of  other  officers, 
I  shall  freely  quote  from  sketches  written  at  the  time  by 
others,  and  chiefly  at  my  headquarters,  around  which  the 
excitement  attending  the  dreadful  tragedy  seemed  to  surge, 
like  a  felt  but  invisible  tide,  gathering  strength  every  hour. 
To  gratify,  as  far  as  possible  to  do  so,  the  mournful  curiosity 
of  the  people  to  learn  the  details  of  the  affair,  some  corre 
spondence  directly  from  the  centre  of  investigation  and  emo 
tion  was  allowed.  With  this  general  explanation,  there  will 
be  no  further  reference  to  the  extracts ;  they  will  be  indi 
cated  by  their  connection  and  the  tone  of  narrative,  and 
quite  accurate  in  detail. 

One  of  the  writers,  whose  account  of  Booth's  arrest  may 
seem  somewhat  "  sensational,"  and  who  sat  in  my  office  un 
der  unusual  nervous  excitement,  created  by  the  extraordi 
nary  circumstances,  is  now  a  foreign  correspondent  of  a 
leading  New  York  daily. 

"  John  Wilkes  Booth  was  the  projector  of  the  plot  against 
the  President,  which  culminated  in  the  taking  of  that  good 
man's  life.  He  had  rolled  under  his  tongue  the  sweet  para 
graphs  of  Shakespeare  referring  to  Brutus,  as  his  father  Lad 
so  well,  that  the  old  man  named  one  son  Junius  Brutus,  and 
the  other  John  Wilkes,  after  the  wild  English  agitator,  until 
it  became  his  ambition,  like  the  wicked  Lorenzino  de  Medici, 
to  stake  his  life  upon  one  stroke  for  fame,  the  murder  of  a 
ruler  obnoxious  to  the  South. 

"Booth  shrank  at  lirst  from  murder,  until  another  and 


THE  KIDNAPPING  PLOT.  477 

less  dangerous  resolution  failed.  Tins  was  no  less  than  the 
capture  of  the  President's  body,  and  its  detention  or  trans 
portation  to  the  South.  I  do  not  rely  for  this  assertion  upon 
his  sealed  letter,  where  he  avows  it ;  there  has  been  found 
upon  a  street  within  the  city  limits  a  house  belonging  to  one 
Mrs.  Greene,  mined  and  furnished  with  underground  apart 
ments,  furnished  with  manacles,  and  all  the  accessories  to 
private  imprisonment.  Here  the  President,  and  as  many  as 
could  be  gagged  and  conveyed  away  with  him,  were  to  be 
concealed,  in  the  event  of  failure  to  run  them  into  the  Con 
federacy.  Owing  to  his  failure  to  group  around  him  as  many 
men  as  he  desired,  Booth  abandoned  the  project  of  kidnap 
ping  ;  but  the  house  was  discovered,  as  represented,  ready 
to  be  blown  up  at  a  moment' s  notice. 

"It  was  at  this  time  that  Booth  devised  his  triumphal 
route  through  the  South.  The  dramatic  element  seems  to 
have  been  never  lacking  in  his  design,  and  with  all  his  base 
purposes  he  never  failed  to  consider  some  subsequent  noto 
riety  to  be  enjoyed.  He  therefore  shipped,  before  the  end 
of  1861,  his  theatrical  wardrobe  from  Canada  to  Nassau. 
After  the  commission  of  his  crime  he  intended  to  reclaim  it, 
and  'star'  through  the  South,  drawing  many,  as  much  by 
his  crime  as  his  abilities. 

"When  Booth  began,  'on  his  own  responsibility,'  to 
hunt  for  accomplices,  he  found  his  theory  at  fault.  The 
bold  men  he  had  dreamed  of  refused  to  join  him  in  the  rash 
attempt  at  kidnapping  the  President,  and  were  too  conscien 
tious  to  meditate  murder.  All  those  who  presented  them 
selves  were  military  men,  unwilling  to  be  subordinate  to  a 
civilian  and  a  mere  play  actor,  and  the  mortified  bravo  found 
himself,  therefore,  compelled  to  sink  to  a  petty  rank  in  the 
plot  or  to  make  use  of  base  and  despicable  assistants.  His 
vanity  found  it  easier  to  compound  with  the  second  alterna 
tive  than  the  first. 

"Here  began  the  first  resolve,  which,  in  its  mere  animal 
state,  we  may  name  courage.  Booth  found  that  a  tragedy 
in  real  life  could  no  more  be  enacted  without  greasy-faced 
and  knock-kneed  supernumeraries  than  upon  the  mimic 
stage.  Your  *  First  Citizen,'  who  swings  a  stave  for  Marc 
Antony,  and  drinks  hard  porter  behind  the  flies,  is  very  like 


478  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

the  bravo  of  real  life,  who  murdeTs  between  his  cocktails  at 
the  nearest  bar.  "VVilkes  Booth  had  passed  the  ordeal  of  a 
garlicky  green-room,  and  did  not  shrink  from  the  broader 
and  ranker  green-room  of  real  life.  He  assembled  around 
him,  one  by  one,  the  cut-throats  at  whom  his  soul  would 
have  revolted,  except  that  he  had  become,  by  resolve,  a  cut 
throat  in  himself. 

"About  this  time  certain  gentlemen  in  Canada  began  to 
be  unenviably  known.  I  make  no  charges  against  those 
whom  I  do  not  know,  but  simply  say  that  the  Confederate 
agents,  Jacob  Thompson,  Larry  McDonald,  Clement  Clay, 
and  some  others,  had  already  accomplished  enough  villainy 
to  make  Wilkes  Booth,  on  the  first  of  the  present  year,  be 
lieve  that  he  had  but  to  seek  an  interview  with  them. 

"  He  visited  the  provinces  once  certainly,  and  three  times 
it  is  believed,  stopping  in  Montreal  at  St.  Lawrence  Hall, 
and  banking  four  hundred  and  fifty-five  dollars  odd  at  the 
Ontario  Bank.  This  was  his  own  money.  I  have  myself 
seen  his  bank-book  with  the  single  entry  of  this  amount.  It 
was  found  in  the  room  of  Atzeroth  at  Kirkwood's  Hotel. 

"Some  one  or  all  of  these  agents  furnished  Booth  with  a 
murderer — the  "fellow  Wood,  or  Payne,  who  stabbed  Mr. 
Seward,  and  was  caught  at  Mrs.  Surratt's  house  in  Washing 
ton.  He  was  one  of  three  Kentucky  brothers,  all  outlaws, 
and  had  himself,  it  is  believed,  accompanied  one  of  his 
brothers,  who  is  known  to  have  been  at  St.  Albans  on  the 
day  of  the  bank  delivery.  This  Payne,  besides  being  posi 
tively  identified  as  the  assassin  of  the  Sewards,  had  no 
friends  nor  haunts  in  Washington.  He  was  simply  a  dis 
patched  murderer,  and  after  the  night  of  the  crime  struck 
northward  for  the  frontier,  instead  of  southward  in  the  com 
pany  of  Booth.  The  proof  of  this  will  follow  in  the  course 
of  the  article. 

"Half  applauded,  half  rebiiffed  by  the  rebel  agents  in 
Canada,  Booth's  impressions  of  his  visit  were  just  those 
which  would  whet  him  soonest  for  the  tragedy.  His  vanity 
had  been  fed  by  the  assurance  that  success  depended  upon 
himself  alone,  and  that  as  he  had  the  responsibility  he 
would  absorb  the  fame ;  and  the  method  of  correspondence 


TOBACCO  AND   SLAVERY.  479 

was  of  that  dark  and  mysterious  shape  which  powerfully 
operated  upon  his  dramatic  temperament. 

4 '  What  could  please  an  actor,  and  the  son  of  an  actor, 
"better  than  to  mingle  as  a  principal  in  a  real  conspiracy,  the 
aims  of  which  were  pseudo-patriotic,  and  the  ends  so  as 
tounding,  that  at  its  coming  the  whole  globe  would  reel. 
Booth  reasoned  that  the  ancient  world  would  not  feel  more 
sensitively  the  death  of  Julius  Csesar,  than  the  new  the  sud 
den  taking  off  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

"  And  so  he  grew  into  the  idea  of  murder.  It  became  his 
business  thought.  It  was  his  recreation  and  his  study.  He 
had  not  worked  half  so  hard  for  histrionic  success  as  for  his 
terrible  graduation  into  an  assassin.  He  had  fought  often  on 
the  boards,  and  had  seen  men  die  in  well-imitated  horror, 
with  flowing  blood  upon  the  keen  sword's  edge,  and  the 
strong  stride  of  mimic  victory  with  which  he  flourished  his 
weapon  at  the  closing  of  the  curtain.  He  embraced  con 
spiracy  like  an  old  diplomatist,  and  found  in  the  woman  and 
the  spot  subjects  for  emulation. 

"  Southeast  of  Washington  stretches  a  tapering  peninsula, 
composed  of  four  fertile  counties,  which  at  the  remote  tip 
make  Point  Lookout,  and  do  not  contain  any  town  within 
them  of  more  than  a  few  hundred  inhabitants.  Tobacco  has 
ruined  the  land  of  these,  and  slavery  has  ruined  the  people. 
Yet  in  the  beginning  they  were  of  that  splendid  stock  of 
Calvert  and  Lord  Baltimore,  but  retain  to-day  only  the  reli 
gion  of  the  peaceful  founder.  I  mention,  as  an  exceptional 
and  remarkable  fact,  that  every  conspirator  in  custody  is  by 
education  a  Catholic.  These  are  loyal  citizens  elsewhere, 
but  the  western  shore  of  Maryland  is  a  noxious  and  pestilen 
tial  place  for  patriotism. 

"The  country  immediately  outside  of  the  District  of  Co 
lumbia,  to  the  south,  is  named  Prince  George's,  and  the 
pleasantest  village  of  this  county,  close  to  Washington,  is 
called  Surrattsville.  This  consists  of  a  few  cabins  at  a  cross 
road,  surrounding  a  flne  old  hotel,  the  master  whereof,  giv 
ing  the  settlement  his  name,  left  the  property  to  his  wife, 
who  for  a  long  time  carried  it  on  with  indifferent  success. 
Having  a  son  and  several  daughters,  she  moved  to  Wash 
ington  soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  left  the  tav- 


480  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

era  to  a  trusty  friend — one  John  Lloyd.  Surrattsville  has 
gained  nothing  in  patronage  or  business  from  the  war,  except 
that  it  became,  at  an  early  date,  a  rebel  post-office.  The 
great  secret  mail  from  Matthias  Creek,  Virginia,  to  Port 
Tobacco,  struck  Surrattsville,  and  thenee  headed  off  to  the 
east  of  Washington,  going  meanderingly  north.  Of  this  post 
route  Mrs.  Surratt  was  a  manageress  ;  and  John  Lloyd,  when 
he  rented  her  hotel,  assumed  the  responsibility  of  looking 
out  for  the  mail,  as  well  as  the  duty  of  making  Mrs.  Surratt 
at  home  when  she  chose  to  visit  him. 

"So  Surrattsville,  only  ten  miles  from  Washington,  has 
been  throughout  the  war  a  seat  of  conspiracy.  It  was  like  a 
suburb  of  Richmond,  reaching  quite  up  to  the  rival  capital ; 
and  though  the  few  Unionists  on  the  peninsula  knew  its 
reputation  well  enough,  nothing  of  the  sort  came  out  until 
after  the  murder. 

"Treason  never  found  a  better  agent  than  Mrs.  Surratt. 
She  was  a  large,  masculine,  self-possessed  female,  mistress 
of  her  house,  and  as  lithe  a  rebel  as  Belle  Boyd  or  Mrs. 
Greensborough.  She  had  not  the  flippancy  and  menace  of 
the  first,  nor  the  social  power  of  the  second  ;  but  the  rebellion 
has  found  no  fitter  agent. 

"At  her  country  tavern  and  Washington  home,  Booth 
was  made  welcome,  and  there  began  the  muttered  murder 
against  the  nation  and  mankind. 

"The  acquaintance  of  Mrs.  Surratt  in  Lower  Maryland 
undoubtedly  suggested  to  Booth  the  route  of  escape,  and 
made  him  known  to  his  subsequent  accomplices.  Last  fall 
he  visited  the  entire  region,  as  far  as  Leonardstown,  in  St. 
Mary's  County,  professing  to  buy  land,  but  really  making 
himself  informed  upon  the  rebel  post  stations,  with  all  the 
leading  affiliations  upon  whom  he  could  depend.  At  this 
time  he  bought  a  map,  a  fellow  to  which  I  have  seen  among 
Atzeroth's  effects,  published  at  Buffalo  for  the  rebel  govern 
ment,  and  marking  at  hap-hazard  all  the  Maryland  villages, 
but  without  tracing  the  high-roads  at  all.  The  absence  of 
these  roads,  it  will  be  seen  hereafter,  very  nearly  misled 
Booth  during  his  crippled  flight. 

"When  Booth  cast  around  him  for  assistants,  he  naturally 
selected  those  men  whom  he  could  control.  The  first  that 


BOOTH'S  THREE  SCHEMES.  481 

recommended  himself  was  one  Harold,  a  youth  of  ina'he  and 
plastic  character,  carried  away  by  the  example  of  an  actor, 
and  full  of  execrable  quotations,  going  to  show  that  that  he 
was  an  imitator  of  the  master  spirit,  both  in  text  and  admira 
tion.  This  Harold  was  a  gunner,  and  therefore  versed  in 
arms ;  he  had  traversed  the  whole  lower  portion  of  Mary 
land,  and  was  therefore  a  geographer  as  well  as  a  tool.  His 
friends  lived  at  every  farm-house  between  Washington  and 
Leonardsville,  and  he  was  respectably  enough  connected,  so 
as  to  make  his  association  creditable  as  well  as  useful. 

"  Young  Surratt  does  not  appear  to  have  been  a  puissant 
spirit  in  the  scheme  ;  indeed,  all  design  and  influence  therein 
was  absorbed  by  Mrs.  Surratt  and  Booth.  The  latter  was 
the  head  and  heart  of  the  plot ;  Mrs.  Surratt  was  his  anchor, 
and  the  rest  of  the  boys  were  disciples  to  Iscariot  and  Jeze 
bel.  John  Surratt,  a  youth  of  strong  Southern  physiogno 
my,  beardless  and  lanky,  knew  of  the  murder  and  connived 
at  it.  4  Sam '  Arnold  and  one  McLaughlin  were  to  have 
been  parties  to  it,  but  backed  out  in  the  end.  They  all 
relied  upon  Mrs.  Surratt,  and  took  their  *  cues'  from  Wilkes 
Booth. 

"The  conspiracy  had  its  own  time  and  kept  its  own 
counsel.  Murder,  except  among  the  principals,  was  seldom 
mentioned  except  by  genteel  implication.  But  they  all  pub 
licly  agreed  that  Mr.  Lincoln  ought  to  be  shot,  and  that  the 
North  was  a  race  of  fratricides.  Much,  was  said  of  Brutus, 
and  Booth  repeated  heroic  passages,  to  the  delight  of  Harold, 
who  learned  them  also,  and  wondered  if  he  was  not  born  to 
greatness. 

"In  this  growing  darkness,  where  all  rehearsed  cold- 
hearted  murder,  Wilkes  Booth  grew  great  of  stature.  He 
had  found  a  purpose  consonant  with  his  evil  nature  and  bad 
influence  over  weak  men  ;  so  he  grew  moodier,  more  vigi 
lant,  more  plausible.  By  mien  and  temperament  he  was 
born  to  handle  a  stiletto.  We  have  no  face  so  markedly 
Italian  ;  it  would  stand  for  Csesar  Borgia  any  day  in  the 
year.  All  the  rest  were  swayed  or  persuaded  by  Booth  ;  his 
schemes  were  three  in  order  : — 

"1st.  To  kidnap  the  President  and  Cabinet,  and  run  them 
South  or  blow  them  up. 

31 


482  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"  2d.  Kidnapping  failed,  to  murder  the  President  and  the 
rest,  and  seek  shelter  in  the  Confederate  capital. 

"3d  The  rebellion  failed,  to  be  its  avenger,  and  throw 
the  country  into  consternation,  while  he  escaped  by  the 
unfrequented  parts  of  Maryland.  • 

"  When  this  last  resolution  had  been  made,  the  plot  was 
both  contracted  and  extended.  There  were  made  two  dis 
tinct  circles  of  confidants,  those  aware  of  the  meditated  mur 
der,  and  those  who  might  shrink  from  murder,  though  will 
ing  accessories  for  a  lesser  object.  Two  colleagues  for  blood 
were  at  once  accepted,  Payne  and  Atzeroth. 

"The  former  I  have  sketched;  he  is  believed  to  have 
visited  Washington  once  before,  at  Booth' s  citation  ;  for  the 
murder  was  at  first  fixed  for  the  day  of  inauguration.  Atze 
roth  was  a  fellow  of  German  descent,  who  had  led  a  despe 
rate  life  at  Port  Tobacco,  where  he  was  a  house-painter.  He 
had  been  a  blockade-runner  across  the  Potomac,  and  a  mail- 
carrier.  When  Booth  and  Mrs.  Surratt  broke  the  design  to 
him,  with  a  suggestion  that  there  was  wealth  in  it,  he  em 
braced  the  offer  at  once,  and  bought  a  dirk  and  pistol. 
Payne  also  came  from  the  North  to  Washington,  and,  as  fate 
would  have  it,  the  President  was  announced  to  appear  at 
Ford's  Theater  in  public.  Then  the  resolve  of  blood  was 
reduced  to  a  definite  moment. 

"On  the  night  before  the  crime,  Booth  found  one  on 
whom  he  could  rely.  John  Surratt  was  sent  northward  by 
his  mother  on  Thursday.  Sam  Arnold  and  McLaughlin, 
each  of  whom  was  to  kill  a  Cabinet  officer,  grew  pigeon- 
livered  and  ran  away.  Harold,  true  to  his  partiality,  lin 
gered  around  Booth  to  the  end ;  Atzeroth  went  so  far  as  to 
take  his  knife  and  pistol  to  Kirkwood's,  where  President 
Johnson  was  stopping,  and  hid  them  under  the  bed.  But 
either  his  courage  failed,  or  a  trifling  accident  deranged  his 
plan.  But  Payne,  a  professional  murderer,  stood  'game,' 
and  fought  his  way  over  prostrate  figures  to  the  sick  victim's 
bed.  There  was  great  confusion  and  terror  among  the  tacit 
and  rash  conspirators  on  Thursday  night.  They  had  looked 
upon  the  plot  as  of  a  melodrama,  and  found  to  their  horror 
that  John  Wilkes  Booth  meant  to  do  murder. 

"Six  weeks  before  the  murder, young  John  Surratt  had 


THE  CARBINES— LLOYD— ATZEROTH.  483 

taken  two  splendid  repeating  carbines  to  Surrattsville,  and 
told  John  Lloyd  to  secrete  them.  The  latter  made  a  hole  in 
the  wainscoting  and  suspended  them  from  strings,  so  that 
they  fell  within  the  plastered  wall  of  the  room  below.  On 
the  very  afternoon  of  the  murder,  Mrs.  Surratt  was  driven  to 
Surrattsville,  and  she  told  John  Lloyd  to  have  the  carbines 
ready,  because  they  would  be  called  for  that  night.  Harold 
was  made  quartermaster,  and  hired  the  horses.  He  and 
Atzeroth  were  mounted  between  eight  o'clock  and  the  time 
of  the  murder,  and  riding  about  the  streets  together. 

"  The  whole  party  was  prepared  for  a  long  ride,  as  their 
spurs  and  gauntlets  show.  It  may  have  been  their  design  to 
ride  in  company  to  the  Lower  Potomac,  and  by  their  num 
bers  exact  subsistence  and  transportation. 

"  Lloyd,  I  may  interpolate,  ordered  his  wife,  a  few  days 
before  the  murder,  to  go  on  a  visit  to  Allen's  Fresh.  She 
says  she  does  not  know  why  she  was  so  sent  away,  but 
swears  that  it  is  so.  Harold,  three  weeks  before  the  murder, 
visited  Port  Tobacco,  and  said  that  the  next  time  the  boys 
heard  of  him  he  would  be  in  Spain  ;  he  added  that  with 
Spain  there  was  no  extradition  treaty.  He  said  at  Surratts 
ville  that  he  meant  to  make  a  barrel  of  money,  or  his  neck 
would  stretch. 

u  Atzeroth  said  that  if  he  ever  came  to  Port  Tobacco  again 
he  would  be  rich  enough  to  buy  the  whole  place. 

"  Wilkes  Booth  told  a  friend  to  go  to  Ford's  on  Friday 
night  and  see  the  best  acting  in  the  world. 

"At  Ford's  Theater,  on  Friday  night,  there  were  many 
standers  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  door,  and  along  the 
dress  circle  in  the  direction  of  the  private  box  where  the 
President  sat. 

"The  play  went  on  pleasantly,  though  Mr.  Wilkes  Booth, 
an  observer  of  the  audience,  visited  the  stage  and  took  note 
of  the  position.  His  alleged  associate,  the  stage-carpenter, 
then  received  quiet  orders  to  clear  the  passage  by  the  wings 
from  the  prompter's  post  to  the  stage  door.  All  this  time, 
Mr.  Lincoln,  in  his  family  circle,  unconscious  of  the  death 
that  crowded  fast  upon  him,  witnessed  the  pleasantry  and 
smiled,  and  felt  heartful  of  gentleness. 


484  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"  Suddenly  there  was  a  murmur  near  the  audience  door, 
as  of  a  man  speaking  above  his  bound.  He  said : — 

"  'Nine  o'clock  and  forty-five  minutes  !' 

"  These  words  were  reiterated  from  mouth  to  mouth  until 
they  passed  the  theater  door,  and  were  heard  upon  the  side 
walk. 

' '  Directly  a  voice  cried,  in  the  same  slightly  raised  mono 
tone — 

';  '  Nine  o'  clock  and  fifty  minutes  !' 

"This  also  passed  from  man  to  man,  until  it  touched  the 
street  like  a  shudder. 

"'Nine  o'clock  and  fifty-five  minutes!'  said  the  same 
relentless  voice,  after  the  next  interval,  each  of  which  nar 
rowed  to  a  lesser  span  the  life  of  the  good  President. 

"Ten  o'clock  here  sounded,  and  conspiring  echo  said  in 
reverberation — 

"'Ten  o'clock!' 

"  So,like  a  creeping  thing,  from  lip  to  lip  went — 

"  '  Ten  o'clock  and  five  minutes !' 

"An  interval. 

"  '  Ten  o'clock  and  ten  minutes  !' 

-"At  this  instant  Wilkes  Booth  appeared  in  the  door  of 
the  theater,  and  the  men  who  had  repeated  the  time  so  faith 
fully  and  so  ominously,  scattered  at  his  coming  as  at  some 
warning  phantom. 

' '  All  this  is  so  dramatic  that  I  fear  to  excite  a  laugh  when 
I  write  it.  But  it  is  true  and  proven,  and  I  do  not  say  it, 
but  report  it. 

"All  evil  deeds  go  wrong.  While  the  click  of  the  pistol, 
taking  the  President's  life,  went  like  a  pang  through  the 
theater,  Payne  was  spilling  blood  in  Mr.  Seward's  house 
from  threshold  to  sick-chamber.  But  Booth's  broken  leg 
delayed  him  or  made  him  lose  his  general  calmness,  and  he 
and  Harold  left  Payne  to  his  fate. 

"I  have  not  adverted  to  the  hole  bored  with  a  gimlet  in 
the  entry  door  of  Mr.  Lincoln' s  box,  and  cut  out  with  a  pen 
knife.  The  theory  that  the  pistol-ball  of  Booth  passed 
through  this  hole  is  now  exploded.  When  Booth  leaped 
from  the  box  he  strode  straight  across  the  stage  by  the  foot 
lights,  reaching  the  prompter's  post,  which  is  immediately 


PAYNE'S  FLIGHT  AND   CAPTURE.  485 

behind  that  private  box  opposite  to  Mr.  Lincoln.  From  this 
box  to  the  stage-door  in  the  rear,  the  passage-way  leads 
behind  the  ends  of  the  scenes,  and  is  generally  either  closed 
up  by  one  or  more  withdrawn  scenes,  or  so  narrow  that  only 
by  doubling  and  turning  sidewise  can  one  pass  along.  On 
this  fearful  night,  however,  the  scenes  were  so  adjusted  to 
the  murderer's  design  that  he  had  a  free  aisle  from  the  foot 
of  the  stage  to  the  exit-door. 

"  Within  fifteen  minutes  after  the  murder  the  wires  were 
severed  entirely  round  the  city,  excepting  only  a  secret  wire 
for  Government  uses,  which  leads  to  Old  Point.  I  am  told 
that  by  this  wire  the  Government  reached  the  fortifications 
around  Washington,  first  telegraphing  all  the  way  to  Old 
Point,  and  then  back  to  the  out-lying  forts.  This  informa 
tion  comes  to  me  from  so  many  credible  channels  that  I  must 
concede  it. 

i '  Payne  having,  as  he  thought,  made  an  end  of  Mr. 
Seward,  which  would  have  been  the  case  but  for  Robinson, 
the  nurse,  mounted  his  horse,  and  attempted  to  find  Booth. 
But  the  town  was  in  alarm,  and  he  galloped  at  once  for  the 
open  country,  taking,  as  he  imagined,  the  proper  road  for 
the  East  Branch.  He  rode  at  a  killing  pace,  and  when  near 
Port  Lincoln,  on  the  Baltimore  pike,  his  horse  threw  him. 
headlong.  Afoot  and  bewildered,  he  resolved  to  return  to 
the  city,  whose  lights  he  could  plainly  see  ;  but  before  doing 
so  he  concealed  himself  some  time,  and  made  some  almost 
absurd  efforts  to  disguise  himself.  Cutting  a  cross  section 
from  the  woolen  undershirt  which  covered  his  muscular 
arm,  he  made  a  rude  cap  of  it,  and  threw  away  his  bloody 
coat.  This  has  since  been  found  in  the  woods,  and  blood 
has  been  found  also  on  his  bosom  and  sleeves.  He  also 
spattered  himself  plentifully  with  mud  and  clay,  and  taking 
an  abandoned  pick  from  the  deserted  intrenchments  near  by, 
he  struck  out  at  once  for  Washington. 

"By  the  providence  which  always  attends  murder,  he 
reached  Mrs.  Surratt's  door  just  as  the  officers  of  the  Gov 
ernment  were  arresting  her.  They  seized  Payne  at  once, 
who  had  an  awkward  lie  to  urge  in  his  defense — that  he  had 
come  there  to  dig  a  trench.  That  night  he  dug  a  trench  deep 
and  broad  enough  for  them  both  to  lie  in  forever.  They 


486  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

washed  his  hands,  and  found  them  soft  and  womanish  ;  his 
pockets  contained  tooth  and  nail-brushes,  and  a  delicate 
pocket-knife.  All  this  apparel  consorted  ill  with  his  as 
sumed  character. 

"  Coarse,  and  hard,  and  calm,  Mrs.  Surratt  shut  up  her 
house  after  the  murder,  and  waited  with  her  daughters  till 
the  officers  came.  She  was  imperturbable,  and  rebuked  her 
girls  for  weeping,  and  would  have  gone  to  jail  like  a  statue, 
"but  that  in  her  extremity  Payne  knocked  at  her  door.  He 
had  come,  he  said,  to  dig  a  ditch  for  Mrs.  Surratt,  whom  he 
very  well  knew.  But  Mrs.  Surratt  protested  that  she  had 
never  seen  the  man  at  all,  and  had  no  ditch  to  clean. 

"  'How  fortunate,  girls,'  she  said,  'that  these  officers  are 
here  ;  this  man  might  have  murdered  us  all.' 

"Her  effrontery  stamps  her  as  worthy  of  companionship 
with  Booth.  Payne  has  been  identified  by  a  lodger  of  Mrs. 
Surratt' s  as  having  twice  visited  the  house,  under  the  name 
of  Wood. 

"Atzeroth  had  a  room  almost  directly  over  Vice-Presi 
dent  Johnson's.  He  had  all  the  materials  to  do  murder,  but 
lost  spirit  or  opportunity.  He  ran  away  so  hastily,  that  all 
his  arms  and  baggage  were  discovered ;  a  tremendous  bowie 
knife  and  a  Colt' s  cavalry  revolver  were  found  between  the 
mattresses  of  his  bed.  Booth's  coat  was  also  found  there, 
showing  conspired  flight  in  company,  and  in  it  three  boxes 
of  cartridges,  a  map  of  Maryland,  gauntlets  for  riding,  a  spur, 
and  a  handkerchief  marked  with  the  name  of  Booth' s  mother 
— a  mother' s  souvenir  for  a  murderer' s  pocket. 

"  Atzeroth  fled  alone,  and  was  found  at  the  house  of  his 
uncle,  in  Montgomery  County,  Maryland.  I  do  not  know 
that  any  instrument  of  murder  has  ever  made  me  thrill  as 
when  I  drew  his  terrible  bowie-knife  from  its  sheath. 

"I  come  now  to  the  ride  out  of  the  city  by  the  chief 
assassin  and  his  dupe.  Harold  met  Booth  immediately,  after 
the  crime  in  the  next  street,  and  they  rode  at  a  gallop  past 
the  Patent  Office  and  over  Capitol  Hill. 

"As  they  crossed  the  Eastern  Branch  at  Uniontown, 
Booth  gave  his  proper  name  to  the  officer  at  the  bridge. 
This,  which  would  seem  to  have  been  foolish,  was,  in 
reality,  very  shrewd.  The  officers  believed  that  one  of 


SURRATTSVILLE— DR.  MUDD.  487 

Booth's  accomplices  had  given  this  name  in  order  to  put 
them  out  of  the  real  Booth's  track.  So  they  made  efforts 
elsewhere,  and  Booth  got  a  start.  At  midnight,  precisely, 
the  two  horsemen  stopped  at  Surrattsville,  Booth  remaining 
on  his  nag,  while  Harold  descended  and  knocked  lustily  at 
the  door.  Lloyd,  the  landlord,  came  down  at  once,  when 
Harold  pushed  past  him  into  the  bar,  and  obtained  a  bottle 
of  whisky,  some  of  which  he  gave  to  Booth  immediately. 
While  Booth  was  drinking,  Harold  went  up  stairs  and 
brought  down  one  of  the  carbines.  Lloyd  started  to  get 
the  other,  but  Harold  said  : — 

" '  We  don't  want  it ;  Booth  has  broken  his  leg,  and  can't 
carry  it.' 

"  So  the  second  carbine  remained  in  the  hall,  where  the 
officers  afterward  found  it. 

"As  the  two  horsemen  started  to  go  off,  Booth  cried  out 
to  Lloyd : — 

"  '  Don't  you  want-to  hear  some  news V 

"  *I  don't  care  much  about  it,'  cried  Lloyd,  by  his  own 
account. 

"'We  have  murdered,'  said  Booth,  'the  President  and 
Secretary  of  State.' 

"And,  with  this  horrible  confession,  Booth  and  Harold 
dashed  away  in  the  midnight,  across  Prince  George's  County. 

"On  Saturday,  before  sunrise,  Booth  and  Harold,  who 
had  ridden  all  night  without  stopping  elsewhere,  reached 
the  house  of  Dr.  Mudd,  three  miles  from  Bryantown.  They 
contracted  with  him,  for  twenty-five  dollars  in  greenbacks, 
to  set  the  broken  leg.  Harold,  who  knew  Dr.  Mudd,  intro 
duced  Booth  under  another  name,  and  stated  that  he  had 
fallen  from  his  horse  during  the  night.  The  doctor  re 
marked  of  Booth  that  he  draped  the  lower  part  of  his  face 
while  the  leg  was  being  set ;  he  was  silent,  and  in  pain. 
Having  no  splints  in  the  house,  they  split  up  an  old-fashioned 
wooden  band- box  and  prepared  them.  The  doctor  was 
assisted  by  an  Englishman,  who  at  the  same  time  began  to 
hew  out  a  pair  of  crutches.  The  inferior  bone  of  the  left  leg 
was  broken  vertically  across,  and,  because  vertically,  it  did 
not  yield  when  the  crippled  man  walked  upon  it. 

"The  riding  boot  of  Booth  had  to  be  cut  from  his  foot ; 


488  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

within  were  the  words  ;  J.  Wilkes.'  The  doctor  says  he  did 
not  notice  these.  The  two  men  waited  around  the  house  all 
day,  but  toward  evening  they  slipped  their  horses  from  the 
stable  and  rode  away  in  the  direction  of  Allen's  Fresh. 

"  Below  Ervantown  run  certain  deep  and  slimy  swamps. 
Along  the  belt  of  these  Booth  and  Harold  picked  up  a  negro 
named  Swan,  who  volunteered  to  show  them  the  road  fo'r 
two  dollars.  They  gave  him  five  more  to  show  them  the 
route  to  Allen's  Fresh;  but  really  wished,  as  their  actions 
intimated,  to  gain  the  house  of  one  Sam  Coxe,  a  notorious 
rebel,  and  probably  well  advised  of  the  plot.  They  reached 
the  house  at  midnight.  It  is  a  fine  dwelling,  one  of  the  best 
in  Maryland  ;  and  after  hallooing  for  some  time,  Coxe  came 
down  to  the  door  himself.  As  soon  as  he  opened  it,  and 
beheld  who  the  strangers  were,  he  instantly  blew  out  the 
candle  he  held  in  his  hand,  and,  without  a  word,  pulled 
them  into  the  room,  the  negro  remaining  in  the  yard.  The 
confederates  remained  in  Coxe's  hou'se  till  4  A.  M.,  during 
which  time  the  negro  saw  them  eat  and  drink  heartily  ;  but 
when  they  reappeared  they  spoke  in  a  loud  tone,  so  that 
Swan  could  hear  them,  against  the  hospitality  of  Coxe.  All 
this  was  meant  to  influence  the  darkey ;  but  their  motives 
were  as  apparent  as  their  words.  He  conducted  them  three 
miles  further  on,  when  they  told  him  that  now  they  knew 
the  way,  and  giving  him  five  dollars  more,  making  twelve 
in  all,  told  him  to  go  back. 

"But  when  the  negro,  in  the  dusk  of  the  morning,  looked 
after  them  as  he  receded,  he  saw  that  both  horses'  heads 
were  turned  once  more  toward  Coxe' s,  and  it  was  this  man, 
doubtless,  who  harbored  the  fugitives  from  Sunday  to 
Thursday,  aided,  possibly,  by  such  neighbors  as  the  Wil 
sons  and  Adamses. 

"At  the  point  where  Booth  crossed  the  Potomac  the 
shores  are  very  shallow,  and  one  must  wade  out  some  dis 
tance  to  where  a  boat  will  float.  A  white  man  came  up  here 
with  a  canoe  on  Friday,  and  tied  it  by  a  stone  anchor.  Be 
tween  seven  and  eight  o'clock  it  disappeared,  and  in  the 
afternoon  some  men  at  work  on  Methxy  Creek,  in  Virginia, 
saw  Booth  and  Harold  land,  tie  the  boat's  rope  to  a  stone  and 
fling  it  ashore,  and  strike  at  once  across  a  ploughed  field  for 


IMPORTANT  TESTIMONY— LOVETT— MAJOR  O'BIERNE.    489 

King  George  Court  House.  Many  folks  entertained  them, 
without  doubt,  but  we  positively  hear  of  them  next  at  Port 
Koyal  Ferry,  and  then  at  Garrett's  farm. 

"  The  few  Unionists  of  Prince  George's  and  Charles  Coun 
ties,  long  persecuted  and  intimidated,  came  forward  and 
gave  important  testimony. 

"  Among  these  was  one  Roby,  a  very  fat  and  very  zeal 
ous  old  gentleman,  whose  professions  were  as  ample  as  his 
perspiration.  He  told  the  officers  of  the  secret  meetings  for 
conspiracy's  sake  at  Lloyd's  Hotel,  and  although  a  very 
John  Gilpin  on  horseback,  rode  here  and  there  to  his  great 
loss  of  wind  and  repose,  fastening  fire  coals  upon  the  guilty 
or  suspected. 

"Lloyd  was  turned  over  to  Mr.  Cottingham,  who  had 
established  a  jail  at  Robytown ;  that  night  his  house  was 
searched,  and  Booth's  carbine  found  hidden  in  the  wall. 
Three  days  afterward,  Lloyd  himself  confessed. 

"The  little  party,  under  the  untiring  Lovett,  examined 
all  the  farm-houses  below  Washington,  resorting  to  many 
shrewd  expedients,  and  taking  note  of  the  great  swamps  to 
the  east  of  Port  Tobacco  ;  they  reached  Newport  at  last,  and 
fastened  tacit  guilt  upon  many  residents. 

4 '  Beyond  Bryanto wn  they  overhauled  the  residence  of 
Dr.  Mudd,  and  found  Booth's  boots.  This  was  before  Lloyd 
confessed,  and  was  the  first  positive  trace  the  officers  had 
that  they  were  really  close  upon  the  assassins. 

"I  do  not  recall  any  thing  more  wild  and  startling  than 
this  vague  and  dangerous  exploration  of  a  dimly  known, 
hostile,  and  ignorant  country.  To  these  few  detectives  we 
owe  much  of  the  subsequent  successful  precaution  of  the 
pursuit.  They  were  the  Hebrew  spies. 

"  By  this  time  the  country  was  filling  up  with  soldiers, 
but  previously  a  second  memorable  detective  party  went  out 
under  the  personal  command  of  Major  O'Bierne.  It  consist 
ed,  besides  that  officer,  of  Lee,  D'Angelis,  Callahan,  Hoey, 
Bostwick,  Hanover,  Bevins,  and  McHenry,  and  embarked 
at  Washington  on  a  steam-tug  for  Chappell's  Point.  Here  a 
military  station  had  long  been  established  for  the  prevention 
of  blockade  and  mail  running  across  the  Potomac.  It  was 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Laverty,  and  garrisoned  by  sixty- 


490  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

five  men.  On  Tuesday  night  Major  0' Bierne' s  party  reached 
this  place,  and  soon  afterward  a  telegraph  station  was  estab 
lished  here  by  an  invaluable  man  to  the  expedition,  Captain 
Beckwith,  General  Grant's  chief  cipher  operator,  who  tapped 
the  Point  Lookout  wire,  and  placed  the  War  Department 
within  a  moment's  reach  of  the  theater  of  events. 

"Major  O' Bierne' s  party  started  at  once,  over  the  worst 
road  in  the  world,  for  Port  Tobacco. 

* '  If  any  place  in  the  world  is  iitterly  given  over  to  de 
pravity,  it  is  Port  Tobacco.  From  this  town,  by  a  sinuous 
creek,  there  is  flat-boat  navigation  to  the  Potomac,  and 
across  that  river  to  Mattox  Creek.  Before  the  war,  Port 
Tobacco  was  the  seat  of  a  tobacco  aristocracy  and  a  haunt  of 
negro  traders.  It  passed  very  naturally  into  a  rebel  post  for 
blockade-runners  and  a  rebel  post-office  general.  Gambling, 
corner-fighting,  and  shooting  matches  were  its  lyceum  edu 
cation.  Violence  and  ignorance  had  every  suffrage  in  the 
town.  Its  people  were  smugglers,  to  all  intents,  and  there 
wras  neither  Bible  nor  geography  to  the  whole  region  adja 
cent,  Assassination  was  never  very  unpopular  at  Port  To 
bacco,  and  when  its  victim  was  a  Northern  President,  it 
became  quite  heroic.  A  month  before  the  murder,  a  provost- 
marshal  near  by  was  slain  in  his  bed-chamber.  For  such  a 
town  and  district,  the  detective  police  were  the  only  effective 
missionaries. 

"The  hotel  here  is  called  the  Brawner  House;  it  has  a 
bar  in  the  nethermost  cellar,  and  its  patrons,  carousing  in 
that  imperfect  light,  look  like  the  denizens  of  some  burglar' s 
crib,  talking  robbery  between  their  cups  ;  its  dining-room  is 
dark  and  tumble-down,  and  the  cuisine  bears  traces  of  Kaffir 
origin  ;  a  barbecue  is  nothing  to  a  dinner  there.  The  court 
house  of  Port  Tobacco  is  the  most  superfluous  house  in  the 
place,  except  the  church.  It  stands  in  the  center  of  the 
town,  in  a  square,  and  the  dwellings  lie  about  it  closely,  as 
if  to  throttle  justice.  Five  hundred  people  exist  in  Port 
Tobacco  ;  life  there  reminds  me,  in  connection  with  the 
slimy  river  and  the  adjacent  swamps,  of  the  great  reptile 
period  of  the  world,  when  iguanodons,  and  pterodactyls,  and 
plesiosauri  ate  each  other. 

"  Into  this  abstract  of  Gomorrah  the  few  detectives  went 


MRS.  WHEELER— CRANGLE— FRUITLESS   SEARCH.         491 

like  angels  who  visited  Lot.  They  pretended  to  be  inquiring 
for  friends,  or  to  have  business  designs,  and  the  first  people 
they  heard  of  were  Harold  and  Atzeroth.  The  latter  had 
visited  Port  Tobacco  three  weeks  before  the  murder,  and 
intimated  at  that  time  his  design  of  fleeing  the  country. 
But  everybody  denied  having  seen  him  subsequent  to  the 
crime. 

"  Atzeroth  had  been  in  town  just  prior  to  the  crime.  He 
had  been  living  with  a  widow  woman,  named  Mrs.  Wheeler, 
and  she  was  immediately  called  upon  by  Major  O'Bierne. 
He  did  not  tell  her  what  Atzeroth  had  done,  but  vaguely 
hinted  that  he  had  committed  some  terrible  crime,  and  that 
since  he  had  done  her  wrong,  she  could  vindicate  both  her 
self  and  justice  by  telling  his  whereabouts.  The  woman 
admitted  that  Atzeroth  had  been  her  bane,  but  she  loved 
him,  and  refused  to  betray  him. 

".His  trunk  was  found  in  her  garret,  and  in  it  the  key 
to  his  paint  shop  in  Port  Tobacco.  The  latter  was  fruitlessly 
searched,  but  the  probable  whereabouts  of  Atzeroth  in  Mont 
gomery  County  obtained,  and  Major  O'Bierne  telegraphing 
there  immediately,  the  desperate  fellow  was  found  and 
locked  up.  A  man  named  Crangle,  who  had  succeeded 
Atzeroth  in  Mrs.  Wheeler's  pliable  affections,  was  arrested 
at  once  and  put  in  jail.  A  number  of  disloyal  people  were 
indicated  or  "spotted"  as  in  no  wise  angry  at  the  Presi 
dent's  taking  off,  and  for  all  such  a  provost  prison  wTas 
established. 

' '  A  few  miles  from  Port  Tobacco  dwelt  a  solitary  woman, 
who,  when  questioned,  said  that  for  many  nights  she  had 
heard,  after  she  had  retired  to  bed,  a  man  enter  her  cellar, 
and  be  there  all  night,  departing  before  dawn.  Major 
O'Bierne  and  the  detectives  ordered  her  to  place  a  lamp  in 
her  window  the  next  night  she  heard  him  enter  ;  and  at  dark 
they  established  a  cordon  of  armed  officers  around  the  place. 
At  midnight  punctually  she  exhibited  the  light,  when  the 
officers  broke  into  the  house  and  thoroughly  searched  it, 
without  result.  Yet  the  woman  positively  asserted  that  she 
had  heard  the  man  enter. 

"  It  was  afterward  found  that  she  was  of  diseased  mind. 

"  By  this  time  the  military  had  come  up  in  considerable 


492  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

numbers,  and  Major  O'Bierne  was  enabled  to  confer  with 
Major  Wait,  of  the  Eighth  Illinois. 

"The  major  had  pushed  on,  on  Monday  night,  to  Leon- 
ardstown,  and  pretty  well  overhauled  that  locality. 

"  It  was  at  this  time  that  preparations  were  made  to  hunt 
the  swamps  around  Chapmantown,  Bethtown,  and  Allen's 
Fresh.  Booth  had  been  entirely  lost  since  his  departure 
from  Mudd's  house,  and  it  was  believed  that  he  had  either 
pushed  on  for  the  Potomac  or  taken  to  the  swamps.  The 
officers  sagaciously  determined  to  follow  him  to  the  one,  and 
to  explore  the  other. 

"The  swamps  tributary  to  the  various  branches  of  the 
Wicomico  River,  of  which  the  chief  feeder  is  Allen's  Creek, 
bear  various  names,  such  as  Jordan's  Swamp,  AtchalPs 
Swamp,  and  Scrub  Swamp.  There  are  dense  growths  of 
dogwood,  gum,  and  beech,  planted  in  sluices  of  water  and 
bog,  and  their  width  varies  from  a  half  mile  to  four  miles, 
while  their  length  is  upward  of  sixteen  miles.  Frequent 
deep  ponds  dot  this  wilderness  place,  with  here  and  there  a 
stretch  of  dry  soil,  but  no  human  being  inhabits  the  malari 
ous  extent ;  even  a  hunted  murderer  would  shrink  from 
hiding  there.  Serpents  and  slimy  lizards  are  the  only  living 
denizens  ;  sometimes  the  coon  takes  refuge  in  this  desert 
from  the  hounds,  and  in  the  soft  mud  a  thousand  odorous 
muskrats  delve,  and  now  and  then  a  tremulous  otter.  But 
not  even  the  hunted  negro  dare  to  fathom  the  treacherous 
clay,  nor  make  himself  a  fellow  of  the  slimy  reptiles  which 
reign  absolute  in  this  terrible  solitude.  Here  the  soldiers 
prepared  to  seek  for  the  President' s  assassins,  and  no  search 
of  the  kind  has  ever  been  so  thorough  and  patient.  The 
Shawnee,  in  his  stronghold  of  despair  in  the  heart  of  the 
Okeefenokee,  would  scarcely  have  changed  homes  with 
Wilkes  Booth  and  David  Harold,  hiding  in  this  inhuman 
country. 

"The  military  forces  deputed  to  pursue  the  fugitives 
were  seven  hundred  men  of  the  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  six 
hundred  men  of  the  Twenty-second  Colored  Troops,  and  one 
hundred  men  of  the  Sixteenth  New  York.  These  swept  the 
swamps  by  detachments,  the  mass  of  them  dismounted,  with 
cavalry  at  the  belts  of  clearings,  interspersed  with  detectives 


SEARCHING  THE  SWAMPS— A  RUSE.  493 

at  frequent  intervals  in  the  rear.  They  first  formed  a  strong 
picket  cordon  entirely  around  the  swamps,  and  then,  drawn 
up  in  two  orders  of  battle,  advanced  boldly  into  the  bog  by 
two  lines  of  march.  One  party  swept  the  swamps  longitu 
dinally,  the  other  pushed  straight  across  their  smallest 
diameter. 

UA  similar  march  has  not  been  made  during  the  war; 
the  soldiers  were  only  a  few  paces  apart,  and  in  steady  order 
they  took  the  ground  as  it  came,  now  plunging  to  their  arm 
pits  in  foul  sluices  of  gangrened  water,  now  hopelessly  sub 
merged  in  slime,  now  attacked  by  legions  of  wood-ticks,  now 
tempting  some  unfaithful  log  or  greenishly  solid  morass,  and 
plunging  to  the  tip  of  the  skull  in  poisonous  stagnation  ;  the 
tree  boughs  rent  their  uniforms ;  they  came  out  upon  dry 
land  many  of  them  without  a  rag  of  garment,  scratched,  and 
gashed,  and  spent,  repugnant  to  themselves,  and  disgusting 
to  those  who  saw  them  ;  but  not  one  trace  of  Booth  or  Har 
old  was  anywhere  found.  Wherever  they  might  be,  the 
swamps  did  not  contain  them. 

"  While  all  this  was  going  on,  a  force  started  from  Point 
Lookout,  and  swept  the  narrow  necks  of  St.  Mary' s  quite  up 
to  Medley's  Neck.  To  complete  the  search  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  Colonel  Wells  and  Major  O'Bierne  started,  with 
a  force  of  cavalry  and  infantry,  for  Chappell's  Point.  They 
took  the  entire  peninsula,  as  before,  and  marched  in  close 
skirmish  line  across  it,  but  without  finding  any  thing  of 
note.  The  manner  of  inclosing  a  house  was  by  cavalry 
advances,  which  held  all  the  avenues  till  mounted  detectives 
came  up.  Many  strange  and  ludicrous  adventures  occurred 
on  each  of  these  expeditions.  While  the  forces  were  going 
up  Cobb's  Neck  there  was  a  counter  force  coming  down 
from  Allen' s  Fresh. 

"  Major  O'Bierne  started. for  Leonardstown  with  his  de 
tective  force,  and  played  off  Laverty  as  Booth,  and  Hoey  as 
Harold.  These  two  advanced  to  farm-houses  and  gave  their 
assumed  names,  asking  at  the  same  time  for  assistance  and 
shelter.  They  were  generally  avoided,  except  by  one  man 
named  Claggert,  who  told  them  they  might  hide  in  the  woods 
behind  his  house.  When  Claggert  wras  arrested,  however, 
he  stated  that  he  meant  to  hide  only  to  give  them  up.  While 


494  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SEPwVICE. 

on  this  adventure,  a  man  who  had  heard  of  the  reward  came 
very  near  shooting  Laverty.  The  ruse  now  became  hazard 
ous,  and  the  detectives  resumed  their  real  characters. 

4 'One  Mills,  a  rebel  mail-carrier,  also  arrested,  saw  Booth 
and  Harold  lurking  along  the  river  fcank  on  Friday ;  he 
referred  Major  O'Bierne  to  one  Claggert,  a  rebel,  as  having 
seen  them  also ;  but  Claggert  held  his  tongue  and  went  to 
jail.  On  Saturday  night,  Major  O'Bierne,  thus  assured,  also 
crossed  the  Potomac  with  his  detectives  to  Boone's  farm, 
where  the  fugitives  had  landed.  While  collecting  informa 
tion  here,  a  gunboat  swung  up  the  stream,  and  threatened  to 
open  lire  on  the  party. 

"It  was  now  night,  and  all  the  party  worn  to  the  ground 
with  long  travel  and  want  of  sleep.  Lieutenant  Laverty' s 
men  went  a  short  distance  down  the  country  and  gave  up, 
and  Major  O'Bierne,  with  a  single  man,  pushed  all  night  to 
King  George's  Court-House,  and  next  day,  Sunday,  re-em 
barked  for  Chappell's  Point.  Hence  he  telegraphed  his 
information,  and  asked  permission  to  pursue,  promising  to 
catch  the  assassins  before  they  reached  Port  Royal. 

"This  the  department  refused.  Colonel  Baker's  men 
were  delegated  to  make  the  pursuit  with  the  able  Lieutenant 
Doherty ;  and  O'Bierne,  who  was  the  most  active  and  suc 
cessful  spirit  in  the  chase,  returned  to  Washington,  cheerful 
and  contented." 

No  lapse  of  time,  nor  varied  experience,  can  ever  efface 
the  memory  of  the  hour  at  headquarters  when  the  following 
was  penned  :— 

"  The  face  of  Lafayette  Baker,  Colonel,  and  Chief  of  the 
Secret  Service,  overlooks  me.  He  has  played  the  most  per 
ilous  parts  of  the  war,  and  is  the  captor  of  the  late  President' s 
murderer.  The  story  that  I  am  to  tell  you,  as  he  and  his 
trusty  dependants  told  it  to  me,  will  be  aptly  commenced 
here,  where  the  net  was  woven  which  took  the  dying  life  of 
Wilkes  Booth. 

"When  the  murdering  occurred,  Colonel  Baker  -was 
absent  from  Washington.  He  returned  on  the  third  morning 
and  was  at  once  brought  by  Secretary  Stan  ton  to  join  the  hue 
and  cry  against  the  escaped  Booth.  The  sagacious  detective 
learned  that  nearly  ten  thousand  cavalry,  and  one-fourth 


PLANNING  THE   CAPTURE   OF   BOOTH. 


CAPTURE  OF  ATZEROTH  AND  DR.  MUDD.  495 

as  many  policemen,  had  "been  meantime  scouring,  without 
plan  or  compass,  the  whole  territory  of  Southern  Maryland. 
They  were  treading  on  each  others'  heels,  and  mixing  up 
the  thing  so  badly,  that  the  best  place  for  the  culprits  to 
have  gone  would  have  been  in  the  very  midst  of  their  pur 
suers.  Baker  at  once  possessed  himself  of  the  little  the  War 
Department  had  learned,  and  started  immediately  to  take 
the  usual  detective  measures,  till  then  neglected,  of  offering 
a  reward,  and  getting  out  photographs  of  the  suspected  ones. 
He  then  dispatched  a  few  chosen  detectives  to  certain  vital 
points,  and  awaited  results. 

"  The  first  of  these  was  the  capture  of  Atzeroth.  Others, 
like  the  taking  of  Dr.  Mudd,  simultaneously  occurred. 
But  the  district  suspected  being  remote  from  the  railway 
routes,  and  broken  by  no  telegraph  station,  the  Colonel,  to 
place  himself  nearer  the  theater  of  events,  ordered  an  ope 
rator,  with  the  necessary  instrument,  to  tap  the  wire  running 
to  Point  Lookout,  near  ChappelFs  Point,  and  send  him 
prompt  messages. 

"The  same  steamer  which  took  down  the  operator  and 
two  detectives,  brought  back  one  of  the  same  detectives  and 
a  negro.  This  negro,  taken  to  Colonel  Baker' s  office,  stated 
so  positively  that  he  had  seen  Booth  and  another  man  cross 
the  Potomac  in  a  fishing  boat,  while  he  was  looking  down 
upon  them  from  a  bank,  that  the  Colonel  was  at  first  skep 
tical  ;  but,  when  examined,  the  negro  answered  so  readily 
and  intelligently,  recognizing  the  man  from  the  photographs, 
that  Baker  knew  at  last  that  he  had  the  true  scent. 

' '  Straightway  he  sent  to  General  Hancock  for  twenty-five 
men,  and  while  the  order  was  going  drew  down  his  coast 
survey  maps,  with  that  quick  detective  intuition  amounting 
almost  to  inspiration.  He  cast  upon  the  probable  route  and 
destination  of  the  refugees,  as  well  as  the  point  where  he 
would  soonest  strike  them.  Booth,  he  knew,  would  not 
keep  along  the  coast,  with  frequent  deep  rivers  to  cross,  nor, 
indeed,  in  any  direction  east  of  Richmond,  where  he  was 
liable  at  any  time  to  cross  our  lines  of  occupation ;  nor, 
being  lame,  could  he  ride  on  horseback,  so  as  to  place  him 
self  very  far  westward  of  his  point  of  debarkation  in  Vir 
ginia.  But  he  would  travel  in  a  direct  course  from  Bluff 


496  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Point,  where  he  crossed  to  Eastern  Maryland,  and  this  would 
take  him  through  Port  Eoyal,  on  the  Rappahannock  River, 
in  time  to  be  intercepted  by  the  outgoing  cavalrymen. 

"When,  therefore,  twenty -five  men,  under  one  Lieuten 
ant  Dogherty,  arrived  at  his  office  doo*  s,  Baker  placed  the 
whole  under  control  of  his  former  Lieutenant- Colonel,  E.  J. 
Conger,  and  of  his  cousin,  Lieutenant  L.  B.  Baker — the  first 
of  Ohio,  the  last  of  New  York — and  bade  them  go  with  all 
dispatch  to  Belle  Plain,  on  the  Lower  Potomac,  there  to  dis 
embark  and  scour  the  country  faithfully  around  Port  Royal, 
but  not  to  return  unless  they  captured  their  men. 

"Quitting  Washington  at  two  o'clock  P.  M.,  on  Monday, 
the  detectives  and  cavalrymen  disembarked  at  Belle  Plain, 
on  the  border  of  Stafford  County,  at  ten  o'clock,  in  the  dark 
ness.  Belle  Plain  is  simply  the  nearest  landing  to  Freder- 
icksburg,  seventy  miles  from  Washington  City,  and  located 
upon  Potomac  Creek.  It  is  a  wharf  and  warehouse  merely, 
and  here  the  steamer  John  S.  Ide  stopped  and  made  fast, 
while  the  party  galloped  off  in  the  darkness.  Conger  and 
Baker  kept  ahead,  riding  up  to  farm-houses  and  questioning 
the  inmates,  pretending  to  be  in  search  of  the  Maryland  gen 
tlemen  belonging  to  the  party.  But  nobody  had  seen  the 
parties  described,  and  after  a  futile  ride  on  the  Fredericks- 
burg  road,  they  turned  shortly  to  the  east,  and  kept  up  their 
baffled  inquiries  all  the  way  to  Port  Conway,  on  the  Rappa 
hannock. 

"On  Tuesday  morning  they  presented  themselves  at  the 
Port  Royal  Ferry,  and  inquired  of  the  ferryman,  while  he 
was  taking  them  over  in  squads  of  seven  at  a  time,  if  he  had 
seen  any  two  such  men.  Continuing  their  inquiries  at  Port 
Royal,  they  found  one  Rollins,  a  fisherman,  who  referred 
them  to  a  negro,  named  Lucas,  as  having  driven  two  men  a 
short  distance  toward  Bowling  Green,  in  a  wagon.  It  was 
found  that  these  men  answered  to  the  description,  Booth 
having  a  crutch,  as  previously  ascertained. 

"The  day  before  Booth  and  Harold  had  applied  at  Port 
Conway  for  the  general  ferry-boat,  but  the  ferryman  was 
then  fishing,  and  would  not  desist  for  the  inconsiderable  fare 
of  only  two  persons ;  but  to  their  supposed  good  fortune  a 
lot  of  Confederate  cavalrymen  just  then  came  along,  who 


A  CONFEDERATE   CAPTAIN— GARRETT'S.  497 

threatened  the  ferryman  with  a  shot  in  the  head  if  he  did 
not  instantly  bring  across  his  craft  and  transport  the  entire 
party.  These  cavalrymen  were  of  Moseby's  disbanded  com 
mand,  returning  from  Fairfax  Court  House  to  their  homes  in 
Caroline  County.  Their  captain  was  on  his  way  to  visit  a 
sweetheart  at  Bowling  Green,  and  he  had  so  far  taken  Booth 
under  his  patronage,  that  when  the  latter  was  haggling  with 
Lucas  for  a  team,  he  offered  both  Booth  and  Harold  the  use 
of  his  horse  to  ride  and  walk  alternately. 

"This  is  the  court  house  town  of  Caroline  County,  a 
small  and  scattered  place,  having  within  it  an  ancient  tavern, 
no  longer  used  for  other  than  lodging  purposes  ;  but  here 
they  hauled  from  his  bed  the  captain  aforesaid,  and  bade 
him  dress  himself.  As  soon  as  he  comprehended  the  matter, 
he  became  pallid,  and  eagerly  narrated  the  facts  in  his  pos 
session.  Booth,  to  his  knowledge,  was  then  lying  at  the 
house  of  one  Garrett,  which  they  had  passed,  and  Harold 
had  departed  the  existing  day  with  the  intention  of  rejoining 
him. 

"  Taking  this  captain  along  for  a  guide,  the  worn-out 
horsemen  retraced  their  steps,  though  some  were  so  haggard 
and  wasted  with  travel  that  they  had  to  be  kicked  into  intel 
ligence  before  they  could  climb  to  their  saddles.  The  objects 
of  the  chase  thus  at  hand,  the  detectives,  full  of  sanguine 
purpose,  hurried  the  cortege  so  well  along,  that  by  two 
o'clock  early  morning  all  halted  at  Garrett1  s  gate.  In  the 
pale  moonlight,  three  hundred  yards  from  the  main  road, 
to  the  left,  a  plain,  old  farm-house  looked  grayly  through 
the  environing  locusts.  It  was  worn,  and  whitewashed,  and 
two-storied,  and  its  half-human  windows  glowered  down 
upon  the  silent  cavalrymen  like  watching  owls,  which  stood 
as  sentries  over  some  horrible  secret  asleep  within. 

"  Dimly  seen  behind,  an  old  barn,  high  and  weather 
beaten,  faced  the  roadside  gate,  for  the  house  itself  lay  to 
the  left  of  its  own  lane ;  and  nestling  beneath  the  barn,  a 
few  long  corn-cribs  lay,  with  a  cattle-shed  at  hand. 

' i  In  the  dead  stillness,  Baker  dismounted  and  forced  the 
outer  gate,  Conger  kept  close  behind  him,  and  the  horsemen 
followed  cautiously.  They  made  no  noise  in  the  soft  clay, 
nor  broke  the  all-foreboding  silence  anywhere,  till  the  second 

32 


498  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

gate  swung  open  gratingly,  yet  even  then  nor  hoarse  nor 
nor  shrill  response  came  back,  save  distant  croaking,  as  of 
frogs  or  owls,  or  the  whiz  of  some  passing  night-hawk.  So 
they  surrounded  the  pleasant  old  homestead,  each  horseman, 
carbine  in  poise,  adjusted  under  the  gro*ve  of  locusts,  so  as 
to  inclose  the  dwelling  with  a  circle  of  fire.  After  a  pause, 
Baker  rode  to  the  kitchen  door  on  the  side,  and  dismounting, 
rapped  and  hallooed  lustily.  An  old  man,  in  drawers  and 
night- shirt,  hastily  undrew  the  bolts,  and  stood  on  the 
threshold,  peering  shiveringly  into  the  darkness. 

"  Baker  seized  him  by  the  throat  at  once,  and  held  a 
pistol  to  his  ear. 

"  i  Who  is  it  that  calls  me  V  cried  the  old  man. 

"  'Where  are  the  men  who  stay  with  you?'  challenged 
Baker.  '  If  you  prevaricate,  you  are  a  dead  man  !' 

4 'The  old  fellow,  who  proved  to  be  the  head  of  the 
family,  was  so  overawed  and  paralyzed  that  he  stammered 
and  shook  and  said  not  a  word. 

"  '  Go  light  a  candle,'  cried  Baker,  sternly,*  and  be  quick 
about  it.' 

"The  trembling  old  man  obeyed,  and  in  a  moment  the 
imperfect  rays  flared  upon  his  whitening  hairs,  and  bluishly 
pallid  face.  Then  the  question  was  repeated,  backed  up  by 
the  glimmering  pistol.  '  Where  are  these  men  V 

"The  old  man  held  to  the  wall,  and  his  knees  smote  each 
other.  '  They  are  gone,'  he  said.  4  We  haven't  got  them  in 
the  house  ;  I  assure  you  that  they  are  gone.' 

"In  the  interim  Conger  had  also  entered,  and  while  the 
household  and  its  invaders  were  thus  in  weird  tableau,  a 
young  man  appeared,  as  if  he  had  risen  from  the  ground. 
The  eyes  of  everybody  turned  upon  him  in  a  second ;  but, 
while  he  blanched,  he  did  not  lose  loquacity.  '  Father,'  he 
said,  '  we  had  better  tell  the  truth  about  the  matter.  Those 
men  whom  you  seek,  gentlemen,  are  in  the  barn,  I  know. 
They  went  there  to  sleep.'  Leaving  one  soldier  to  guard  the 
old  man — and  the  soldier  was  very  glad  of  the  job,  as  it 
relieved  him  of  personal  hazard  in  the  approaching  combat 
—all  the  rest,  with  cocked  pistols  at  the  young  man' s  head, 
followed  on  to  the  barn.  It  lay  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
house,  the  front  barn-door  facing  the  west  gable,  and  was  an 


THE  BARN— THE  PROPOSAL  AXD   REPLY.  493 

old  and  spacious  structure,  with  floors  only  a  trifle  above  the 
ground  level. 

u  The  troops  dismounted,  were  stationed  at  regular  inter 
vals  around  it,  and  ten  yards  distant  at  every  point,  four 
special  guards  placed  to  command  the  door,  and  all  with 
weapons  in  supple  preparation,  while  Baker  and  Conger 
went  direct  to  the  door.  It  had  a  padlock  upon  it,  and  the 
key  of  this  Baker  secured  at  once.  In  the  interval  of  silence 
that  ensued,  the  rustling  of  planks  and  straw  was  heard 
inside,  as  of  persons  rising  from  sleep. 

"  At  the  same  moment  Baker  hailed  : — 

"  'To  the  persons  in  this  barn  I  have  a  proposal  to  make. 
We  are  about  to  send  in  to  you  the  son  of  the  man  in  whose 
custody  you  are  found.  Either  surrender  to  him  your  arms, 
and  then  give  yourself  up,  or  we'll  set  flre  to  the  place.  We 
mean  to  take  you  both,  or  to  have  a  bonfire  and  shooting- 
match.' 

"  No  answer  came  to  this  of  any  kind.  The  lad,  John  M. 
Garrett,  who  was  in  deadly  fear,  was  here  pushed  through 
the  door  by  a  sudden  opening  of  it,  and  immediately 
Lieutenant  Baker  locked  the  door  on  the  outside.  The 
boy  was  heard  to  state  his  appeal  in  under  tones.  Booth 
replied  :— 

"  ' you.     Get  out  of  here.     You  have  betrayed  me.' 

"At  the  same  time  he  placed  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  as 
if  for  a  pistol.  A  remonstrance  followed  ;  but  the  boy 
slipped  on  and  over  the  reopened  portal,  reporting  that  his 
errand  had  failed,  and  that  he  dare  not  enter  again.  All 
this  time  the  candle  brought  from  the  house  to  the  barn  was 
burning  close  beside  the  two  detectives,  rendering  it  easy 
for  any  one  within  to  have  shot  them  dead.  This  observed, 
the  light  was  cautiously  removed,  and  everybody  took  care 
to  keep  out  of  its  reflection.  By  this  time  the  crisis  of  the 
position  was  at  hand ;  the  cavalry  exhibited  very  variable 
inclinations,  some  to  run  away,  others  to  shoot  Booth  with 
out  a  summons  ;  but  all  excited  and  fitfully  silent.  At  the 
house  near  by,  the  female  folks  were  seen  collected  in  the 
doorway,  and  the  necessities  of  the  case  provoked  prompt 
conclusions.  The  boy  was  placed  at  a  remote  point,  and  the 
summons  repeated  by  Baker : — 


500  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"  'You  must  surrender  inside  there  !  Give  up  your  arms 
and  appear  ;  there' s  no  chance  for  escape.  We  give  you  five 
minutes  to  make  up  your  mind.' 

"A  bold,  clarion  reply  came  from  within,  so  strong  as  to 
be  heard  at  the  house  door : — 

"  '  Who  are  you,  and  what  do  you  want  with  us  ?' 

"  Baker  again  urged : — 

"  'We  want  you  to  deliver  up  your  arms,  and  become 
our  prisoners.' 

"  '  But  who  are  you  ?'  hallooed  the  same  strong  voice. 

"  '  That  makes  no  difference  ;  we  know  who  you  are,  and 
we  want  you.  We  have  here  fifty  men,  armed  with  carbines, 
and  pistols.  You  cannot  escape.' 

"There  was  a  long  pause,  and  then  Booth  said  :— 

"  'Captain,  this  is  a  hard  case,  I  swear.  Perhaps  I  am 
being  taken  by  my  own  friends.' 

' '  No  reply  from  the  detectives. 

"  '  Well,  give  us  a  little  time  to  consider.' 

"  '  Very  well ;  take  time.' 

"  Here  ensued  a  long  and  eventful  pause.  What  throng 
ing  memories  it  brought  to  Booth  we  can  only  guess.  In 
this  little  interval  he  made  the  resolve  to  die.  But  he  was 
cool  and  steady  to  the  end.  Baker,  after  a  lapse,  hailed  for 
the  last  time  : — 

"  'Well,  we  have  waited  long  enough;  surrender  your 
arms  and  come  out,  or  we'll  fire  the  barn.' 

"Booth  answered  thus :— 

"  '  I  am  but  a  cripple — a  one-legged  man.  Withdraw 
your  forces  one  hundred  yards  from  the  door,  and  I  will 
come.  Give  me  a  chance  for  my  life,  captain.  I  will  never 
be  taken  alive  !' 

"  '  We  did  not  come  here  to  fight,  but  to  capture  you.  I 
say  again  appear,  or  the  barn  shall  be  fired.' 

"Then,  with  a  long  breath,  which  could  be  heard  outside, 
Booth  cried,  in  sudden  calmness,  still  invisible,  as  were  to 
him  his  enemies : — 

"  'Well,  then,  my  brave  boys,  prepare  a  stretcher  for 
me!' 

"There  was  a  pause  repeated,  broken  by  low  discussions 
within  between  Booth  and  his  associate,  the  former  saying, 


SURRENDER   OF  HAROLD— FIRING  THE  BARN.  501 

as  if  in  answer  to  some  remonstrance  or  appeal :  "  Get  away 

from  me.  You  are  a coward,  and  mean  to  leave  me  in 

my  distress  ;  "but  go — go  !  I  don' t  want  you  to  stay — I  won' t 
have  you  stay  !'  Then  he  shouted  aloud  :— 

"  '  There's  a  man  inside  who  wants  to  surrender.' 

"  '  Let  him  come,  if  he  will  bring  his  arms.' 

"Here  Harold,  rattling  at  the  door,  said:  'Let  me  out; 
open  the  door  ;  I  want  to  surrender.' 

"  'Hand  out  your  arms,  then.' 

"  '  I  have  not  got  any.' 

"  'You  are  the  man  who  carried  the  carbine  yesterday ; 
bring  it  out !' 

"  '  I  haven't  got  any.' 

"This  was  said  in  a  whining  tone,  and  with  an  almost 
visible  shiver.  Booth  cried  aloud  at  this  hesitation : — 

"  'He  hasn't  got  any  arms;  they  are  mine,  and  I  have 
kept  them.' 

' '  '  Well,  he  carried  the  carbine,  and  must  bring  it  out. ' 

"  '  On  the  word  and  honor  of  a  gentleman,  he  has  no  aims 
with  him.  They  are  mine,  and  I  have  got  them.' 

"At  this  time  Harold  was  quite  up  to  the  door,  within 
whispering  distance  of  Baker.  The  latter  told  him  to  put 
out  his  hands  to  be  handcuffed,  at  the  same  time  drawing 
open  the  door  a  little  distance.  Harold  thrust  forth  his 
hands,  when  Baker,  seizing  him,  jerked  him  into  the  night, 
and  straightway  delivered  him  over  to  a  deputation  of  caval 
rymen.  The  fellow  began  to  talk  of  his  innocence,  and  plead 
so  noisily,  that  Conger  threatened  to  gag  him,  unless  he 
ceased.  Then  Booth  made  his  last  appeal,  in  the  same  clear, 
unbroken  voice  :— 

"  'Captain,  give  me  a  chance.  Draw  off  your  men,  and 
I  will  fight  them  singly.  I  could  have  killed  you  six  times 
to-night,  but  I  believe  you  to  be  a  brave  man,  and  would 
not  murder  you.  Give  a  lame  man  a  show.' 

"It  was  too  late  for  parley.  All  this  time  Booth's  voice 
had  sounded  from  the  middle  of  the  barn. 

"  Ere  he  ceased  speaking,  Colonel  Conger  slipped  around 
to  the  rear,  drew  some  loose  straws  through  a  crack,  and  lit 
a  match  upon  them.  They  were  dry  an<J  blazed  up  in  an 
instant,  carrying  a  sheet  of  smoke  and  flame  through  the 


502  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

parted  planks,  and  heaving  In  a  twinkling  a  world  of  light 
and  heat  upon  the  magazine  within.  The  "blaze  lit  up  the 
black  recesses  of  the  great  barn,  till  every  wasp' s  nest  and 
cobweb  in  the  roof  were  luminous  ;  flinging  streaks  of  red 
and  violet  across  the  tumbled  farm  gear  in  the  corner, 
ploughs,  harrows,  hoes,  rakes,  sugar-mills,  and  making 
every  separate  grain  in  the  high  bin  adjacent  gleam  like 
a  mote  of  precious  gold.  They  tinged  the  beams,  the  up 
right  columns,  the  barricades,  where  clover  and  timothy, 
piled  high,  held  toward  the  hot  incendiary  their  separate 
straws  for  the  funeral  pile.  They  bathed  the  murderer's 
retreat  in  a  beautiful  illumination,  and  while  in  bold  outline 
his  figure  stood  revealed,  they  rose  like  an  impenetrable 
wall  to  guard  from  sight  the  hated  enemy  who  lit  them. 

"Behind  the  blaze,  with  his  eye  to  a  crack,  Conger  saw 
Wilkes  Booth  standing  upright  upon  a  crutch.  He  likens 
him  at  this  instant  to  his  brother  Edwin,  whom,  he  says,  he 
so  much  resembled  that  he  believed,  for  the  moment,  the 
whole  pursuit  to  have  been  a  mistake.  At  the  gleam  of  the 
fire,  Wilkes  dropped  his  crutch  and  carbine,  and  on  both 
hands  crept  to  the  spot  to  espy  the  incendiary  and  shoot  him 
dead.  His  eyes  were  lustrous,  like  fever,  and  swelled  and 
rolled  in  terrible  beauty,  while  his  teeth  were  fixed,  and  he 
wore  the  expression  of  one  in  the  calmness  before  frenzy.  In 
vain  he  peered,  with  vengeance  in  his  look ;  the  blaze  that 
made  him  visible  concealed  his  enemy.  A  second  he  turned 
glaring  at  the  fire,  as  if  to  leap  upon  it  and  extinguish  it,  but 
it  had  made  such  headway  that  this  was  a  futile  impulse,  and 
he  dismissed  it.  As  calmly  as  upon  the  battle-field  a  veteran 
stands,  amidst  the  hail  of  ball,  and  shell,  and  plunging  iron, 
Booth  turned  at  a  man' s  stride  and  pushed  for  the  door,  car 
bine  in  poise,  and  the  last  resolve  of  death,  which  we  name 
despair,  sat  on  his  high,  bloodless  forehead. 

"As  so  he  dashed,  intent  to  expire  not  unaccompanied, 
a  disobedient  sergeant,  at  an  eyehole,  drew  upon  him  the 
fatal  bead.  The  barn  was  all  glorious  with  conflagration, 
and  in  the  beautiful  ruin  this  outlawed  man  strode  like  all 
that  we  know  of  wicked  valor,  stern  in  the  face  of  death.  A 
shock,  a  shout,  a. gathering  up  of  his  splendid  figure,  as  if  to 
overtip  the  stature  God  gave  him,  and  John  Wilkes  Booth 


LAST  WORDS  OF  J.  W.  BOOTH.  503 

fell  headlong  to  the  floor,  lying  there  in  a  heap,  a  little  life 
remaining.  But  no. 

"'He  has  shot  himself,'  cried  Baker,  unaware  of  the 
source  of  the  report,  and  rushing  in,  he  grasped  his  arm,  to 
guard  against  any  feint  or  strategy.  A  moment  convinced 
him  that  further  struggle  with  the  prone  flesh  was  useless. 
Booth  did  not  move,  nor  breathe,  nor  gasp.  Conger  and  the 
two  sergeants  now  entered,  and,  taking  up  the  body,  they 
bore  it  in  haste  from  the  advancing  flame,  and  laid  it  without 
upon  the  grass,  all  fresh  with  heavenly  dew. 

"  4  Water,'  cried  Conger  ;  '  bring  water.' 

1  When  this  was  dashed  into  his  face,  he  revived  a 
moment,  and  stirred  his  lips.  Baker  put  his  ear  close  down 
and  heard  him  say  :— 

"  '  Tell  mother — and — die — for  my  country.' 

"They  lifted  him  again,  the  fire  encroaching  in  hotness 
upon  them,  and  placed  him  upon  the  porch  before  the  dwell 
ing. 

"A  mattress  was  brought  down,  on  which  they  placed 
him,  and  propped  his  head,  and  gave  him  water  and  brandy. 
The  women  of  the  household,  joined  meantime  by  another 
son,  who  had  been  found  in  one  of  the  corn-cribs,  watching, 
as  he  said,  to  see  that  Booth  and  Harold  did  not  steal  the 
horses,  were  nervous,  but  prompt  to  do  the  dying  man  all 
kindnesses,  although  waved  sternly  back  by  the  detectives. 
They  dipped  a  rag  in 'brandy  and  water,  and  this  being  put 
between  Booth' s  teeth,  he  sucked  it  greedily.  When  he  was 
able  to  articulate  again,  he  muttered  to  Baker  the  same 
words,  with  an  addenda : — 

4 '  '  Tell  mother  I  died  for  my  country.  I  thought  I  did 
for  the  best.' 

"Baker  repeated  this,  saying  at  the  same  time,  c Booth, 
do  I  repeat  it  correctly  V  Booth  nodded  his  head. 

"By  this  time  the  gray  ness  of  dawn  w£s  approaching; 
moving  figures,  inquisitively  coming  near,  were  to  be  seen 
distinctly,  and  the  cocks  began  to  crow  gutturally,  though 
the  barn  by  this  time  was  a  hulk  of  blaze  and  ashes,  sending 
toward  the  zenith  a  spiral  line  of  dense  smoke. 

"The  women  became  importunate  at  this  time  that  the 
troops  might  be  ordered  to  extinguish  the  tire,  which  was 


504  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

spreading  toward  their  precious  corn-cribs.  Not  even  death 
could  banish  the  call  of  interest.  Soldiers  were  sent  to  put 
out  the  fire,  and  Booth,  relieved  of  the  bustle  around  him, 
drew  near  to  death  apace.  Twice  he  was  keard  to  say,  '  Kill 
me — kill  me  !'  His  lips  often  moved,  but  could  complete  no 
appreciable  sound.  He  made  once  a  motion,  which  the  quick 
eye  of  Conger  understood  to  mean  that  his  throat  pained  him. 
Conger  put  his  finger  there,  when  the  dying  man  attempted 
to  cough,  but  only  caused  the  blood  at  his  perforated  neck 
to  flow  more  lively.  He  bled  very  little,  although  shot  quite 
through,  beneath  and  behind  the  ears,  his  collar  being  sev 
ered  on  both  sides. 

"  A  soldier  had  been  meanwhile  dispatched  for  a  doctor, 
but  the  route  and  return  was  quite  six  miles,  and  the  sinner 
was  sinking  fast.  Still  the  women  made  efforts  to  get  to  see 
him,  but  were  always  rebuffed,  and  all  the  brandy  they 
could  find  was  demanded  by  the  assassin,  who  motioned  for 
strong  drink  every  two  minutes.  He  made  frequent  desires 
to  be  turned  over — not  by  speech,  but  by  gesture — and  he 
was  alternately  placed  upon  his  back,  belly,  and  side.  His 
tremendous  vitality  evidenced  itself  almost  miraculously. 
Now  and  then  his  heart  would  cease  to  throb,  and  his  pulse 
would  be  as  cold  as  a  dead  man's.  Directly  life  would  begin 
anew,  the  face  would  flush  up  eflulgently,  the  eyes  open  and 
brighten,  and  soon  relapsing,  stillness  reasserted,  would  again 
be  dispossessed  by  the  same  magnificent  triumph  of  man  over 
mortality.  Finally,  the  fussy  little  doctor  arrived,  In  time  to 
be  useless.  He  probed  the  wound  to  see  if  the  ball  were  not 
in  it,  and  shook  his  head  sagely,  and  talked  learnedly. 

"  Just  at  his  coming,  Booth  had  asked  to  have  his  hands 
raised  and  shown  him.  They  were  so  paralyzed  that  he  did 
not  know  their  location.  When  they  were  displayed,  he 
muttered,  with  a  sad  lethargy,  i  Useless — useless  !'  These 
were  the  last  woYds  he  ever  uttered. 

"As  he  began  to  die,  the  sun  rose  and  threw  beams  into 
all  the  tree-tops.  It  was  at  a  man' s  height  when  the  struggle 
of  death  twitched  and  lingered  in  the  fading  bravo' s  face. 
His  jaw  drew  spasmodically  and  obliquely  downward ;  his 
eyeballs  rolled  toward  his  feet,  and  began  to  swell ;  livid- 
ness,  like  a  horrible  shadow,  fastened  upon  him,  and  with 


THE  RETURN  TO  WASHINGTON.  505 

a  sort  of  gurgle,  and  sudden  check,  he  stretched  his  feet,  and 
threw  his  head  back,  and  gave  up  the  ghost. 

"  They  sewed  him  up  in  a  saddle-blanket.  This  was  his 
shroud ;  too  like  a  soldier' s.  Harold,  meantime,  had  been 
tied  to  a  tree,  but  was  now  released  for  the  march.  Colonel 
Conger  pushed  on  immediately  for  Washington  ;  the  cortege 
was  to  follow.  Booth's  only  arms  were  his  carbine,  knife, 
and  two  revolvers.  They  found  about  him  bills  of  exchange, 
Canada  money,  and  a  diary.  A  venerable  old  negro  living 
in  the  vicinity  had  the  misfortune  to  possess  a  horse.  This 
horse  was  the  relic  of  former  generations,  and  showed  by  his 
protruding  ribs  the  general  leanness  of  the  land.  He  moved 
in  an  eccentric  amble,  and  when  put  upon  his  speed  was 
generally  run  backward.  To  this  old  negro's  horse  was 
harnessed  a  very  shaky  and  absurd  wagon,  which  rattled 
like  approaching  dissolution,  and  each  part  of  it  ran  without 
any  connection  or  correspondence  with  any  other  part.  •  It 
had  no  tail-board,  and  its  shafts  were  sharp  as  famine  ;  and 
into  this  mimicry  of  a  vehicle  the  murderer  was  to  be  sent 
to  the  Potomac  River,  while  the  man  he  had  murdered  was 
moving  in  state  across  the  mourning  continent.  The  old 
negro  geared  up  his  wagon  by  means  of  a  set  of  fossil  har 
ness,  and  when  it  was  backed  to  Garrett'  s  porch,  they  laid 
within  it  the  discolored  corpse.  The  corpse  was  tied  with 
ropes  around  the  legs,  and  made  fast  to  the  wagon  side. 

"Harold's  legs  were  tied  to  stirrups,  and  he  was  placed 
in  the  centre  of  four  murderous-looking  cavalrymen.  The 
two  sons  of  Garrett  were  also  taken  along,  despite  the  sobs 
and  petitions  of  the  old  folks  and  women,  but  the  rebel  cap 
tain  who  had  given  Booth  a  lift  got  off  amid  the  night's 
agitations,  and  was  not  rearrested.  So  moved  the  cavalcade 
of  retribution,  with  death  in  its  midst,  along  the  road  to  Port 
Royal.  When  the  wagon  started,  Booth's  wound,  now 
scarcely  dribbling,  began  to  run  anew.  It  fell  through  the 
crack  of  the  wagon,  and  fell  dripping  upon  the  axle,  and 
spotting  the  road  with  terrible  wafers.  It  stained  the  planks 
and  soaked  the  blankets ;  and  the  old  negro,  at  a  stoppage, 
dabbled  his  hands  in  it  by  mistake  ;  he  drew  back  instantly, 
with  a  shudder  and  stifled  expletive,  '  Gor-r-r,  dat '  11  never 
co.ne  off  in  de  world  ;  it's  murderer's  blood.'  He  wrung  his 


506  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

hands,  and  looked  imploringly  at  the  officers,  and  shuddered 
again  ;  '  Gor-r-r,  I  wouldn't  have  dat  on  me  for  tousand 
tousand  dollars.' 

"The  progress  of  the  team  was  slow, -with  frequent  dan 
ger  of  shipwreck  altogether,  but  toward  noon  the  cortege 
filed  through  Port  Royal,  where  the  citizens  came  out  to  ask 
the  matter,  and  why  a  man's  body,  covered  with  sombre 
blankets,  was  going  by  with  so  great  escort.  They  were 
told  that  it  was  a  wounded  Confederate,  and  so  held  their 
tongues.  The  little  ferry,  again  in  requisition,  took  them 
over  by  squads,  and  they  pushed  from  Port  Conway  to  Belle 
Plain,  which  they  reached  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon. 
All  the  way  the  blood  dribbled  from  the  corpse  in  a  slow, 
incessant,  sanguine  exudation.  The  old  negro  was  niggardly 
dismissed  with  two  paper  dollars.  The  dead  man  untied 
and  cast  upon  the  vessel's  deck,  steam  gotten  up  in  a  little 
whfle,  and  the  broad  Potomac  shores  saw  this  skeleton  ship 
flit  by,  as  the  bloody  sun  threw  gashes  and  blots  of  un 
healthy  light  along  the  silver  surface. 

"All  the  way  associate  with  the  carcass  went  Harold, 
shuddering  in  so  grim  companionship,  and  in  the  awakened 
fears  of  his  own  approaching  ordeal,  beyond  which  it  loomed 
already,  the  gossamer  fabric  of  a  scaffold.  He  tried  to  talk 
for  his  own  exoneration,  saying  he  had  ridden  as  was  his 
wont,  beyond  the  East  Branch,  and  returning  found  Booth 
wounded,  who  begged  him  to  be  his  companion.  Of  his 
crime  he  knew  nothing,  so  help  him  God,  &c.  But  nobody 
listened  to  him.  All  interest  of  crime,  courage,  and  retribu 
tion  centered  in  the  dead  flesh  at  his  feet.  At  Washington, 
high  and  low  turned  out  to  look  on  Booth.  Only  a  few 
were  permitted  to  see  his  corpse  for  purposes  of  recognition. 
It  was  fairly  preserved,  though  on  one  side  of  the  face  dis 
torted,  and  looking  blue  like  death,  and  wildly  bandit-like, 
as  if  beaten  by  avenging  winds. 

"Finally,  the  Secretary  of  War,  without  instructions  of 
any  kind,  committed  to  Colonel  Lafayette  C.  Baker,  of  the 
Secret  Service,  the  stark  corpse  of  J.  Wilkes- Booth.  The 
Secret  Service  never  fulfilled  its  vocation  more  secretly. 
'What  have  you  done  with  the  body?'  said  I  to  Baker. 
'That  is  known,'  he  answered,  'to  only  one  man  living 


BUEIAL  OF  BOOTH.  507 

beside  myself.  It  is  gone ;  I  will  not  tell  you  where  ;  the 
only  man  who  knows  is  sworn  to  silence  ;  never  till  the  great 
trumpeter  comes  shall  the  grave  of  Booth  be  discovered.' 
And  this  is  true.  Last  night,  the  27th  of  April,  a  small  row- 
boat  received  the  carcass  of  the  murderer  ;  two  men  were  in 
it ;  they  carried  the  body  off  into  the  darkness,  and  out  of 
that  darkness  it  will  never  return  ;  in  the  darkness,  like  his 
great  crime,  may  it  remain  forever ;  impassable,  invisible, 
nondescript,  condemned  to  that  worse  than  damnation — anni 
hilation. 

' ;  The  river  bottom  may  ooze  about  it,  laden  with  great 
shot  and  drowning  manacles.  The  earth  may  have  opened 
to  give  it  that  silence  and  forgiveness  which  man  will  never 
give  to  its  memory.  The  fishes  may  swim  around  it,  or  the 
daisies  grow  white  above  it ;  but  we  shall  never  know. 
Mysterious,  incomprehensible,  unattainable,  like  the  dim 
times  through  which  we  live,  we  think  upon  it  as  if  we  only 
dreamed  in  a  perturbed  fever ;  the  assassin  of  a  nation' s 
head  rests  somewhere  in  the  elements,  and  that  is  all ;  but  if 
the  indignant  seas  or  the  profaned  turf  shall  ever  vomit  this 
corpse  from  their  recesses,  and  it  receives  Christian  burial 
from  some  one  who  does  not  recognize  it,  let  the  last  words 
those  decaying  lips  ever  uttered  be  carved  above  them  with 
a  dagger,  to  tell  the  history  of  a  young,  and  once  promising 
life." 

It  is  not  improper  to  state,  that  only  two  persons  on  earth 
know  where  the  body  of  Booth  lies.  Lieutenant  Baker,  on 
whose  lap  his  dying  head  was  laid,  and  myself,  have  the 
dark  secret  to  keep.  The  night  before  the  removal  of  the 
remains  I  was  ordered,  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  have 
them  securely  guarded,  that  no  one  might  touch  them ;  as 
"  every  hair  of  his  head  would  be  a  valued  relic  to  the  sym 
pathizers  with  the  South  in  Washington."  I  had  not  had 
my  clothes  off  for  nearly  two  weeks,  and  was  granted  leave 
of  absence  from  the  vessel,  on  whose  deck  was  lying  the 
corpse  of  the  assassin,  covered  with  two  blankets  sewed 
together  like  a  sack,  completely  concealing  it.  Upon  my 
return,  I  was  greatly  surprised  and  indignant,  to  find  per 
sons  of  high  position,  and  some  of  secession  proclivities, 
around  the  dead  body,  the  coarse  shroud  parted  at  the  seam, 


508  UXITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

and  a  lady  at  that  moment  cutting  off  a  lock  of  the  black, 
curled,  and  beautiful  hair.  I  seized  the  fair  hands,  and, 
after  a  refusal  to  give  me  the  relic,  forcibly  took  it,  and  then 
cleared  the  deck,  to  the  amazement  and  displeasure  of  some 
of  the  party. 

At  noon  of  that  night,  with  my  trusty  lieutenant,  a  man 
of  thoroughly  Christian  principles,  I  placed  the  body  in  a 
small  boat,  and  we  rowed  away  from  the  silent  leviathan  of 
Mars,  which  had  borne  the  loathsome  body  to  the  nation' s 
capital ;  with  no  watchful  eye  upon  us,  but  that  of  Him  who 
scattered. above  us  the  shining  stars.  It  was  a  strange,  wild 
hour  on  the  calm  Potomac ;  and  yet,  so  great  was  my  ex 
haustion  and  fatigue,  that  I  fell  to  dozing  with  the  oar  in  my 
hand,  and  the  sack  containing  the  assassin' s  corpse  at  my 
feet.  Further  I  cannot  go — it  is  best  to  let  the  curtain  of  un 
broken  secrecy  and  mystery  remain  between  the  burial  and 
all  human  curiosity. 

The  diary  kept  by  Booth  after  the  murder  of  the  Presi 
dent,  to  which  I  referred  in  connection  with  the  giving  of  the 
personal  effects  of  Booth  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  recorded 
the  adventures  of  the  fugitive  ;  one  of  these  was  the  killing 
of  his  horse  in  the  tangled  forest  to  avoid  detection,  and  then 
sleeping  between  the  animal's  legs  to  get  the  warmth  while 
it  remained  in  the  dead  body,  during  the  long  hours  of  the 
horrible  night.  With  the  dawn,  he  dragged  his  own  painful 
limbs  along  his  untrodden  path  of  flight  from  the  apparently 
slow,  but  certain,  grasp  of  avenging  justice. 

"On  the  9th  of  July,  1865,  at  as  early  an  hour  as  eight 
A.  M.,"  says  an  eye-witness,  "people  commenced  to  went  their 
way  down  to  the  prison,  and  the  boats  to  Alexandria,  which 
ran  close  by  the  jail,  were  crowded  all  day  by  those  who 
took  the  trip  in  hopes  of  catching  a  glimpse  of  the  gallows, 
or  of  the  execution,  but  it  was  all  in  vain.  The  only  position 
outside  of  the  jail  that  could  be  used  as  an  observatory,  was 
the  large  building  upon  the  left  side  of  the  arsenal,  which 
had  about  fifty  spectators  upon  it,  who  had  a  good  view  of 
the  whole. 

4 '  Between  nine  and  ten  o'  clock  in  the  morning  the  three 
ante-rooms  of  the  prison,  on  the  first  floor,  were  thronged 
with  army  officers,  principally  of  Hancock's  corps,  anxious 


BURIAL   OF   1JOOT1I. 


THE  EXECUTION.  509 

to  get  a  view  of  the  execution  from  the  windows,  from  which 
the  scaffold  could  be  plainly  seen.  The  newspaper  reporters 
soon  "began  to  congregate  there  also,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
not  less  than  a  score  were  in  attendance,  waiting  to  pick  up 
the  smallest  item  of  interest.  No  newspaper  man  was  allowed 
to  see  the  prisoners  in  their  cells  before  they  were  led  out  to 
execution,  and  General  Hartranft  was  very  decided  on  this 
point. 

"  While  waiting  here  for  over  two  hours,  the  clergymen 
passed  in  and  out  through  the  heavily  riveted  door  leading 
to  the  prisoners'  cells,  which  creaked  heavily  on  its  hinges 
as  it  swung  to  and  fro,  and  the  massive  key  was  turned  upon 
the  inner  side  with  a  heavy  sound  as  a  visitor  was  admitted 
within  its  portals. 

"Mrs.  Surratt's  daughter  passed  into  the  ante-room, 
accompanied  by  a  lady,  who  remained  seated,  while  the 
daughter  rapidly  entered  the  hall,  and,  passing  through  the 
heavy  door,  is  soon  in  the  corridor  where  her  mother  is 
incarcerated. 

"Messrs.  Cox,  Doster,  Aiken,  and  Clampitt,  counsel  for 
the  prisoners,  are  specially  passed  in  for  a  short  interview, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  they  return  again  to  the  ante-rooms. 
Time  flies  rapidly,  and  not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost.  No  use 
less  words  are  to  be  spoken,  but  earnest  terse  sentences  are 
from  necessity  employed  when  conversing  with  the  doomed 
prisoners,  whose  lives  are  now  measured  by  minutes. 

"Aiken  and  Clampitt  are  both  here.  They  walk  impa 
tiently  up  and  down  the  room,  whispering  a  word  to  each 
other  as  to  the  prospect  of  Mrs.  Surratt's  being  reprieved 
through  the  operations  of  the  habeas  corpus,  which,  Aiken 
confidently  tells  us,  has  been  granted  by  Justice  Wylie,  and 
from  which  he  anticipates  favorable  results.  Strange  infatu 
ation  !  It  was  the  last  straw  to  which,  like  drowning  men, 
they  clutched  with  the  fond  hope  that  it  was  to  rescue  their 
client  from  her  imminent  peril. 

"Atzeroth  passed  the  night  previous  to  the  execution 
without  any  particular  manifestations.  He  prayed  and  cried 
alternately,  but  made  no  other  noise  that  attracted  the 
attention  of  his  keeper.  On  the  morning  of  the  execution 


510  UNITED  STATES    SECRET  SERVICE. 

he  sat  most  of  the  time  on  the  floor  of  his  cell  in  his  shirt 
sleeves. 

"He  was  attended  "by  a  lady  dressed  in  deep  black,  who 
carried  a  prayer-book,  and  who  seemed  more  exercised  in 
spirit  than  the  prisoner  himself.  Who  the  lady  was  could 
not  be  ascertained.  She  left  him  at  half-past  twelve  o'clock, 
and  exhibited  great  emotion  at  parting. 

"During  the  afternoon  Atzeroth  was  greatly  composed, 
and  spent  part  of  the  time  in  earnest  conversation  with  his 
spiritual  adviser,  Rev.  Mr.  Butler,  of  St.  Paul's  Lutheran 
Church,  Washington.  He  occupied  cell  No.  151  on  the 
ground  floor,  which  was  directly  in  view  of  the  yard,  where 
he  could  see  the  gathering  crowd  and  soldiery,  although  he 
could  not  see  the  scaffold.  He  sat  in  the  corner  of  his  cell 
on  his  bed,  and  when  his  spiritual  adviser  would  go  out  for 
a  few  minutes  and  leave  his  Testament  in  his  hands,  his  eyes 
would  be  dropped  to  it  in  a  moment,  and  occasionally  wan 
der  with  a  wild  look  toward  the  open  window  in  front  of  his 
cell. 

.  "He  wore  nothing  but  a  white  linen  shirt  and  a  gray  pair 
of  pants.  The  long  irons  upon  his  hands,  which  he  had 
worn  during  the  trial,  were  not  removed. 

"Atzeroth  made  a  partial  confession  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Butler,  a  few  hours  before  his  execution.  He  stated  that  he 
took  a  room  at  the  Kirkwood  House  on  Thursday  afternoon, 
and  was  engaged  in  endeavoring  to  get  a  pass  to  Richmond. 
He  then  heard  the  President  was  to  be  taken  to  the  theater 
and  there  to  be  captured.  He  said  he  understood  that  Booth 
was  to  rent  the  theater  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the 
plot  to  capture  the  President.  He  stated  that  Harold  brought 
the  pistol  and  knife  to  the  Kirkwood  House,  and  that  he 
(Atzeroth)  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  attempted  assassination 
of  Andrew  Johnson. 

"  Booth  intended  that  Harold  should  assassinate  Johnson, 
and  he  wanted  him  (Atzeroth)  to  back  him  up  and  give  him 
courage.  Booth  thought  that  Harold  had  more  pluck  than 
Atzeroth, 

"He  alluded  to  the  meeting  at  the  restaurant  about  the 
middle  of  March.  He  said  Booth,  Harold,  Payne,  Arnold, 


THE  EXECUTION.  511 

and  himself  were  present,  and  it  was  then  concerted  that  Mr. 
Lincoln  should  be  captured  and  taken  to  Richmond. 

"They  heard  that  Lincoln  was  to  visit  a  camp  near 
Washington,  and  the  plan  was  that  they  should  proceed 
there  and  capture  the  coach  and  horses  containing  Lincoln, 
and  run  him  through  Prince  George'  County  and  Old  Fields 
to  G.  B.  There  they  were  to  leave  the  coach  and  horses 
and  place  the  President  in  a  buggy  which  Harold  would 
have  on  hand,  and  thus  convey  him  to  a  boat  to  be  in  readi 
ness,  and  run  him  by  some  means  to  Richmond.  He  denies 
that  he  was  in  favor  of  assassinating  Lincoln,  but  was  willing 
to  assist  in  his  capture. 

uHe  stated,  however,  that  he  knew  Lincoln  was  to  be 
assassinated  about  half-past  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of 
the  occurrence,  but  was  afraid  to  make  it  known,  as  he 
feared  Booth  would  kill  him  if  he  did  so. 

"He  said  that  slavery  caused  his  sympathies  to  be  with 
the  South.  He  had  heard  a  sermon  preached  which  stated 
that  a  curse  on  the  negro  race  had  turned  them  black.  He 
always  hated  the  negroes,  and  thought  they  should  be  kept 
in  ignorance. 

"Booth  had  promised  him  that  if  their  plan  succeeded  for 
the  capture  of  Lincoln  they  should  all  be  rich  men,  and  they 
would  become  great.  The  prisoners  would  all  be  exchanged, 
and  the  independence  of  the  South  would  be  recognized,  and 
their  cause  be  triumphant.  He  had  never  received  any 
money  as  yet. 

"The  crowd  increases.  Reporters  are  scribbling  indus 
triously.  A  suppressed  whisper  is  audible  all  over  the  room 
and  the  hall  as  the  hour  draws  nearer,  and  the  preparations 
begin  to  be  more  demonstrative. 

"The  rumbling  sound  of  the  trap,  as  it  falls  in  the  course 
of  the  experiments  which  are  being  made  to  test  it,  and  to 
prevent  any  unfortunate  accident  occurring  at  the  critical 
moment,  is  heard  through  the  windows,  and  all  eyes  are 
involuntarily  turned  in  that  direction,  for  curiosity  is  excited 
to  the  highest  pitch  to  view  the  operations  of  the  fatal  ma 
chinery.  There  are  two  or  three  pictorial  papers  represent 
ed.  One  calmly  makes  a  drawing  of  the  scaffold  for  the 


512  UNITED  STATES  SECEET  SERVICE. 

next  issue  of  his  paper,  and  thus  the  hours  till  noon  passed 
away. 

"The  bustle  increases.  Officers  are  running  to  and  fro, 
calling  for  orderlies  and  giving  orders.*  General  Hartranft 
is  trying  to  answer  twenty  questions  at  once  from  as  many 
different  persons.  The  sentry  in  the  hall  is  becoming  angry 
because  the  crowd  will  keep  intruding  on  his  beat,  when 
suddenly  a  buggy  at  the  door  announces  the  arrival  of  Gen 
eral  Hancock. 

"He  enters  the  room  hurriedly,  takes  General  Hartranft 
aside,  and  a  few  words  pass  between  them  in  a  low  tone,  to 
which  Hartranft  nods  acquiescence  ;  then,  in  a  louder  voice, 
Hancock  says  :  t  Get  ready,  General ;  I  want  to  have  every 
thing  put  in  readiness  as  soon  as  possible.'  This  was  the 
signal  for  the  interviews  of  the  clergymen,  relatives,  and 
friends  of  the  prisoners  to  cease,  and  for  the  doomed  to  pre 
pare  for  execution. 

"The  bustle  increases.  Mr.  Aiken  approaches  General 
Hancock,  and  a  few  minutes'  conversation  passes  between 
them.  Aiken' s  countenance  changes  perceptibly  at  General 
Hancock's  words.  The  reason  is  plain  ;  there  is  no  hope  for 
Mrs.  Surra tt.  The  habeas  corpus  movement,  from  which  he 
expected  so  much,  has  failed  ;  and  Aiken,  in  a  voice  tremu 
lous  with  emotion,  said  to  me  :  'Mrs.  Surratt  will  be  hung.' 

"The  bright  hopes  he  had  cherished  had  all  vanished, 
and  the  dreadful  truth  stood  before  him  in  all  its  horror. 
Clampitt,  too,  till  General  Hancock  arrived,  indulged  in  the 
hope  that  the  habeas  corpus  would  effect  a  respite  for  three 
or  four  days. 

"Three  or  four  of  Harold's  sisters,  all  in  one  chorus  of 
weeping,  come  through  the  prison-door  into  the  hall.  They 
had  left  their  brother  and  spoken  to  him  the  last  words,  and 
heard  his  voice  for  the  last  time. 

"At  fifteen  minutes  after  one  o'clock,  General  Hartranft 
blandly  informs  the  ' press  gang'  to  be  in  readiness  for  the 
prison-doors  to  be  opened,  when  they  can  pass  into  the  prison- 
yard,  from  whence  a  good  view  of  the  procession  can  be  ob 
tained  as  it  passes  by  to  the  scaffold.  About  11  A.  M.,  tho 
prison-yard  was  thrown  open  to  those  having  passes,  and 
about  fifty  entered.  The  first  object  in  view  was  the  scaffold, 


THE  EXECUTION.  513 

which  was  erected  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  peniten 
tiary  yard,  and  consisted  of  a  simple  wooden  structure,  of 
very  primitive  appearance,  faced  about  due  west.  The 
platform  was  elevated  about  twelve  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  was  about  twenty  feet  square.  Attached  to  the  main 
platform  were  the  drops,  &c.,  two  in  number,  on  which  the 
criminals  stood.  At  the  moment  of  execution,  these  drops 
were  connected  with  the  main  platform,  by  means  of  large 
hinges,  four  to  each  drop. 

"The  drops  were  supported  by  a  post,  which  rested  on  a 
heavy  piece  of  timber  placed  on  the  ground,  and  so  arranged 
that  two  soldiers  stationed  at  the  rear  of  the  scaffold  instan 
taneously  detached  the  two  supports  from  their  positions  by 
means  of  pressing  two  poles,  which  occupied  a  horizontal 
position,  the  action  of  which  dislodged  the  props  of  the  scaf 
fold  and  permitted  the  drops  to  fall. 

i 'The  gallows  proper  was  divided  into  two  parts  by 
means  of  a  perpendicular  piece  of  timber,  resting  on  the 
platform,  and  reaching  up  to  the  cross-beam  of  the  gallows. 
Two  ropes  hung  on  either  side  of  the  piece  of  timber  men 
tioned.  They  were  wound  around  the  cross-beam,  and  con 
tained  large  knots  and  nooses  at  the  lower  end.  The  platform 
was  ascended  by  means  of  a  flight  of  steps,  thirteen  in  num 
ber,  erected  at  the  rear  of  the  scaffold,  and  guarded  on  either 
side  by  a  railing,  which  also  extended  around  the  platform. 
The  platform  was  sustained  by  nine  heavy  uprights,  about 
which  rose  the  two  heavy  pieces  of  timber  which  supported 
the  cross-beam  and  constituted  the  gallows.  The  entire 
platform  was  capable  of  holding  conveniently  about  thirty 
people,  and  was  about  half  full  at  the  time  of  the  execution. 

"The  executioners  were  all  fine  stalwart  specimens  of 
Union  soldiers,  and  did  their  work  well.  The  rope  was  fur 
nished  from  the  navy  yard,  and  was  one  and  a  half  inches  in 
circumference,  and  composed  of  twenty  strands. 

"The  graves  were  dug  close  to  the  scaffold,  and  next  to 
the  prison  wall.  They  were  four  in  number,  and  were  about 
three  feet  and  a  half  deep,  in  a  dry,  clayey  soil,  and  about 
seven  feet  long  and  three  wide.  Four  pine  boxes,  similar  to 
those  used  for  packing  guns  in,  stood  between  the  graves 
and  the  scaffold.  These  were  for  coffins,  both  being  in  full 

33 


514  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

view  of  the  prisoners  as  they  emerged  from  their  cells,  and 
"before  them  until  they  commenced  the  dreadful  ascent  of 
those  thirteen  steps. 

"About  a  thousand  soldiers  were  in  the  yard  and  upon 
the  high  wall  around  it,  which  is  wide  enough  for  sentries  to 
patrol  it.  The  sun's  rays  made  it  very  oppressive,  and  the 
walls  kept  off  the  little  breeze  that  was  stirring.  There  was 
no  shade,  and  men  huddled  together  along  the  walls  and 
around  the  pump  to  discuss  with  one  another  the  prospect 
of  a  reprieve  or  delay  for  Mrs.  Surratt.  But  few  hoped  for 
it,  though  some  were  induced  by  Mrs.  Surratt' s  councel  to 
believe  she  would  not  be  hanged  to-day.  When  one  of  them 
came  out  and  saw  the  four  ropes  hanging  from  the  beam,  he 
exclaimed  to  one  of  the  soldiers :  4  My  God !  they  are  not 
going  to  hang  all  four,  are  they  V 

"But  there  are  times  when  it  is  mercy  to  hang  criminals, 
and  that  time  was  drawing  nigh,  it  seemed,  for  those  who 
have  been  used  for  years  to  apologizing  for  the  Rebellion, 
and  its  damning  acts,  to  be  brought  to  believe  that  any  crime 
is  to  be  punished.  Of  such"  material  were  the  prisoner's 
counsel. 

"  The  drops,  at  11:30,  are  tried  with  three  hundred  pound 
weights  upon  them,  to  see  if  they  will  work.  One  falls  all 
right ;  one  hangs  part  way  down,  and  the  hatchet  and  saw 
were  brought  into  play.  The  next  time  they  were  all  right. 
The  rattle  echoes  around  the  walls  ;  it  reaches  the  prisoners' 
cells  close  by,  and  penetrates  their  inmost  recesses.  All  is 
quiet  in  the  yard,  save  the  scuffle  of  the  military,  and  the 
passing  to  and  fro  of  a  few  civilians. 

"At  12:40,  four  arm-chairs  are  brought  out  and  placed 
upon  the  scaffold,  and  the  moving  around  of  General  Hart- 
ranft  indicates  the  drawing  near  of  the  time.  The  news 
paper  correspondents  and  reporters  are  admitted  to  a  position 
about  thirty  feet  from  the  gallows,  and  about  one  o'  clock  and 
ten  minutes,  the  heavy  door  in  front  of  the  cells  is  swung 
upon  its  hinges  for  the  hundredth  time  within  an  hour,  and 
a  few  reporters,  with  General  Hancock,  pass  in  and  through 
to  the  yard,  and  the  big  door  closes  with  a  slam  behind  them. 
All  take  positions  to  get  a  good  view.  General  Hancock  for 
the  last  time  takes  a  survey  of  the  preparations,  and  being 


THE  EXECUTION.  515 

satisfied  that  every  thing  is  ready,  he  re-enters  the  prison 
building,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  solemn  procession  marched 
down  the  steps  of  the  back  door  and  into  the  yard. 

"Mrs.  Surratt  cast  her  eyes  upward  upon  the  scaffold, 
for  a  few  moments,  with  a  look  of  curiosity,  combined  with 
dread.  One  glimpse,  and  her  eyes  fell  to  the  ground,  and 
she  walked  along  mechanically,  her  head  drooping,  and  if 
she  had  not  been  supported  would  have  fallen. 

"  She  ascended  the  scaffold,  and  was  led  to  an  arm-chair, 
in  which  she  was  seated.  An  umbrella  was  held  over  her 
by  the  two  holy  fathers,  to  protect  her  from  the  sun,  whose 
rays  shot  down  like  the  blasts  from  a  fiery  furnace.  She  was 
attired  in  a  black  bombazine  dress,  black  alpaca  bonnet,  with 
black  veil,  which  she  wore  over  her  face  till  she  was  seated 
on  the  chair.  During  the  reading  of  the  order  for  the  execu 
tion,  by  General  Hartranft,  the  priests  held  a  small  crucifix 
before  her,  which  she  kissed  fervently  several  times. 

"She  first  looked  around  at  the  scene  before  her,  then 
closed  her  eyes  and  seemed  engaged  in  silent  prayer.  The 
reading  and  the  announcement  of  the  clergymen  in  behalf 
of  the  other  prisoners  having  been  made,  Colonel  McCall, 
assisted  by  the  other  officers,  proceeded  to  remove  her  bon 
net,  pinion  her  elbows,  and  tie  strips  of  cotton  stuff  around 
her  dress  below  the  knees.  This  done,  the  rope  was  placed 
around  her  neck  and  her  face  covered  with  a  white  cap 
reaching  down  to  the  shoulders. 

"When  they  were  pinioning  her  arms,  she  turned  her 
head,  and  made  some  remarks  to  the  officers  in  a  low  tone, 
which  could  not  be  heard.  It  appeared  they  had  tied  her 
elbows  too  tight,  for  they  slackened  the  bandage  slightly, 
and  then  awaited  the  final  order.  All  the  prisoners  were 
prepared  thus  at  the  same  time,  and  the  preparations  of  each 
were  completed  at  about  the  same  moment,  so  that  when 
Mrs.  Surratt  was  thus  pinioned,  she  stood  scarcely  ten  sec 
onds,  supported  by  those  standing  near  her,  when  General 
Hartranft  gave  the  signal,  by  clapping  his  hands  twice,  for 
both  drops  to  fall,  and  as  soon  as  the  second  and  last  signal 
was  given,  both  fell,  and  Mrs.  Surratt,  with  a  jerk,  fell  to 
the  full  length  of  the  rope.  She  was  leaning  over  when  the 
drop  fell,  and  this  gave  a  swinging  motion  to  her  body, 


516  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

which  lasted  several  minutes  before  it  assumed  a  perpendicu 
lar  position.  Her  death  was  instantaneous ;  she  died  with 
out  a  struggle.  The  only  muscular  movement  discernible 
was  a  slight  contraction  of  the  left  arm,  which  she  seemed  to 
try  to  disengage  from  behind  her  as  the  drop  fell. 

"  After  being  suspended  thirty  minutes,  she  was  cut 
down,  and  placed  in  a  square  wooden  box  or  coffin,  in  the 
clothes  in  which  she  died,  and  was  interred  in  the  prison 
yard.  The  rope  made  a  clean  cut  around  her  neck,  fully  an 
inch  in  diameter,  which  was  black  and  discolored  with 
bruised  blood.  The  cap  was  not  taken  off  her  face,  and  she 
was  laid  in  the  coffin  with  it  on,  and  thus  has  passed  away 
from  the  face  of  the  earth  Mary  E.  Surratt.  Her  body,  it  is 
understood,  will  be  given  to  her  family  for  burial. 

i  i  Payne  died  as  he  has  lived,  at  least  as  he  has  done  since 
his  arrest,  bold,  calm,  and  thoroughly  composed.  The  only 
tremor  exhibited  by  this  extraordinary  man  during  the  terri 
ble  ordeal  of  the  execution  was  an  involuntary  vibration  of 
the  muscles  of  his  legs  after  the  fatal  drop  fell.  He  was  next 
in  order  to  Mrs.  Surratt  in  the  procession  of  the  criminals 
from  their  cells  to  the  place  of  execution. 

4 '  He  was  supported  on  one  side  by  his  spiritual  adviser, 
and  on  the  other  by  a  soldier,  although  he  needed  no  such 
assistance,  for  he  walked  erect  and  upright,  and  retained  the 
peculiar  piercing  expression  of  the  eye  that  has  ever  charac 
terized  him.  He  was  dressed  in  a  blue  flannel  shirt,  and 
pants  of  the  same  material.  His  brawny  neck  was  entirely 
exposed,  and  he  wore  a  new  straw  hat.  He  ascended  the 
steps  leading  to  the  scaffold  with  the  greatest  ease,  and  took 
his  seat  on  the  drop  with  as  much  sang  froid  as  though  he 
was  sitting  down  to  dinner. 

"  Once  or  twice  he  addressed  a  few  words  in  an  undertone 
to  persons  close  by  him,  and  occasionally  glanced  at  the 
array  of  soldiers  and  civilians  spread  out  before  him.  A 
puff  of  wind  blew  off  his  hat,  and  he  instantly  turned  around 
to  see  where  it  went  to.  When  it  was  recovered  and  handed 
to  him,  he  intimated  by  gesturing  that  he  no  longer  required 
it,  and  it  was  laid  aside. 

"During  the  reading  of  the  sentence  by  General  Hartranft, 
just  previous  to  the  execution,  he  calmly  listened,  and  once 


THE  EXECUTION.  517 

or  twice  glanced  upward  at  the  gallows,  as  if  inspecting  its 
construction.  He  submitted  to  the  process  of  binding  his 
limbs  very  quietly,  and  watched  the  operation  with  attention. 

"His  spiritual  adviser,  Rev.  Dr.  Gillette,  advanced,  a 
few  minutes  previous  to  the  execution,  and  made  some 
remarks  in  Payne' s  behalf.  He  thanked  the  different  officials 
for  the  attention  and  kindness  bestowed  on  Payne,  and 
exhorted  the  criminal  in  a  few  impassioned  words  to  give  his 
entire  thoughts  to  his  future  state.  Payne  stood  immovable 
as  a  statue  when  the  drop  fell.  Although  next  to  Harold, 
who  died  the  hardest,  he  exhibited  more  bodily  contortions 
than  the  others  while  suspended.  While  the  noose  was 
being  adjusted  to  his  neck,  Payne  raised  his  head,  and 
evidently  desired  to  assist  the  executioner  in  that  delicate 
operation. 

"  Probably  no  one  of  the  criminals  felt  as  great  a  dread 
of  the  terrible  ordeal  through  which  they  were  to  pass  as 
young  Harold.  From  the  time  he  left  his  cell  until  his  soul 
was  sent  into  the  presence  of  the  Almighty,  he  exhibited  the 
greatest  emotion,  and  seemed  to  thoroughly  realize  his 
wretched  condition.  His  face  wore  an  indefinable  expression 
of  anguish,  and  at  times  he  trembled  violently.  He  seemed 
to  desire  to  engage  in  conversation  with  those  around  him 
while  sitting  in  the  chair  awaiting  execution,  and  his  spiritual 
adviser,  Rev.  Mr.  Old,  was  assiduous  in  his  attentions  to  the 
wretched  man. 

"  Harold  was  dressed  in  a  black  cloth  coat  and  light  pants, 
and  wore  a  white  shirt  without  any  collar ;  he  wore  also  a 
black  slouch  hat,  which  he  retained  on  his  head  until  it  was 
removed  to  make  room  for  the  white  cap.  At  times  he  looked 
wildly  around,  and  his  face  had  a  haggard,  anxious,  inquir 
ing  expression.  When  the  drop  fell,  he  exhibited  more 
tenacity  of  life  than  any  of  the  others,  and  he  endeavored 
several  times  to  draw  himself  up  as  if  for  the  purpose  of 
relieving  himself  from  the  rope  by  which  he  was  suspended. 

uAtzeroth  ascended  the  steps  of  the  scaffold  without 
difficulty,  and  took  his  seat  at  the  south  end  of  the  drop 
without  exhibiting  any  particular  emotion.  He  was  dressed 
in  a  dark  gray  coat  and  pants,  and  black  vest  and  white  linen 
shirt,  without  any  collar ;  on  his  feet  he  wore  a  pair  of 


518  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

woolen  slippers  and  socks.  He  sat  in  such  a  position  that 
he  could  see  the  profiles  of  his  fellow-prisoners,  and  he  had 
his  hands  pinioned  behind  him.  He  wore  no  hat,  had  a 
white  handkerchief  placed  over  his  head^with  a  tuft  of  hair 
protuding  from  it  and  spreading  over  his  *forehead. 

"Directly  behind  him  stood  his  spiritual  adviser,  who 
held  an  umbrella  over  him  to  keep  off  the  burning  rays  of 
the  sun.  During  the  reading  of  the  sentence  by  General 
Hartranft,  he  kept  perfectly  quiet,  but  his  face  wore  an 
expression  of  unutterable  woe,  and  he  listened  attentively. 
He  wore  a  thin  moustache  and  small  goatee,  and  his  face  was 
pale  and  sallow.  Once,  and  once  only,  he  glanced  around 
at  the  assembled  throng,  and  occasionally  muttered  inco 
herent  sentences,  but  he  talked,  while  on  the  scaffold,  to  no 
one  immediately  around  him. 

"Just  before  his  execution,  his  spiritual  adviser,  Mr. 
Butler,  advanced  and  stated  that  Atzeroth  desired  to  return 
his  sincere  thanks  to  General  Hartranft  and  the  other  officials 
for  their  many  acts  of  kindness  extended  toward  him.  He 
then  called  on  God  to  forgive  George  A.  Atzeroth  for  his 
many  sins,  and,  turning  to  Atzeroth,  reminded  him  that 
while  the  wages  of  sin  were  death,  that  whomsoever  placed 
their  hope  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  were  not  forgotten.  He 
hoped  that  God  would  grant  him  a  full  and  free  forgiveness, 
and  ended  by  saying :  '  May  the  Lord  God  have  mercy  on 
you,  and  grant  you  his  peace.' 

"  The  handkerchief  was  then  taken  from  his  head,  and  he 
stood  up,  facing  the  assembled  audience,  directly  alongside 
of  the  instrument  of  his  death.  His  knees  slightly  trembled, 
and  his  legs  were  bent  forward.  He  stood  for  a  few  moments 
the  very  embodiment  of  wretchedness,  and  then  spoke  a  few 
words  in  an  undertone  to  General  Hartranft,  after  which  he 
shook  hands  with  his  spiritual  adviser  and  a  few  others  near 
him  ;  while  he  was  being  secured  with  bands,  tied  around 
his  legs  and  arms,  he  kept  muttering  to  himself,  as  if  engaged 
in  silent  prayer. 

"  Suddenly  he  broke  forth  with  the  words,  '  Gentlemen, 
beware  who  you — '  and  then  stopped,  as  if  with  emotion  ;  as 
the  white  cap  was  being  placed  over  his  head  he  said,  '  Good 
bye,  gentlemen  ;  may  we  all  meet  in  the  other  world.  God 


•*  THE  EXECUTION".  519 

take  me  now.'  He  muttered  something  loud  enough  for 
those  close  by  him  to  hear,  just  as  the  drop  fell,  evidently 
not  anticipating  such  an  event  at  that  moment.  He  died 
without  apparent  pain,  and  his  neck  must  have  been  in 
stantly  broken. 

' '  After  hanging  a  few  seconds,  his  stomach  heaved  con 
siderably,  and  subsequently  his  legs  quivered  a  little.  His 
death  appeared  to  be  the  easiest  of  any  of  the  criminals,  with 
the  exception  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  who  did  not  apparently  suffer 
at  all.  After  hanging  half  an  hour,  Atzeroth's  body  was 
taken  down,  it  being  the  first  one  lowered,  and  an  examina 
tion  made  by  Surgeons  Otis,  Woodward,  and  Porter. 

"  About  half-past  eight  o'clock  this  morning,  Miss  Sur 
ratt,  accompanied  by  a  female  friend,  again  visited  the  White 
House,  having  been  there  last  evening  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  an  interview  with  the  President.  President  John 
son  having  given  orders  that  he  would  receive  no  one  to-day, 
the  door-keeper  stopped  Miss  Svrratt  at  the  foot  of  the  steps 
leading  up  to  the  President's  office,  and  would  not  permit 
her  to  proceed  further.  She  then  asked  permission  to  see 
General  Mussey,  the  President's  Military  Secretary,  who 
promptly  answered  the  summons,  and  came  down  stairs 
where  Miss  Surratt  was  standing. 

"  As  soon  as  the  General  made  his  appearance,  Miss  Sur 
ratt  threw  herself  upon  her  knees  before  him,  catching  him 
by  the  coat,  with  loud  sobs  and  streaming  eyes,  implored 
him  to  assist  her  in  obtaining  a  hearing  with  the  President. 

"General  Mussey,  in  as  tender  a  manner  as  possible, 
informed  Miss  Surratt  that  he  could  not  comply  with  her 
request,  as  President  Johnson' s  orders  were  imperative,  and 
he  would  receive  no  one. 

"Upon  General  Mussey' s  returning  to  his  office,  Miss 
Surratt  threw  herself  upon  the  stair  steps,  where  she  re 
mained  a  considerable  length  of  time,  sobbing  aloud  in  the 
greatest  anguish,  protesting  her  mother's  innocence,  and 
imploring  every  one  who  came  near  her  to  intercede  in  her 
mother's  behalf.  While  thus  weeping,  she  declared  her 
mother  was  too  good  and  kind  to  be  guilty  of  the  enormous 
crime  of  which  she  was  convicted,  and  asserted  that  if  her 
mother  was  put  to  death  she  wished  to  die  also. 


520  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

4 '  The  scene  was  heart-rending,  and  many  of  those  who 
witnessed  it,  including  a  number  of  hardy  soldiers,  were 
moved  to  tears.  Miss  Surratt,  having  become  quiet,  was 
finally  persuaded  to  take  a  seat  in  the  East  Room,  and  here 
she  remained  for  several  hours,  jumping  up  from  her  seat 
each  time  the  front  door  of  the  mansion  was  opened,  evident 
ly  in  hopes  of  seeing  some  one  enter  who  could  be  of  service 
to  her  in  obtaining  the  desired  interview  with  the  President, 
or  that  they  were  the  bearers  of  good  news  to  her. 

"Two  of  Harold's  sisters,  dressed  in  full  mourning  and 
heavily  veiled,  made  their  appearance  at  the  White  House 
shortly  after  Miss  Surratt,  for  the  purpose  of  interceding 
with  the  President  in  behalf  of  their  brother.  Failing  to  see 
the  President,  they  addressed  a  note  to  Mrs.  Johnson,  and 
expressed  a  hope  that  she  would  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  their 
pleadings.  Mrs.  Johnson  being  quite  sick,  it  was  thought 
expedient  by  the  ushers  not  to  deliver  the  note,  when,  as  a 
last  expedient,  the  ladies  asked  permission  to  forward  a  note 
to  Mrs.  Patterson,  the  President's  daughter,  which  privilege 
was  not  granted,  as  Mrs.  Patterson  was  also  quite  indis 
posed. 

"Payne,  during  the  night,  slept  well  for  about  three 
hours,  the  other  portion  of  the  night  being  spent  in  conver 
sation  with  Rev.  Dr.  Gillette,  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
who  offered  his  services  as  soon  as  he  was  informed  of  the 
sentence.  Payne,  without  showing  any  particular  emotion, 
paid  close  attention  to  the  advice  of  Dr.  Gillette.  Up  to  ten 
o'  clock  this  morning,  no  relations  or  friends  had  been  to  see 
Payne. 

u  Atzeroth  was  very  nervous  throughout  the  night,  and 
did  not  sleep,  although  he  made  several  attempts.  His 
brother  was  to  see  him  yesterday  afternoon,  and  again  this 
morning.  His  aged  mother,  who  arrived  during  the  night, 
was  also  present.  The  meeting  of  the  condemned  man  and 
his  mother  was  very  affecting,  and  moved  some  of  the 
officers  of  the  prison,  who  have  become  used  to  trying 
scenes,  to  tears. 

"Rev.  Dr.  Butler,  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  was  sent  for 
last  night,  and  has  been  all  night  ministering  to  Atzeroth. 
Harold  was  visited  yesterday  by  Rev.  Mr.  Olds,  of  Christ 


EXECUTION  OF  THE   ASSASSINS. 


THE  EXECUTION.  521 

Episcopal  Church,  and  five  of  his  sisters,  and  this  morning 
the  minister  and  the  entire  family  of  seven  sisters  were  pres 
ent  with  him.  Harold  slept  very  well  several  hours  during 
the  night. 

"Miss  Surratt  was  with  her  mother  several  hours  last 
night,  as  also  Rev.  Fathers  Wiget  and  Walter,  and  Mr.  Bro- 
phy,  who  were  also  present  this  morning.  She  slept  very 
little,  if  any,  and  required  considerable  attention,  suffering 
with  cramps  and  pains  the  entire  night,  caused  by  her  ner 
vousness.  The  breakfast  was  sent  to  the  prisoners  at  the 
usual  hour  this  morning,  but  none  eat,  excepting  Payne, 
who  ate  heartily. 

"About  three  thousand  troops  were  employed  in  guard 
ing  the  building  and  its  surroundings. 

"The  execution  ground  was  a  large  square  inclosure, 
called  the  Old  Penitentiary  jail  yard,  directly  south  of  the 
Old  Penitentiary  building.  It  comprises  probably  three 
acres  of  ground,  surrounded  by  a  brick  wall,  about  twenty 
feet  in  height. 

"This  wall  is  capped  with  white  stone  and  surmounted 
with  iron  stakes  and  ropes,  to  prevent  the  guard  from  falling 
off  while  patrolling  the  tops  of  the  wall.  The  Sixth  Regi 
ment  Veteran  Volunteers  were  formed  on  the  summit  of  the 
wall  during  the  execution,  and  they  presented  quite  a  pic 
turesque  appearance  in  their  elevated  position. 

"  The  gallows  occupied  a  position  in  the  angle  of  the  in 
closure  formed  by  the  east  wall  and  the  Penitentiary  build 
ing  on  the  north.  The  First  Regiment  Veteran  Volunteers 
were  posted  around  the  gallows,  two  sides  being  formed  by 
the  east  wall  and  the  Penitentiary  building. 

"The  spectators,  about  two  hundred  in  number,  were 
congregated  directly  in  front  of  the  gallows,  the  soldiers 
forming  a  barrier  between  them  and  the  place  of  execution. 
The  criminals  were  led  to  the  scaffold  from  a  small  door 
about  one  hundred  feet  from  the  place  of  execution.  But 
for  a  small  projection  that  runs  south  of  the  Penitentiary 
building,  the  gallows  would  be  in  plain  view  of  the  prison 
ers'  cells,  which  are  all  on  the  first  floor  of  the  building. 

'  *  It  was  a  noticeable  incident  of  the  execution  that  scarce 
ly  any  Government  officials  or  citizens  were  present,  the 


522  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

spectators  being  nearly  all  connected  with  the  trial  in  some 
capacity,  or  else  representatives  of  the  press. 

4 'By  permission  of  the  authorities,  the  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Surratt  passed  the  night  previous  to  the^  execution  with  her 
mother,  in  her  cell.  The  entire  interview  was  of  a  very 
affecting  character.  The  daughter  remained  with  her  mother 
until  a  short  time  before  the  execution,  and  when  the  time 
came  for  separation  the  screams  of  anguish  that  burst  from 
the  poor  girl  could  be  distinctly  heard  all  over  the  execution 
ground. 

4 '  During  the  morning  the  daughter  proceeded  to  the 
Metropolitan  Hotel,  and  sought  an  interview  with  General 
Hancock.  Finding  him,  she  implored  him  in  pitiable  accents 
to  get  a  reprieve  for  her  mother.  The  general,  of  course, 
had  no  power  to  grant  or  obtain  such  a  favor,  and  so  in 
formed  the  distressed  girl,  in  as  gentle  a  manner  as  possible. 

i  i  General  Hancock,  with  the  kindness  that  always  char 
acterizes  his  actions  apart  from  the  stern  duties  of  his  noble 
profession,  did  his  best  to  assuage  the  mental  anguish  of  the 
grief- stricken  girl. 

"The  alleged  important  after-discovered  testimony  which 
Aiken,  counsel  for  Mrs.  Surratt,  stated  would  prove  her 
innocence,  was  submitted  to  Judge  Advocate-General  Holt, 
and,  after  a  careful  examination,  he  failed  to  discover  any 
thing  in  it  having  a  bearing  on  the  case.  This  was  commu 
nicated  to  the  President,  and  doubtless  induced  him  to 
decline  to  interfere  in  the  execution  of  Mrs.  Surratt. 

"The  residence  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  on  H  Street,  north,  near 
Sixth,  remained  closed  after  the  announcement  of  her  fate  had 
become  known. 

"  In  the  evening  but  a  single  dim  light  shone  from  one  of 
the  rooms,  while  within  the  house  all  was  as  quiet  as  death 
up  to  about  eight  o'clock,  at  which  hour  Miss  Annie  E.  Sur 
ratt,  who  had  been  in  constant  attendance  upon  her  mother, 
drove  up  to  the  door  in  a  hack,  accompanied  by  a  gentle 
man. 

"  She  appeared  to  be  perfectly  crushed  with  grief,  and  as 
she  alighted  from  the  carriage  some  ladies  standing  near  were 
moved  to  tears  of  sympathy  with  the  unfortunate  girl  whose 
every  look  and  action  betrayed  her  anguish. 


THE  EXECUTION.  523 

"Miss  Surratt,  after  gaining  admittance  to  the  house, 
fainted  several  times,  causing  great  bustle  and  excitement 
among  the  inmates,  who  were  untiring  in  their  efforts  to  con 
sole  the  almost  heart-broken  young  lady. 

"From  early  in  the  evening  until  a  late  hour  at  night, 
hundreds  of  persons,  old  and  young,  male  and  female,  visited 
the  vicinity  of  Mrs.  Surratt' s  residence,  stopping  upon  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street,  glancing  over  with  anxious  and 
inquiring  eyes  upon  the  house  in  which  the  conspirators 
met,  commenting  upon  the  fate  of  the  doomed  woman,  and 
the  circumstances  connected  therewith. 

"During  the  evening  not  less  than  five  hundred  persons 
visited  the  spot." 


CHAPTER    XXXVl. 

THE  DETECTIVE  POLICE   AND  THE  ARREST   OF  THE  ASSASSINS. 

Personal  Relations  to  President  Lincoln — His  Kindness  and  Confidence — My  Order  to 
Pursue  the  Conspirators — Results — Statements  of  Subordinates  and  Others. 

I  SHALL  now  proceed  to  give  a  brief  official  history  of  my 
connection  with  the  arrest  of  the  assassins  of  the  President. 
For  some  weeks  previous  to  the  assassination  I  had  been  on 
duty  in  New  York,  engaged  in  making  investigations  with 
reference  to  frauds  committed  in  the  recruiting  service.  On 
Saturday  morning,  April  15,  while  in  my  room  at  the  Astor 
House,  having  just  risen  to  dress,  Lieutenant  L.  C.  Baker, 
who  had  come  on  from  Washington  the  evening  previous, 
rushed  into  my  room  and  announced  the  fact  that  President 
Lincoln  had  been  assassinated.  This  announcement  called 
to  my  mind  at  once  the  various  communications  containing 
threats  of  assassination  that  had  for  nearly  two  years  been 
received.  The  last  advices  from  Washington,  received  early 
on  Saturday  morning,  simply  announced  that  the  President 
still  lived,  but  no  hopes  were  entertained  of  his  recovery. 
The  feeling  of  indignation  and  sadness  exhibited  by  my 
whole  force,  then  on  duty  in  New  York,  when  I  announced 
to  them  the  fact,  I  have  never  seen  equaled.  We  had  all 
learned  to  love  the  President  as  a  father.  Amid  all  our 
scenes  of  trial, through  the  prejudice  of  loyal  citizens  and  the 
passion  of  enemies  of  the  Republic,  and  of  detected  crimi 
nals,  we  had  received  the  kindest  treatment  from  Mr.  Lincoln. 
Whenever  he  was  plied  with  charges  against  the  bureau,  he 
vindicated  its  character,  and  affirmed  it  to  be  one  of  the 
necessary  institutions  of  the  civil  war. 

He  never  hastily  accepted  the  opinion  of  the  highest  in 
position,  nor  in  a  single  instance  arraigned  the  national 
police  for  its  action,  however  loud  the  clamor  of  the  victims 
of  its  argus-eyed  vigilance. 


INTENSE  EXCITEMENT  IN  WASHINGTON.  525 

At  twelve  o'clock  on  Saturday,  April  15,  I  received  the 
following  dispatch  from  the  Secretary  of  War  : — 

WASHINGTON,  April  15,  1865. 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER:— 

Come  here  immediately  and  see  if  you  can  find  the  murderer  of  the 
President. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 

No  train  left  New  York  by  which  I  could  reach  Wash 
ington  before  the  following  morning.  On  Sunday  morning, 
April  16,  I  arrived  in  Washington.  My  interview  with  the 
Secretary  of  War  was  a  sad  one.  As  I  entered  the  Secretary' s 
office,  and  he  recognized  me,  he  turned  away  to  hide  his 
tears.  He  remarked — "Well,  Baker,  they  have  now  per 
formed  what  they  have  long  threatened  to  do ;  they  have 
killed  the  President.  You  must  go  to  work.  My  whole 
dependence  is  upon  you." 

I  made  some  inquiries  with  reference  to  what  had  been 
done  toward  the  capture  of  the  assassins,  and  ascertained 
that  no  direct  clue  even  had  been  obtained,  beyond  the 
simple  conceded  fact  that  J.  Wilkes  Booth  was  the  assassin 
of  the  President. 

The  popular  excitement  in  Washington  was  fearfully 
intense.  For  the  time  the  gigantic  crime,  and  the  arrest  of 
the  criminals,  put  into  the  background  of  interest  the  crisis 
of  National  affairs  and  the  ordinary  business  of  life.  Every 
face  which  did  not  bear  the  affected  anxiety  or  indifference 
of  Southern  sympathy,  had  the  gloomy,  mournful  aspect  of 
inexpressible,  bewildering  horror  and  grief. 

The  practical  duties  which  engaged  the  exhausting  labors 
of  my  bureau,  and  the  results  that  followed,  between  the  mur 
der  of  the  President  and  the  capture  of  Booth,  are  narrated 
truthfully  in  the  paper  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War  : — 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  July  7, 186«. 

On  the  morning  of  April  15,  1865,  while  on  duty  in  New  York  City,  under 
orders  from  the  War  Department  to  investigate  certain  frauds  in  connection 
with  the  secret  service,  I  first  heard  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln, 
and  attempts  to  assassinate  the  Secretary  of  State.  On  the  afternoon  of  the 
day  before  referred  to,  I  received  a  telegram  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  direct 
ing  me  to  come  to  Washington  by  first  train,  and  bring  my  detective  employes 
with  me.  Accordingly,  on  Saturday  evening,  April  15th,  as  directed,  I  came 
to  Washington.  On  Sunday  morning,  the  16th,  I  called  on  the  Secretary  of 


526  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

War,  to  learn  the  particulars  of  the  assassination,  and  what  measures  had 
been  adopted  to  secure  the  capture  of  the  assassins.  I  could  learn  but  little 
beyond  the  simple  fact  that  J.  Wilkes  Booth  was  the  supposed  assassin,  and 
that  Harrold  was  his  accomplice.  I  asked  if  any  photographs  of  the  supposed 
assassins,  or  descriptions  of  their  persons,  had  been  secured  or  published.  To 
my  surprise  I  learned  that  nothing  of  the  kind  haft  been  done ;  during  the 
afternoon  of  Sunday  rumors  were  freely  circulated  throughout  the  city  con 
necting  the  name  of  John  Surratt  and  others  with  the  assassination.  I  imme 
diately  secured  pictures  of  those  mentioned  above,  and  on  Monday  the  17th 
had  them  copied,  with  a  full  and  accurate  description  of  each  assassin  printed 
in  a  circular,  in  which  I  offered  a  reward  of  Ten  Thousand  Dollars*  These, 
with  their  photographs  and  descriptions,  I  dispatched  to  a  number  of  detec 
tive  agents  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  I  also  mailed  large  numbers  to  differ 
ent  localities.  These  photographs  and  descriptions  were  the  first  ever  pub 
lished  or  circulated.  At  this  time  it  was  almost  impossible  to  obtain  any 
information  of  a  reliable  character;  the  unparalleled  atrocity  of  this  terrible 
event,  and  the  fact  that  the  assassins  had  for  the  time  being  escaped,  had 
seemingly  paralyzed  the  entire  community.  The  local  detective  force  of  New 
York.  Philadelphia,  Boston,  Baltimore,  and  other  cities,  had  arrived,  and, 
with  the  entire  military  force  of  this  department,  had  reported  to  General 
Augur,  whose  headquarters  were  in  Washington.  On  Monday,  April  18th,  or 
Tuesday  following,  I  dispatched  six  men  of  my  force  into  Lower  Maryland. 
After  being  absent  four  or  five  days,  they  returned,  unsuccessful,  toward  the 
smd  of  the  week  succeeding  the  assassination. 

No  reliable  information  having  been  obtained,  so  far  as  I  knew,  concern 
ing  the  whereabouts  of  the  assassins,  and  having  become  thoroughly  convinced 
that  Booth  and  Harrold  had  passed  into  Lower  Maryland  via  Anacosta  or  Navy 
Yard  Bridge,  within  an  hour  after  the  assassination,  and  being  aware  that 
nearly  every  rod  of  ground  in  Lower  Maryland  must  have  been  repeatedly 
passed  over  by  the  great  number  of  persons  engaged  in  the  search,  I  finally 
decided,  in  my  own  mind,  that  Booth  and  Harrold  must  have  crossed  the  river 
into  Virginia.  After  crossing  they  could  not  go  toward  Richmond  or  down 
the  Potomac,  as  the  Federal  troops  were  then  in  possession  of  that  entire  sec 
tion  of  country ;  the  only  possible  way  left  open  for  escape  was  to  take  a 
south-western  course,  in  order  to  reach  the  mountains  of  Tennessee  or  Ken 
tucky,  where  such  aid  could  be  secured  as  would  insure  their  ultimate  escape 
from  the  country.  On  examining  the  map, I  ascertained  where  the  principal 
crossings  of  the  Rappahannock  were  located.  On  Sunday  morning,  April 
23d,  I  asked  Major  Eckert  to  furnish  me  with  a  competent  telegraph  operator, 
and  necessary  apparatus,  with  the  intention  of  opening  an  office  at  Port 
Tobacco.  This  request  was  complied  with,  as  indicated  by  the  note  ap 
pended  : — 

OFFICE  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  TELEGRAPH,        ) 
WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  April  28,  1865.  ( 

COLONEL  BAKER: — 

This  will  introduce  to  you  Mr.  Beckwith,  a  cipher  operator,  of  great  scout 
ing  experience,  who  may  be  of  great  service  to  you,  in  addition  to  his  tele 
graphing. 


AN  INTELLIGENT  "CONTRABAND."  527 

I  also  send  with  him  Mr.  Cheney,  a  repair  man,  to  make  speedy  connec 
tions  wherever  it  may  be  found  necessary.  Please  furnish  him  a  side-arm. 

Yours  truly, 

THOS.  F.  ECKERT. 

Mr.  Beckwith  was  sent  to  me  on  Sunday  afternoon.  This  operator,  with 
two  of  my  detective  agents,  Hubhard  and  Woodall,  left  Washington  on  Sun 
day  afternoon  or  evening,  on  board  the  steamer  Keyport.  They  did  not  reach 
the  landing  at  Port  Tobacco  until  nearly  morning  on  Monday.  There  was 
brought  to  my  headquarters  a  colored  man,  who  I  was  informed  had  import 
ant  information  respecting  the  assassins.  On  questioning  the  colored  man,  I 
found  he  had  seen  two  men,  answering  the  description  of  Booth  and  Harrold, 
entering  a  small  boat  in  the  vicinity  of  Swan's  Point.  After  a  series  of  ques 
tions  propounded  and  answered  by  this  colored  man,  giving  a  description  of 
the  assassins,  I  was  surprised  to  learn  from  him  that  he  had  three  days  pre 
viously  communicated  precisely  the  same  information  to  some  soldier^men  (as 
he  expressed  it)  then  engaged  in  searching  for  the  assassins,  but  that  the 
soldier-men  called  him  a  damned  black,  lying  nigger,  and  did  not  believe  his 
story.  This  information,  with  my  preconceived  theory  as  to  the  movements 
of  the  assassins,  decided  my  course.  I  wrote  a  note  to  Major-General  Han 
cock,  then  in  command  of  this  Department,  requesting  him  to  send  me  a 
detachment  of  twenty-five  cavalry,  under  charge  of  a  competent,  discreet,  and 
reliable  officer,  to  report  at  my  headquarters  for  duty  as  soon  as  possible.  I 
then  called  Lieutenant-Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant  L.  B.  Baker,  formerly 
of  my  regiment  (the  First  District  Cavalry),  and  informed  them  that  I  had 
information  concerning  Booth  and  Harrold,  and  spreading  a  map  of  Virginia 
on  my  table,  with  a  pencil  I  marked  out  the  point  where  I  supposed  the  assas 
sins  crossed,  and  their  course  after  crossing  the  ferry  at  Port  Con  way.  I  then 
remarked,  "I  will  give  you  the  cavalry,  and  don't  come  back  without  them,  for 
they  are  certainly  in  that  vicinity."  About  one  o'clock,  or  soon  after  (the  pre 
cise  time  I  cannot  now  recollect),  a  squad  of  cavalry  rode  up  in  front  of  my 
headquarters ;  the  officer  in  command  dismounted,  and  entered  the  office  and 
inquired,  "Is  this  Colonel  Baker's  headquarters?"  Some  one  standing  by  said 
"Yes."  I  then  said,  "I  am  Colonel  Baker."  The  officer  said,  "I  am  ordered 
to  report  to  you."  I  asked  the  officer  his  name.  He  replied,  "Lieutenant 
Dougherty."  I  asked,  "What  cavalry  have  you  got?"  He  replied,  "A  de 
tachment  from  the  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry."  I  called  Lieutenant 
Dougherty  to  where  Conger  and  Baker  were  standing,  and  said,  "  Lieutenant, 
you  will  act  under  the  orders  and  direction  of  these  two  men,"  referring  to 
Conger  and  Baker.  "You  are  going  after  Booth,  and  have  got  the  only 
reliable  information  concerning  his  whereabouts."  Some  further  conversa 
tion  occurred  respecting  the  cavalry,  rations,  forage,  transportation,  &c.  As 
I  intended  and  did  place  the  control  and  management  of  the  expedition  solely 
and  exclusively  under  my  own  men,  I  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  give  Lieu 
tenant  Dougherty  any  instructions  whatever,  and  only  called  to  my  assistance 
the  military  to  protect  my  men  in  the  execution  of  my  orders  and  instruc 
tions.  This  had  usually  been  the  practice  in  my  bureau  for  two  or  three 


528  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

years  previously.  The  unsettled  condition  of  affairs  in  the  section  of  Virginia 
to  be  visited  by  the  expedition  made  it  necessary  that  a  military  force  should 
accompany  it,  otherwise  my  plans  for  the  capture  of  the  assassins  could  and 
would  have  been  much  more  promptly  and  satisfactorily  carried  out  and  con 
summated  by  my  detectives — for  Booth  would  have  been  brought  to  Washing 
ton  alive. 

The  expedition  left  Washington  on  the  afternoon  of  Monday,  April  24. 
The  facts  of  the  capture,  killing  of  Booth,  &c.,  having  been  detailed  by  those 
directly  connected  with  and  actual  participators  in  the  same,  I  shall  conclude 
my  statement  by  briefly  referring  to  what  occurred  after  the  capture.  On 
Wednesday,  April  26,  about  5  o'clock  p.  M.,  Colonel  Conger  arrived  at  my 
headquarters  with  the  first  information  respecting  the  result  of  the  capture 
of  the  assassins.  I  immediately  took  him  to  the  house  of  the  Secretary  of 
War,  when  he  detailed  briefly  the  facts  of  the  pursuit,  capture,  and  killing  of 
Booth,  &c.,  at  the  same  time  handing  to  the  Secretary  of  War  the  effects,  or 
articles,  taken  from  the  dead  body  of  Booth.  By  direction  of  the  Secretary 
of  War,  with  Colonel  Conger,  I  went  immediately  to  Alexandria,  to  intercept 
and  take  charge  of  the  prisoner  Harrold,  and  the  dead  body  of  Booth,  which 
since  the  capture  had  been  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Baker.  About  12  o'clock, 
the  steamer  Ide,  with  the  assassins,  arrived  at  Alexandria.  I  went  on  board, 
and  took  charge  of  the  management  and  disposition  of  the  prisoner  Harrold 
and  body  of  Booth.  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  with  few  exceptions,  that  as 
soon  as  it  was  publicly  known  that  the  assassins  were  captured,  those  that 
had  been  the  most  persistent  in  forcing  their  claims  before  the  committee 
appointed  to  investigate  the  matter,  entirely  ceased  and  abandoned  all  efforts  to 
procure,  or  even  assist  in  procuring,  the  requisite  proofs  to  convict  the  assas 
sins.  I  desire  to  state  positively  that  the  information  that  prompted  me  to 
send  the  expedition  to  Port  Conway  was  not,  in  any  way,  shape,  or  manner, 
derived  from  the  War  Department,  or  from  any  information  or  intimation 
furnished  by  any  one  connected  with  the  search  for  the  assassins.  I  neither 
saw  nor  knew  the  contents  of  any  telegrams,  letter,  or  memorandums,  refer 
ring  in  the  slightest  manner  to  the  fact  that  the  murderers  had  crossed  the 
Potomac  River.  I  desire  further  to  state  that  the  information  before  referred 
to  in  this  statement,  and  my  belief  and  preconceived  theory  as  to  the  intended 
movement  of  the  assassins,  was  the  sole  and  only  incentive  that  prompted  the 
sending  out  of  the  expedition  which  resulted  so  successfully.  My  honest  con 
viction  is,  and  it  is  the  opinion  repeatedly  expressed  by  those  in  authority, 
that,  had  not  this  expedition  reached  the  Garrett  Farm  as  they  did,  on  Wednes 
day  morning,  before  daylight,  Booth  and  Harrold  would  have  escaped  entirely. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Late  Brig.-Gen.,  and  Pro.-Mar.  War  Department. 

It  is  well  known  among  the  authorities  at  Washington, 
that  the  preliminary  steps  and  investigations,  with  reference 
to  the  assassination,  had  already  been  taken,  before  my 


OFFICIAL  INSOLENCE— FLETCHER.  529 

arrival  there,  at  General  Augur's  headquarters.  A  commis 
sion,  consisting  of  Colonel  Wells,  Colonel  Foster,  and  Colonel 
Alcott,  was  then  in  session,  and  all  information,  from  what 
ever  sources  derived,  was  laid  before  this  commission.  The 
enormity  of  the  crime  committed  by  the  assassins,  and  the 
anxiety  of  the  public  for  their  arrest,  had  divested  my  mind 
entirely  of  any  thing  like  rivalry  in  the  investigations  going 
on.  I  was  willing,  and  indeed  anxious,  to  work  and  co 
operate  with  any  officer  or  officers  in  the  prosecution  of  this 
investigation.  I  was  even  willing  to  place  myself  under  the 
advice,  counsel,  and  direction  of  any  officer,  whether  mili 
tary  or  civil.  Accordingly,  I  repaired  to  General  Augur's 
headquarters,  and  asked  some  questions  with  regard  to  the 
information  already  obtained.  I  was  informed  that  neither 
my  services  nor  the  services  of  my  force  were  required  ;  that 
a  positive  clue  had  been  obtained  as  to  who  the  assassins 
were,  and  their  whereabouts.  After  making  some  further 
inquiries,  to  all  of  which  I  received  either  evasive  or  insult 
ing  replies,  I  determined  to  set  on  foot  an  investigation  under 
my  own  direction.  With  this  view,  I  immediately  obtained 
photographs  of  the  supposed  assassins,  and  ha.d  a  large  num 
ber  of  them  copied,  which  I  sent  in  all  directions.  I  believe 
the  first  clue  obtained  as  to  the  assassins  was  derived  from  a 
man  named  Fletcher,  employed  in  the  livery  stable  of  Mr. 
Naylor,  in  Washington.  Harrold  had,  on  the  afternoon  pre 
vious  to  the  evening  of  the  assassination,  hired  a  horse  at 
Mr.  Naylor's  stable.  Mr.  Naylor,  fearing  that  Harrold 
would  run  away  with  the  horse,  had  sent  Fletcher  to  watch 
him.  The  evidence  of  Fletcher,  given  before  the  commission 
on  the  trial  of  the  assassins,  shows  that  he  went  to  the  Navy 
Yard  bridge.  The  bridge  being  guarded  by  a  military  force, 
and  having  no  pass,  he  could  not  cross  ;  but  he  learned  that 
two  suspicious  characters  had  just  crossed  on  horseback. 
He  returned  to  General  Augur's  headquarters  about  one 
o'clock  on  Saturday  morning,  and  reported  the  fact.  Here 
begins  the  first  series  of  blunders  in  this  attempted  search 
for  the  assassins.  Fletcher's  statement  was  entirely  disre 
garded.  JS"o  steps  were  taken  by  those  in  possession  of  this 
information  to  follow  urj  the  clue  thus  given  until  sixteen 
hours  afterward.  This  delay  enabled  the  assassins  to  get 

3- 


530  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  those  sent  in  pursuit.     On  Sun 
day,  at  ten  o'clock,  I  received  the  following  information  : — 

BALTIMORE,  April  16, 1865. 

The  following  information  has  just  been  receded  from  Polk  Gardner,  a 
lad  who  left  Upper  Marlbbrough,  Prince  George  County,  on  Friday  night,  to 
come  here  to  see  his  father,  who  is  dying.  On  the  road,  about  four  miles 
from  Washington,  he  met  a  man  on  a  roan  horse,  who  inquired  the  way  to 
Upper  Marlborough,  and  whether  he  had  seen  a  man  riding  rapidly  in  that 
direction.  About  two  miles  from  Washington  he  met  another  man,  on  a  bay 
horse,  who  also  inquired  the  road  to  Upper  Marlborough,  and  asked  him  if  he 
had  seen  a  man  riding  in  that  direction.  The  last  named  then  rode  on  rapidly; 
This  occurred  at  eleven  o'clock,  or  a  little  later. 

The  steamer  Commerce  left  here  yesterday  morning  at  six  o'clock,  without 
passengers,  but  with  a  guard  and  shrewd  officer,  with  orders  to  make  her 
usual  trip  and  take  in  all  passengers  that  presented  themselves,  and  then 
secure  them  and  bring  them  all  here.  As  she  goes  to  Upper  Marlborough, 
stopping  at  Benedict  and  other  places,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the  guilty  parties 
may  be  caught. 

I  immediately  sent  for  Polk  Gardner,  and  had  his  state 
ment  taken.  The  description  given  of  the  horses — to  wit, 
one  bay  and  one  roan — corresponded  exactly  with  the  de 
scription  furnished  by  Fletcher  of  the  horses  hired  from 
Naylor's  stable.  This,  with  Fletcher's  statement,  furnished 
to  my  mind  conclusive  evidence  that  the  assassins  had  gone 
in  the  direction  of  Lower  Maryland. 

It  is  proper  to  state,  in  this  connection,  that  a  large  mili 
tary  force,  consisting  of  a  whole  brigade  of  infantry  and 
over  one  thousand  cavalry,  together  with  over  two  hundred 
detectives  and  citizens,  had  gone  into  Lower  Maryland.  My 
force  being  small  at  the  time,  many  of  them  being  engaged  in 
the  Western  States  in  pursuit  of  criminals,  I  sent  a  small 
detachment  of  detectives  with  photographs  and  circulars  into 
Lower  Maryland.  They  were  absent  four  or  five  days,  and 
returned  with  no  clue  to  the  assassins.  The  community  were 
becoming  impatient  at  the  delay  in  the  capture  of  the  assas 
sins,  and  beginning  to  fear  that  they  would  finally  escape. 
On  Sunday  morning,  the  23d  of  April,  I  sent  the  following 
note  to  Major-General  Hancock : — 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON  CITY,  April  24, 1865. 

Major-General  HANCOCK,  United  States  Arrn^: — 

GENERAL — I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  apply  to  you  for  a 


THE  PURSUIT  BEGUN.  531 

small  cavalry  force  of  twenty-five  (25)  men,  well  mounted,  to  be  commanded 
by  a  reliable  and  discreet  commissioned  officer. 

Can  you  furnish  them  ?  and  if  so,  will  you  please  direct  the  officer  com 
manding  the  squad  to  report  to  me  with  the  men  at  No.  217  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  opposite  Willard's  Hotel,  at  once  ? 

I  am,  Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 
Official : 

D  UNO  AN  S.  WALKER,  A.  A.  General. 

In  response  to  this  communication,  the  cavalry  arrived  at 
my  headquarters.  I  immediately  called  into  my  private 
office  two  of  my  detective  officers — Colonel  Conger  and  Lieu 
tenant  Baker — and  informed  them  that  I  had  information  that 
Booth  and  Harrold  had  crossed  the  Potomac,  at  the  same 
time  pointing  out  with  a  pencil  the  place  on  a  map  where 
they  had  crossed,  and  where  I  believed  they  would  be 
found.  Lieutenant  Dougherty,  of  the  Sixteenth  New  York 
Cavalry,  who  commanded  this  squad,  was  introduced  to 
Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant  Baker,  with  the  following 
remark : — "  You  are  going  in  pursuit  of  the  assassins.  You 
have  the  latest  reliable  information  concerning  them.  You 
will  act  under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Conger." 

I  then  dispatched  a  messenger  to  the  quartermaster  at 
Sixth  Street  wharf,  with  a  request  to  furnish  a  boat  as  soon 
as  possible,  to  take  a  squad  of  cavalry  down  the  Potomac. 
The  messenger  returned,  bringing  the  following  communica 
tion  from  Captain  Allen,  the  quartermaster : — 

ASSISTANT  QUARTERMASTER'S  OFFICE, 

RIYER  TRANSPORTATION,  SIXTH  STREET  WHARF, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  April  22,  1865. 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  Agent  War  Department: — 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  I  will  have  a  boat  ready  for  you 
at  four  P.  M.  this  day. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  S.  ALLEN, 
Captain  and  Assistant  Quartermaster. 

The  expedition  left  Washington  on  board  the  steamer 
Ide,  about  four  o'clock.  The  facts  and  incidents  connected 
with  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  the  assassins,  from  this  time 
until  the  body  of  Booth  was  returned  to  Washington,  and 


532  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

placed  in  my  possession,  I  will  leave  to  be  detailed  by 
Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant  Baker : — 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  December  24, 1865. 

To  the  Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War:— 

SIR — Under  General  Order  No.  164,  in  reference  to  the  rewards  offered  by 
the  Secretary  of  War  for  the  apprehension  of  Booth  and  Harrold,  the  assassins 
of  the  late  President,  E.  J.  Conger,  late  a  lieutenant-colonel,  and  L.  B.  Baker, 
late  a  lieutenant,  beg  to  submit  the  following  narrative  of  the  events  of  that 
service : — 

They  were  important  actors  in  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  those  parties, 
and  themselves  did,  and  saw  others  do,  every  thing  that  went  to  make  up 
that  enterprise,  from  its  inception  in  the  brain  of  its  projector  and  master 
spirit,  until  the  bodies  of  the  two  fugitives,  living  and  dead,  were  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  the  Department  of  War  ;  and  it  is  that  this  narrative  may, 
in  some  degree,  help  to  the  proper  appreciation  of  the  services  of  the  parties 
to  whose  hands  the  chief  of  the  Detective  Bureau  committed  the  execution 
of  his  plans. 

General  Baker,  under  the  orders  of  the  Department,  reported  at  Washing 
ton  for  duty  Sunday  morning,  April  16th.  He  was  accompanied  by  Lieuten 
ant  Baker,  and  joined  by  Colonel  Conger  the  Monday  following.  Both  of 
these  gentlemen,  then  private  citizens,  were  taken  into  service  by  General 
Baker,  and  assigned,  under  his  immediate  orders,  to  the  special  duty  of  the 
subject  of  this  statement. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  General  Baker,  he  found  the  entire  field  occupied  by  a 
numerous  corps  of  detectives,  whom  the  importance  of  the  service  and  the 
calls  of  the  Government  had  assembled  from  various  points,  and  in  whose 
hands  seemed  to  be  all  the  various  sources  of  information,  and  the  clues  to  all 
that  was  known  or  suspected,  then  at  command. 

He  found,  upon  approaching  these  parties,  that  they  were  unwilling  to 
impart  to  him  their  information,  receive  him  into  confidence,  and  share  with 
him  their  counsels;  and  with  such  slender  information  as  was  then  in  the 
personal  possession  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  chief  of  the  Military  Bureau 
was  obliged  to  take  the  case  up  from  the  beginning:  and  after  the  field  had 
been  gone  over  and  gleaned  by  other  hands  and  the  footprints  of  the  assassins 
effaced  or  lost. 

It  was  an  accepted  fact  that  Booth  was  the  immediate  assassin  of  the 
President,  and  that  Harrold  was  his  accomplice,  and  shared  his  flight  or  place 
of  concealment. 

A  careful  analysis  of  all  that  could  be  ascertained  satisfied  General  Baker 
that  these  parties  had  fled,  and  would  probably  attempt  to  escape  across  the 
Lower  Potomac;  and  his  first  efforts  were  directed  to  securing  the  accurate 
likenesses  of  Booth  and  Harrold,  as  well  as  of  others,  and  a  full  and  minute 
description  of  their  persons.  These  likenesses  were  taken,  and  printed — the 
first  and  only  ones  issued  of  these  parties — he  caused  to  be  extensively  circu 
lated  in  every  direction  likely  to  be  taken  by  the  fugitives  ;  in  particular, 


GENERAL  BAKER  AT  WORK.  533 

Lieutenant  Baker  was  detailed,  with  five  or  six  active  and  reliable  men,  to 
traverse  Lower  Maryland  and  distribute  them.  He  was  also  to  examine  and 
note  every  possible  indication  of  the  presence  of  the  parties,  or  other  suspect 
ed  persons,  from  which  labor  he  returned  the  Saturday  following,  having 
explored  the  whole  region  unsuccessfully,  while  the  chief  remained  at  head 
quarters,  with  Colonel  Conger  and  other  assistants,  constantly,  anxiously,  and 
exhaustively  collating  and  exploring  every  outside  rumor,  theory,  and  source 
of  information  that  sleepless  labor,  vigilance,  and  experienced  sagacity  could 
compass. 

It  is  out  of  place  here,  perhaps,  to  refer  to  the  weight  of  indignant  and 
impotent  grief  that  was  added  to  a  nation's  sorrow  for  its  loss,  as  the  convic 
tion  settled  upon  the  hearts  of  men  that  the  murderers  had  escaped — that 
the  resources  and  ingenuity  of  the  police  of  the  nation,  aroused  by  a  huge 
crime,  and  made  active  by  the  temptation  of  a  great  money  re \vard,  were 
baffled. 

While  this  feeling  was  hardening  into  certainty,  the  energy  and  determin 
ation  of  the  chief  of  the  military  detectives  were  preparing  more  effective 
efforts. 

On  Monday,  the  24th,  General  Baker,  steady  in  the  opinion  he  had  formed, 
sent  one  of  his  men,  Theodore  Woodall,  with  a  telegraph  operator,  into 
Lower  Maryland  with  his  instruments,  to  be  attached  to  the  wire  at  given 
points,  and  thus  enable  him  to  communicate,  without  loss  of  time,  with  that 

region.     Woodall,  while  on  this  duty,  fell  in  with ,  an  old  negro, 

whose  statement  so  impressed  him,  that,  instead  of  sending  it  by  telegraph  to 
Washington,  he  took  and  delivered  him  bodily  to  his  superior. 

The  examination  of  the  colored  man  satisfied  General  Baker  that  he  had 
at  last  struck  the  trail  of  the  fleeing  murderers.  That  they  had  crossed  the 
Potomac,  near  Matthews  Point,  on  Saturday  night,  the  22d  of  April,  and  that 
Booth  was  lame. 

A  hasty  interview  with  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  Colonel  Conger  was 
sent  with  a  note  from  General  Baker  to  General  Hancock  for  a  commissioned 
officer  and  twenty-five  cavalry,  to  report  immediately  to  General  Baker,  for 
duty  under  his  command,  while  Lieutenant  Baker  made  the  necessary  arrange 
ments  with  the  Quartermaster's  Department  for  transportation  down  the 
Potomac.  Upon  their  return  from  these  duties,  General  Baker  fully  ex 
plained  to  them  the  information  on  which  he  was  acting,  and,  with  the  aid 
of  a  map,  pointed  out  with  care  the  place  of  Booth  and  Harrold's  crossing  and 
their  probable  course  and  plans,  and  told  them  he  was  about  to  send  them  in 
pursuit;  that  they  were  to  have  full  charge  of  the  expedition,  and  that  the 
cavalry  force  would  go,  subject  to  their  orders;  that  the  expedition  was  to 
start  the  moment  it  could  be  got  ready.  It  was  to  go  down  to  Belle  Plains, 
and,  if  there  was  no  dock  for  landing  at  that  point,  to  go  to  Aquia  Creek, 
and  if  the  dock  had  been  destroyed  there,  that  the  horses  must  be  made  to 
take  the  water,  for  in  no  event  must  they  go  below ;  once  on  land,  they  must 
act  on  their  own  judgment  and  discretion  ;  that  they  must,  if  possible,  dis 
cover  the  trail  of  Booth  and  Harrold,  and,  once  upon  it,  must  push  forward  to 
their  capture  over  all  obstacles ;  that  the  cavalry  would  go  with  nothing  but 


534  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

their  arms,  and  men  and  horses  must  not  be  spared ;  that  he  knew  Conger 
and  Lieutenant  Baker,  and  had  entire  confidence  in  their  judgment,  sagacity, 
and  courage,  and  committed  the  enterprise  fully  to  them. 

About  two  P.  M.  of  the  24th,  Lieutenant  Dougherty  of  the  Sixteenth  New 
York  Cavalry,  reported  to  General  Baker  for  orders,  and  was  by  him  intro 
duced  to  Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant  Baker;  General  Baker  told  him  that 
he  was  to  be  sent  with  him  in  pursuit  of  Booth  and  Harrold ;  that  they  had 
full  information  and  instructions  as  to  the  service,  and  would  have  the  direc 
tion  of  it,  and  he  must  render  them  all  the  assistance  in  his  power.  No  other 
or  further  orders  were  given  by  General  Baker  to  Lieutenant  Dougherty,  nor 
were  explanations  made  to  him  about  the  service  by  General  Baker,  nor  by 
Colonel  Conger  nor  Lieutenant  Baker. 

The  party  left  Washington  about  sundown  on  the  evening  of  the  24th,  on 
steamer  Ide ;  arrived  at  Belle  Plains  about  ten  in  the  evening  and  landed. 
Colonel  Conger,  while  in  service,  having  been  the  senior  of  Lieutenant  Baker 
in  the  same  cavalry  regiment,  and  of  large  experience,  by  tacit  consent  as 
between  them,  took  the  main  direction  of  affairs  when  present.  In  his 
absence.  Lieutenant  Baker  was  the  acknowledged  director  of  the  expedition. 

Colonel  Conger  refused  to  have  an  advanced  guard,  but  himself  and  Lieu 
tenant  Baker  took  the  lead.  At  the  divergence  of  the  roads,  a  mile  and  a-  half 
from  the  river,  the  party  took  that  which  led  to  the  Rappahannock.  Conger 
went  to  almost  every  house  they  passed  during  the  night.  He  called  himself 
Boyd,  a  brother  of  the  Maryland  Boyd,  who  had  been  killed.  Said  his  party 
were  rebels,  trying  to  avoid  the  Union  soldiers  and  escape  into  the  interior. 
That  they  had  been  scattered,  and  he  had  lost  some  of  his  companions,  one 
of  whom  was  lame,  and  they  were  anxious  to  learn  of  his  whereabouts,  &c. 
He  inquired  who  had  crossed  the  Rappahannock,  and  where;  and  the  location 
of  all  the  crossings,  whether  by  ferry  or  ford ;  also  about  all  the  doctors,  as 
they  supposed  Booth  would  seek  the  aid  of  some  of  them.  Nothing  was 
learned  during  the  night.  Daylight  disclosed  the  character  of  the  party,  and 
changed  the  tactics  of  the  leaders. 

The  party  arrived,  without  incident  or  information  bearing  on  the  service, 
at  Point  Conway  on  the  Rappahannock,  opposite  Port  Royal,  about  twelve 
o'clock,  when  they  halted  for  thirty  minutes. 

"While  resting  here,  Lieutenant  Baker  went  to  the  ferry,  near  which  he 
fell  in  with  a  man  who  gave  his  name  as  Rollins.  A  conversation  ensued, 
in  which  Lieutenant  Baker  showed  him  the  likeness  of  Booth,  which  Rollins 
recognized  as  one  of  the  party  who  crossed  the  day  before,  except  that  that 
man  had  no  moustache.  He  also  recognized  the  likeness  of  Harrold.  Colonel 
Conger  was  sent  for,  and  took  Rollins's  statement,  now  on  file  in  the  Judge- 
Advocate-General's  office.  The  substance  was,  that  Booth  and  Ilarrold  arrived 
there  the  day  before,  late  in  the  afternoon,  in  an  old  wagon  driven  by  a  negro, 
and  wanted  to  go  on.  Booth  was  lame,  and  would  give  him,  Rollins,  ten 
dollars  in  gold  to  take  them  on  to  Bowling  Green,  fifeeen  miles  toward 
Orange  Court  House.  Meantime  three  rebels  came  up  on  horseback,  Bain- 
bridge,  Ruggles,  and  Jett,  who  had  a  conversation  with  Booth  and  Ilarrold,  and 
agreed  to  help  them  on,  and  did  so.  As  some  of  that  party  resided  at  Bowl- 


HALF-WAY  HOUSE— BOWLING   GREEN.  535 

ing  Green,  it  was  supposed  that  Booth  and  Harrold  would  be  taken  there  by 
them.  Rollins  was  willing  to  go  as  a  guide  for  Conger  and  Baker,  and  was 
put  under  arrest  to  save  appearances. 

The  expedition  was  ferried  over  the  river  with  as  little  delay  as  possible, 
and  pickets  posted  to  prevent  any  parties  leaving  Port  Royal  till  the  party 
was  again  in  motion.  After  passing  the  river  a  short  distance,  two  men  were 
discovered  on  horseback,  as  if  observing  the  party,  to  whom  Conger  and 
Baker  gave  chase.  After  pursuing  them  about  two  miles,  they  plunged  into 
the  woods  and  disappeared. 

The  command  reached  the  "  Half-way  House,1'  so-called,  a  solitary  build 
ing,  about  nine  in  the  evening.  The  occupants,  four  or  five  young  women, 
raised  and  kept  up  such  a  clamor,  that  Conger's  and  Baker's  inquiries  were  a 
"pursuit  of  knowledge  under  difficulties,"  until  one  of  them  said  that  they 
were  looking  for  a  party  that  had  committed  an  outrage  on  a  girl,  which  led 
to  their  being  told  that  a  party  of  five  men,  describing  them,  with  three 
horses,  had  called  there  the  day  before  and  taken  drinks,  and  that  they  all 
came  back  but  one.  The  supposition  was  that  Booth,  the  principal,  had  been 
left  at  Bowling  Green.  Once  more  in  the  saddle,  horses  exhausted,  and  men 
weary,  hungry,  and  sleepy,  the  command  pushed  forward,  and  reached  Bowlin-g 
Green  between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock. 

The  one  hotel,  where  Booth  might  be,  a  large,  rambling,  utterly  silent  and 
dark  building,  was  surrounded  by  the  dismounted  cavalry,  and  a  vain  effort 
made  to  arouse  the  inmates,  if  occupants  it  had. 

A  negro  finally  conducted  Colonel  Conger  to  a  shanty  in  the  rear,  where 
another  negro  told  him  that  a  woman  and  her  daughter  occupied  the  tavern, 
and  that  Jett  was  there  also. 

Colonel  Conger  entered  the  house  and  found  his  way  to  Jett's  room  and 
arrested  him,  when  he  was  joined  by  Baker  and  Lieutenant  Dougherty.  Jett. 
was  alarmed,  wanted  to  see  the  commander  of  the  party,  and  was  referred  to 
Colonel  Conger.  Baker  and  Lieutenant  Dougherty  withdrew,  when  Jett  said 
he  knew  what  Colonel  Conger  wanted ;  he  wanted  Booth  and  Harrold,  and 
he,  Jett,  could  take  him  and  show  him  where  they  were. 

He  wanted  assurances  of  personal  safety,  and  Colonel  Conger  gave  them. 
Jett  dressed,  and  on  joining  Lieutenant  Baker,  he  told  them,  Conger  and 
Baker,  that  Booth  and  Harrold  were  about  three  miles  from  Port  Royal,  at 
Garrett's.  And  on  being  told  that  the  party  had  just  passed  along  there,  he 
was  disconcerted,  for  he  had  supposed  that  they  came  from  Richmond,  and 
found  that  their  coming  from  Port  Royal  had  frightened  Booth  and  Harrold 
away,  as  it  had. 

Upon  remounting  the  party,  it  was  found  that  one  or  two  of  the  men  had 
straggled,  and  two  or  three  others  were  left  to  look  them  up.  The  object  of 
the  return  was  not  made  known  to  Lieutenant  Dougherty  until  near  Garrett's 
house. 

The  party  reached  the  lane  that  led  from  the  road  to  Garrett's  house 
about  two  A.  M.,  of  the  20th.  During  the  time  that  Conger  and  Baker  were 
exploring  the  way  to  the  house,  the  men  had  dismounted,  thrown  themselves 
on  the  ground,  and  gone  to  sleep ;  and  it  was  with  much  exertion  that  they 


536  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

were  aroused  and  got  in  motion  again.  The  house  was  surrounded,  and,  in 
response  to  the  summons  of  Lieutenant  Baker,  the  elder  Garrett  appeared, 
struck  a  light,  and  said,  in  reply  to  Baker's  inquiry,  that  the  two  men  had 
gone  off  into  the  woods.  At  the  approach  of  Colonel  Conger,  a  son  of  Gar- 
rett's  came  up  and  said  the  men  were  in  the  barn,«and  offered  to  show  them 
where  they  were.  The  party  proceeded  to  the  barn,  Lieutenant  Baker  with 
a  lighted  candle,  and  having  the  young  Garrett  in  custody. 

The  barn,  with  the  buildings  near  it,  were  as  promptly  and  effectually 
surrounded  as  the  condition  and  discipline  of  the  command  would  per 
mit. 

The  barn,  as  it  was  called,  was  in  fact  an  old  tobacco-house,  perhaps  sixty 
feet  square,  weather-boarded,  with  large  doors  in  the  middle  of  the  front  side, 
and  in  one  of  which  was  a  smaller  door ;  a  barn,  a  shed,  with  other  buildings, 
were  near  this  building.  Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant  Dougherty  placed 
the  dismounted  soldiers  about  the  buildings,  while  Lieutenant  Baker  with 
young  Garrett  approached  the  door  with  the  candle,  when  young  Garrett 
remembered  that  the  door  was  locked  on  the  outside.  Another  young  Gar 
rett  then  came  up  and  was  sent  by  Baker  for  the  key.  When  the  key  arrived, 
Lieutenant  Baker  in  a  loud  voice  said  to  Garrett,  "  Go  in  and  tell  the  men  to 
come  out  and  surrender."  He  said  he  was  afraid;  the  men  were  armed  with 
pistols  and  carbines,  and  would  shoot  him.  Lieutenant  Baker,  then  addressing 
the  parties  inside,  said,  "We  are  going  to  send  in  the  men  in  whose  custody 
you  are  to  demand  your  arms  and  surrender."  Baker  then  unlocked  the 
door,  and  Garrett,  in  much  trepidation,  went  in;  and  Baker  heard  a  mumbled 
conversation  inside,  Booth  finally  saying,  "  Get  out  of  here  or  I  will  shoot  you. 
Damn  you,  you  have  betrayed  me,"  and  Garrett  came  back  much  frightened, 
and  was  let  out,  saying  that  Booth  was  going  to  shoot  him,  and  u  You  may 
burn  the  barn."  Something  had  been  before  said  about  burning  the  barn, 
partly  to  alarm  Booth  and  Harrold,  and  as  one  of  the  means  that  might 
ultimately  be  resorted  to,  to  which  young  Garrett  had  objected. 

In  the  mean  time,  it  had  occurred  to  Conger  and  Baker,  that  in  the  event 
of  an  attempt  to  escape  by  Booth  and  Harrold  at  the  door,  and  which  would 
bring  on  a  general  contest,  that  it  would  be  very  likely  to  draw  the  fire  of 
the  soldiers  nearest,  which  would  endanger  them  quite  as  much  as  it  would 
Booth  and  Harrold,  and  as  a  precaution  for  their  own  safety,  they  removed 
all  the  soldiers  from  the  front  of  the  building,  and  all  whose  posts  were  such 
as  to  command  a  view  of  the  area  immediately  about  the  door. 

Colonel  Conger  also  found  on  his  rounds  one  man  who  refused  to  do  duty, 
because  he  was  without  arms — took  none  with  him,  but  was  supplied  with  a 
pistol  on  the  ground.  It  was  also  found  necessary  to  place  a  rail  or  pole, 
or  some  other  object,  on  the  ground,  to  indicate  to  each  man  his  position,  and 
they  were  ordered  by  Colonel  Conger,  personally,  not  to  leave  their  posts  on 
any  pretext  whatever  without  orders.  Lieutenant  Dougherty  was  most  of 
the  time,  in  the  early  part  of  the  affair,  at  the  barn,  and  took  a  position  under 
an  open  shed,  not  far  from  the  building;  and  there  consulted  about  burning 
the  barn.  Colonel  Conger  had  ordered  one  of  the  young  Garretts  to  deposit 
a  quantity  of  brush  against  an  angle  of  the  barn,  but  at  a  point  where  he  did 


DEATH  OF  J.  W.  BOOTH.  537 

not  intend  to  fire  it,  and  for  the  purpose  of  distracting  the  attention  of  Booth, 
and  to  mislead  him. 

Understanding  what  Garrett  was  doing,  Booth  threatened  to  shoot  him  if 
lie  did  not  desist.  He  also  twice  offered  to  Lieutenant  Baker  that  if  he  would 
withdraw  his  men  fifty  yards  he  woura  come  out  and  fight  him. 

Harrold  finally  came  to  the  door,  offered  to  surrender,  and  Lieutenant 
Baker  opened  it,  took  him  by  the  hands,  pulled  him  out,  called  Lieutenant 
Dougherty  and  turned  him  over  to  him. 

As  a  more  effective  means  to  insure  the  capture  of  Booth,  it  was  finally 
determined  to  set  the  building  on  fire.  There  was  on  the  floor  a  quantity  of 
litter,  thrown  in  a  loose  pile  against  one  side  near  an  angle.  From  an  opening 
at  this  Colonel  Conger  drew  out  some  straw,  twisted  it,  set  it  on  fire,  and 
instantly  the  whole  mass  was  in  flames.  Under  the  eye  of  Colonel  Conger, 
Booth  immediately  approached  the  fire,  with  a  carbine  in  both  hands,  as  if  to 
fire,  and  cast  his  eye  up  and  down  the  opening  between  the  boards,  but  with  the 
intense  light  between  him  and  the  opening,  and  the  darkness  without,  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  see  any  thing  outside.  He  paused,  dropped  his  hands, 
his  head  fell,  as  if  in  thought,  and  he  then  turned  and  went  toward  the  door. 
Colonel  Conger  immediately  started  around  the  building,  to  reach  the  same 
point,  when,  on  his  way,  he  heard  a  pistol-shot,  and  upon  going  round  he  found 
Lieutenant  Baker  standing  over  the  body  of  Booth,  near  the  center  of  the 
building,  and  where  he  obviously  had  been  in  no  position  to  injure  anybody. 
Colonel  Conger  at  first  supposed,  and  so  said,  that  Booth  had  shot  himself. 

At  the  moment  of  firing  the  barn,  Lieutenant  Baker  opened  the  door,  and 
saw  Booth  just  as  he  turned  from  the  fire,  when  he' dropped  his  crutch,  and 
came  with  a  rapid,  halting  walk,  toward  the  door;  when  within  twelve  or 
fifteen  feet  of  the  door,  with  his  carbine  in  his  hand,  he  received  the  shot,  and 
fell.  Baker  rushed  to  him,  seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  was  there  found  by 
Conger.  Lieutenant  Baker  saw  that  the  shot  was  from  some  one  outside, 
and  remarked  to  Conger  that  "the  man  who  fired  it  should  go  back  to  Wash 
ington  under  arrest." 

Sergeant  Boston  Corbitt,  who  fired  the  shot,  had  been  placed  by  Colonel 
Conger  about  thirty  feet  from  the  barn,  with  orders  not  to  leave  his  post  on 
any  pretext.  Yet  he  did  leave  it,  and  approach  the  barn,  when  without 
order,  pretext  or  excuse,  he  shot  Booth. 

The  communications  from  the  party  of  Conger  and  Baker,  to  Booth  and 
Harrold,  in  the  barn,  were  made  entirely  through  Lieutenant  Baker.  It  is 
believed  that  no  other  one  of  the  party  addressed  them.  Much  more  passed 
between  them  than  is  stated  above.  Among  other  things,  Booth  said  to 
Baker,  whom  he  addressed  as  "Captain,"  "I  could  have  shot  you  five  or  six 
times,  but  I  believe  you  to  be  a  brave  and  honorable  man,  and  I  will  not  hurt 
you." 

To  the  offers  of  Booth  to  come  out  and  fight,  Lieutenant  Baker  replied 
that  "  we  did  not  come  to  fight  you  but  to  capture  you." 

The  few  words  and  incoherent  mutterings  of  the  dying  Booth  are  of  no 
value  in  this  narrative.  Nor  does  it  seem  requisite  to  correct  and  contradict, 
to  any  great  extent,  the  statements  of  some  of  the  parties  present,  as  to  the 


538  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

details  of  the  transaction,  and  their  own  part  in  it.  Lieutenant  Dougherty  was 
the  mere  commander  of  the  soldiers,  under  Colonel  Conger  or  Lieutenant 
Baker,  the  former  of  whom  often  gave  orders  directly  to  them.  At  the  barn, 
Lieutenant  Dougherty  took  no  part  in  the  communications  with  Booth  and 
Ilarrold,  and  was  absent  from  the  door  when  Bootk  was  shot. 

As  soon  after  the  termination  of  the  affair  as  possible,  Colonel  Conger,  in 
possession  of  Booth's  diary,  papers,  &c.,  started  for  Washington,  where  he 
reported  to  General  Baker,  about  four  p.  M.  of  the  20th,  leaving  Lieutenant 
Baker  with  the  body  of  Booth,  and  Ilarrold  under  arrest,  under  the  escort  of 
Lieutenant  Dougherty  and  the  cavalry,  to  make  their  slower  way  back,  which 
was  accomplished  with  little  delay,  the  party  arriving  before  daylight  of  the 
27th. 

For  a  corroboration  of  the  statements  of  this  narrative,  reference  is  had 
to  the  official  report  of  General  Baker,  the  statement  of  Rollins,  already 
referred  to,  the  statements  of  the  two  young  Garretts,  on  file  in  the  War 
Office,  the  evidence  of  E.  J.  Conger  on  the  trial  of  Harrold  and  others,  the 
statement  of  Lieutenant  Baker,  taken  by  the  Judge-Advocate-General,  and 
the  evidence  of  Jetts,  given  on  the  trial. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

THE   DISTRICT   OF  COLUMBIA,  [ 
Washington  County.          i 

Personally  appeared,  E.  J.  Conger  and  L.  B.  Baker,  who  severally  made 
oath  that  all  the  matters  and  things  set  forth  in  the  narrative  hereto  attached 
are  true  in  substance  and  in  fact,  before  me, 

(Signed)  E.  J.  CONGER. 

L.  B.  BAKER. 
WAIT  N.  HAWLEY,  Notary  Pnblic. 

OBSERVATIONS. 

In  submitting  the  narrative  of  the  capture  of  Booth  and  Ilarrold,  the 
undersigned  beg  leave  also  to  offer  the  following,  upon  the  distribution  of  the 
rewards  offered  by  the  Secretary  of  War  for  that  service. 

The  rewards  are  special  offers  for  specific  services,  and  qualified  by  no 
conditions  whatever— $50,000  for  the  apprehension  of  Booth,  and  $25,000  for 
the  capture  of  Harrold. 

It  is  assumed  that  Booth  is  the  murderer,  and  whether  he  proves  to  be  or 
not,  $50,000.  It  is  asserted  that  Harrold  was  his  accomplice,  and  the  Secre 
tary  will  pay  $25,000  for  him.  The  payment  in  neither  case  is  made  to 
depend  upon  a  conviction  of  the  party,  but  merely  upon  his  apprehension. 
So,  too,  nothing  is  said  as  to  the  condition  in  which  the  parties  shall  be  deliv 
ered  to  the  Government,  although  obviously  the  Secretary  did  not  contem 
plate  the  death  of  either,  still  it  is  submitted  that  if  one  of  them  should  be 
slain  in  a  bona  fide  attempt  to  capture  him,  and  his  body  should  be  placed  by 
the  captors  in  the  hands  of  the  Government,  that  would  be  substantially  an 
apprehension,  under  the  proclamation  offering  the  rewards. 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  REWARDS.  539 

The  promise  of  payment  is  limitless  as  to  the  persons  to  whom  it  is  made. 
Whoever,  of  all  mankind,  will  render  the  service,  shall  receive  the  specified 
compensation.  No  matter  whether  citizen,  soldier,  or  alien;  whether  in  the 
public  service  or  private  life.  The  service  required  is  extraordinary,  furnishes 
its  own  law,  of  necessity,  and  the  Secretary  felt  at  liberty  to  summon  and  reward, 
in  the  market-place  of  the  world,  whoever  should  perform  it.  And  it  is  sub 
mitted  that,  in  the  controlling  equity  of  the  case,  no  ordinary  rule  of  public 
service,  and  no  existing  law  of  Congress,  can  be  permitted  to  disqualify  any 
man,  fortunate  enough  to  have  performed  this  labor,  from  being  compensated 
according  to  the  terms  of  the  Secretary's  proclamation. 

The  thing  to  be  accomplished  was  the  apprehension  of  Booth  or  Harrold, 
or  both ;  and  to  entitle  a  man  to  the  reward,  or  any  part  of  it,  he  must  have 
done  the  labor,  or  at  least  must  have  been  voluntarily,  actively,  and  intelli 
gently  engaged  with  others  who  accomplished  the  enterprise.  The  mere 
giver  of  information,  however  important,  and  who  does  not  go  beyond  that, 
is  not  within  the  terms  of  the  offer  of  the  rewards  for  the  apprehensions ;  for 
there  is  in  the  Secretary's  proclamation  another  distinct  and  independent 
promise  of  rewards,  to  the  bringers  of  "any  information  that  shall  conduce  to 
the  arrest  of  either  of  the  above-named  criminals  or  their  accomplices." 

In  the  light  of  these  observations,  under  the  known  facts  of  the  case, 
General  L.  0.  Baker  apprehended  both  Booth  and  Harrold,  within  the  words 
arid  meaning  of  the  proclamation  of  the  Secretary  of  War  promising  rewards 
for  that  service,  and  is  entitled  to  the  reward  primarily. 

Next  to  him  stand  Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant  Baker,  the  sagacious, 
vigilant,  and  intrepid  executors  who  carried  out  his  plans,  and  by  whose 
brains  and  hands  the  work  was  promptly  accomplished. 

Lieutenant  Dougherty  and  the  cavalry  were  the  subordinate,  though 
necessary,  instruments,  with  whose  assistance  Colonel  Conger  and  Lieutenant 
Baker  achieved  the  objects  of  the  expedition. 

Under  what  view  of  the  case  can  others  be  permitted  to  share  in  the 
reward  for  the  capture  of  Booth  and  Harrold?  It  is  true  that  numberless 
active,  sagacious,  and  vigilant  men  were  endeavoring  to  capture  Booth  and 
Harrold.  But  they  did  not  do  it ;  and  it  is  submitted  that  they  did  not  in 
any  appreciable  way  help  to  do  it. 

Can  it  be  said  that  the  presence  of  these  parties  in  Lower  Maryland 
frightened  the  fugitives  across  the  Potomac,  and  obliged  them  to  make  a  trail 
that  General  Baker  could  find,  and  thus  enable  him  to  capture  them  ?  Is 
there  any  proof  that  Booth  and  Harrold  were  thus  driven  out  of  Maryland  ? 
That  they  went  an  hour  sooner,  or  a  shade  differently  from  what  they  would 
if  these  detective  gentlemen  had  remained  in  Washington?  These  gen 
tlemen  intended  no  such  result,  did  not  intend  to  drive  the  parties  out  of 
Maryland,  and  did  not  know  that  they  had  left  it  for  days  after  the  death  of 
Booth,  and  the  imprisonment  of  Harrold,  and  nothing  could  have  been  further 
from  their  purpose  than  to  contribute,  by  accident  even,  to  the  success  of 
General  Baker. 

So,  too,  the  negro  informant  of  Woodall  is  entitled  to  the  most  liberal 
consideration,  as  is  also  Woodall  himself;  but,  under  the  distinct  promise  of  a 


540  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

separate  reward,  for  information,  how  can  these  be  admitted  to  a  part  of  the 
rewards  under  consideration  ? 

With  the  most  entire  confidence  in  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  the  Secretary 
of  War,  these  observations  are  submitted. 

Respectftilly. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  Decemb&r  27,  1865. 

I  have  the  honor  to  respectfully  request  that  the  Secretary  of  War  will 
carefully  read  the  inclosed  statement  of  E.  J.  Conger  and  L.  B.  Baker,  and 
particularly  that  portion  under  the  head  of  "  Observations,"  relating  to  the 
rewards  about  to  be  distributed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  for  the  apprehension 
of  the  assassins  Booth  and  ILirrold. 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Brig.-Gen.,  and  Pro.-Mar.  of  War  Department. 

On  Wednesday  afternoon,  April  26th,  about  five  o'clock, 
Colonel  Conger  came  to  my  headquarters,'  and,  in  a  low 
whisper,  announced  the  capture  of  Booth  and  Harrold, 
adding  that  the  former  was  shot.  It  is  not  often  that  I  am 
unbalanced  by  tidings  of  any  sort ;  but  I  sprang  to  my  feet, 
and  across  the  room,  and  felt  like  raising  a  shout  of  joy  over 
the  triumph  of  justice,  and  the  relief  to  millions  of  burdened 
hearts  which  would  attend  the  tidings  over  the  land.  I 
immediately  called  for  a  carriage,  took  Colonel  Conger  with 
me,  and  drove  to  the  house  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  He 
had  been  very  despondent  regarding  the  capture,  and  had 
often  spoken  of  the  disgrace  it  would  be  if  the  base  assassins 
should  escape.  When  I  entered  the  room  he  was  lying  upon 
a  sofa.  I  had  in  my  hand  Booth's  two  pistols,  his  belt, 
knife,  and  compass  —  the  latter  all  covered  with  tallow, 
where  he  had  held  the  light  up  at  night,  to  see  in  what 
direction  he  was  going — his  pipe,  and  his  diary.  I  rushed 
into  the  room,  and  said,  "  We  have  got  Booth."  Secretary 
Stanton  was  distinguished  during  the  whole  war  for  his 
coolness,  but  I  had  never  seen  such  an  exhibition  of  it  in 
my  life  as  at  that  time.  He  put  his  hands  over  his  eyes, 
and  lay  for  nearly  a  moment  without  saying  a  word.  Then 
he  got  up  and  put  on  his  coat  very  coolly.  In  the  mean 
time  I  had  laid  on  his  table  all  the  effects  that  had  been 
taken  from  Booth.  He  asked  where  he  was  captured.  I 
said,  "Near  Port  Conway,  beyond  the  Rappahannock  in  Vir 
ginia.  Here  are  the  things  found  on  Booth's  body."  Colo- 


THE   CORPSE-IDENTIFICATION.  541 

nel  Conger  gave  the  Secretary  a  "brief  statement  of  the 
capture.  The  Secretary  directed  me  to  take  a  boat  and  go 
to  Alexandria  and  meet  the  boat  that  was  bringing  the  body 
up.  Accordingly  I  proceeded  to  Alexandria,  and  at  twenty 
minutes  to  eleven  o'clock  the  steamer  Ide,  having  on  board 
the  assassin  Harrold  and  the  dead  body  of  Booth,  with  Lieu 
tenant  Baker  in  charge,  arrived.  The  Secretary  had  directed 
that  the  boat  conveying  the  assassins  should  go  directly  to 
the  Navy  Yard,  and  that  the  prisoner  Harrold  and  the  body 
of  Booth  should  be  placed  on  board  a  gunboat,  as  will  be 
shown  by  the  following  order : — 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON  CITY,  April  26,  1865. 

To  the  Commandant  of  the  Washington  Navy  Yard  : — 

Let  Colonel  Baker  come  into  the  Navy  Yard  wharf  and  alongside  the  Iron 
clad,  to  place  one  or  two  prisoners  on  board. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 

We  proceeded  to  the  Navy  Yard,  and  at  the  dead  hour 
of  the  night  disembarked  our  prisoner,  put  him  in  double 
irons,  and  confined  him  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel,  where  a 
number  of  other  prisoners,  arrested  for  their  supposed  con 
nection  with  the  assassination,  had  been  already  some  days 
confined.  The  body  of  Booth  was  placed  on  deck,  in  charge 
of  a  marine  guard.  It  had  been  securely  sewed  up  in  a 
blanket  before  it  left  the  Garrett  farm.  On  the  following 
morning  a  post-mortem  examination  was  held,  in  order  to 
the  proper  identification  of  the  body.  Dr.  May,  a  physician 
of  Washington,  who  had  some  two  years  before  removed  a 
tumor  from  Booth' s  neck,  was  called  in  as  a  witness.  The 
scar  of  this  tumor  was  readily  found  by  Dr.  May,  and  his 
testimony,  with  that  of  six  or  seven  others,  as  to  the  identifi 
cation,  placed  the  question  of  indentity  beyond  all  cavil. 
Afterward  Dr.  Barnes,  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United 
States  Army,  with  an  assistant,  cut  from  Booth's  neck  a 
section  of  the  spine  through  which  the  ball  passed.  This 
section  is  now  on  exhibition  at  the  Government  Medical 
Museum  at  Washington.  This  was  the  only  mutilation  of 
J.  Wilkes  Booth  that  ever  occurred,  notwithstanding  the 
numerous  reports  that  his  head  was  cut  off  and  sent  to 
Europe  or  Canada.  On  Thursday,  the  27th,  I  was  sent  for 


542  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

by  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  directed  to  make  a  disposition 
of  the  body  of  Booth.  In  compliance  with  these  instruc 
tions,  with  the  assistance  of  Lieutenant  L.  B.  Baker,  I  dis 
posed  of  the  body,  as  related  on  another  page,  and  also  the 
circumstances  connected  with  the  trial  of  the  assassins. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

LETTERS  ON  THE   ASSASSINATION. 

Jacob  Thompson — Volunteer  Suggestions  respecting  the  Assassin's  Hiding-Places 
before  his  Death,  and  the  Disposal  of  his  Remains  afterward — Threats  of  more 
Assassinations — A  Mysterious  Letter — J.  H.  Surratt. 

I  SHALL  now  copy  a  few  of  the  many  letters  from  different 
parts  of  the  North,  called  forth  "by  the  exciting  tragedy  at 
our  capital,  the  most  of  which  were  addressed  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War,  and  by  him  placed  in  my  hands.  Their  chief 
value  and  interest  arises  from  the  expressions  of  feeling  they 
furnish,  and  the  manifold  suggestions  respecting  the  dis 
covery  and  disposal  of  the  homicide. 

The  first  communication  relates  to  Jacob  Thompson,  for 
whose  arrest  subsequently  a  reward  of  $25,000  was  offered. 

HARTFORD,  CONNECTICUT,  April  18,  1865. 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War,  Washington: — 

DEAR  SIR — I  was  yesterday  told  a  story,  by  a  young  man  from  New  York, 
implicating  one  George  Thompson,  a  companion  of  Booth,  and,  I  believe,  an 
actor  in  Laura  Keene's  Theatre,  in  the  assassination  of  the  President  and  Sec 
retary  Seward ;  will  write  further  about  it  if  you  think  advisable.  Hoping 
this  may  be  serviceable  in  discovering  the  guilty  assassin, 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  yours, 

WM.  O. 

Temple  Street 

HARTFORD,  CONNECTICUT,  April  13,  1865. 

W.  O.  SUMNER,  JR.  : — 

States  that  he  has  been  told  a  story  implicating  one  George  Thompson,  a 
companion  of  Booth,  in  the  murder  of  President  Lincoln. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  April  22,  1865. 

Respeccfniiy  leferred  to  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker,  Agent,  &c.,  for  his  informa 
tion,  action,  and  report. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

H.  S.  BURNETT,  Jndge- Advocate. 


544  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

The  indorsement  on  the  back  of  the  next  letter  will 
explain  its  import. 

BTFFALO,  NEW  YORK,  April  IS,  1S6JS. 
lion.  E.  M.  STANTOX,  Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C. : — 

MY  DEAR  SIR — Business  has  called  me  to  Toronto,  C.  W.,  several  times 
within  the  past  two  months,  and  while  there  I  have  seen  and  heard  some 
things,  knowledge  of  which  may  be  of  service  to  the  Government. 

About  five  weeks  since  I  saw  at  the  Queen's  Hotel,  at  Toronto,  a  letter 
written  by  the  late  John  Y.  Beale  just  previous  to  his  execution,  which,  after 
speaking  of  his  mock  trial,  unjust  sentence,  the  judicial  murder  that  was  to 
be  perpetrated  by  his  execution,  &c.,  called  upon  Jacob  Thompson  to  vindi 
cate  his  character  before  his  countrymen  of  the  South,  and  expressed  his 
belief  that  his  death  would  be  speedily  and  terribly  avenged.  The  letter 
itself  was  addressed  to  Colonel  J.  Thompson,  Confederate  Commissioner  at 
Toronto,  but  the  superscription  upon  the  envelope  (which  was  in  a  different 
handwriting  from  the  body  of  the  letter)  read  simply,  J.  Thompson,  Toronto, 
Canada.  This  circumstance  caused  it  to  be  delivered  to  a  Mr.  Thompson  for 
whom  it  was  not  intended.  I  was  permitted  to  peruse  but  not  to  copy  the 
letter.  I  was  informed  at  that  time  that  the  friends  of  Beale  were  banded 
together  for  the  double  purpose  of  avenging  his  death  and  aiding  the  Rebel 
Government.  I  have  heard  the  same  statement  repeated  many  times  since, 
and  have  frequently  been  told  by  citizens  of  Toronto,  that  some  great  mischief 
was  being  plotted  by  Beale's  friends  and  other  refugees  in  Canada.  More 
than  a  month  General  Dix's  name  was  mentioned  in  my  hearing  in  connection 
with  the  threatened  vengeance.  I  regarded  all  such  stories  as  idle  tales 
unworthy  of  notice,  consequently  I  never  repeated  them.  Last  Friday  even 
ing,  while  sitting  in  the  office  of  the  Queen's  Hotel,  I  overheard  a  conversation 
between  some  persons  sitting  near  me,  which  convinced  me  that  the  plan  to 
assassinate  the  President  was  known  to  some  at  least  of  the  refugees  in  Canada. 
The  party  was  mourning  over  the  late  rebel  reverses  ;  commenting  also  upon 
the  execution  of  Beale,  the  extradition  of  Burley,  the  discharge  of  the  raiders, 
&c. ;  after  which  they  endeavored  to  cheer  themselves  after  this  fashion : 
"We'll  make  the  damned  Yankees  howl  yet."  "I'll  wager,  boys,  that  we'll 
get  better  news  in  forty-eight  hours."  "  I  reckon,  by  God,  that  Jeff.  Davia 
will  live  as  long  as  Abe  Lincoln."  "  Old  Abe  won't  hang  Davis."  "  We'll  havo 
something  from  Washington  that  will  make  people  stare."  "  Won't  the  damned 
Yankees  curse  us  more  than  ever."  I  do  not  pretend  to  give  the  exact  lan 
guage  of  any  of  the  parties,  but  expressions  like  those  above  quoted  were  of 
frequent  occurrence  during  the  conversation.  I  took  very  little  notice  of  the 
party.  Their  words  at  the  time  appeared  to  me  to  be  simply  profane  and 
vulgar,  implying  idle  threats  which  could  never  be  executed.  Some  of  tho 
party  had  evidently  been  drinking  freely.  They  were  all  strangers  to  me. 
The  next  morning  (Saturday,  April  15),  when  I  received  the  news  of  the 
assassination,  I  could  not  help  feeling  that  the  party  I  had  heard  the  night 
before  were  implicated  in  the  act.  I  met  two  of  them  in  company  with  Ben 
Young,  and  one  or  two  others  of  the  St.  Alban's  raiders,  on  Saturday,  in  the 


COMMUNICATIONS.  545 

bar-room  of  the  Queen's.  One  remarked,  "  Good  news  for  us  this  morning," 
and  another,  "Damn  well  done,  but  not  quite  enough  of  it."  And  as  they 
raised  their  glasses,  one  of  them  said,  "Here's  to  Andy  Johnson's  turn  next," 
which  was  replied  to,  "  Yes,  damn  his  soul."  On  relating  this  circumstance 
to  Hon.  E.  G.  Spaulding  and  others,  they  were  of  opinion  that  I  should  com 
municate  them  to  your  Department.  For  my  own  part,  I  beg  to  refer  to  Hon. 
Ira  Harris,  of  the  Senate,  and  Hon.  John  A.  Griswold,  of  the  House. 

I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  very  truly  yours,  G.  S.  C.    . 

Mr.  C.  is  a  respectable  lawyer  in  this  city,  and  his  statements  are  entitled 

to  credit. 

E.  G.  G., 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
From  G.  S.  C. 

April  18, 1865. 

To  Secretary  of  War : — 

States  that  while  at  Toronto,  C.  W.,  five  weeks  ago,  he  saw  a  letter 
written  by  John  Y.  Beale  to  Colonel  Jacob  Thompson,  Confederate  Commis 
sioner  at  Toronto,  expressing,  among  other  things,  his  belief  that  his  death 
would  be  speedily  and  terribly  revenged.  Was  informed  that  the  friends  of 
Beale  were  banded  to  avenge  his  death.  Respectfully  referred  to  Colonel 
Baker  for  his  information. 

H.  S.  BURNETT, 

Judge- Advocate,  &c. 

I  received  several  missives  like  the  following  : — 

BLODGET  MILLS,  N.  Y.,  April  19, 1865. 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER,  Agent  of  War  Department  at  Washington : — 

DEAR  SIR — I  have  been  engaged  with  different  traveling  companies  for 
some  eight  or  ten  years.  I  know  the  habits  of  them  pretty  well.  I  used  to 
be  acquainted  with  J.  Wilkes  Booth.  I  don't  think  there  is  a  theatre  or  circus 
company  of  any  note  but  what  I  am  more  or  less  acquainted  with.  I  am  so 
well  acquainted  with  that  class  of  people  that  I  think  I  could  be  of  some  use 
in  tracking  him  out.  If  I  had  the  means  I  should  have  been  after  him  before 
now.  I  am  at  your  service  if  you  think  I  can  be  of  any  use  to  you. 
From  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  D.  S. 

P.  S. — I  could  find  out  things  from  that  class  of  people  that  those  unac 
quainted  with  them  could  not  so  readily. 

S.  D.  S. 

Astrologists  and  spiritualists  offered  the  Government  the 
benefit  of  their  prophetic  gifts  : — 

LAFAYBTTB,  IND.,  April  23, 1S65. 

Mr.  E.  M.  S. :— 

DEAR  SIR — I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  to  you  in  regard  to  the  whereabouts 
of  Booth,  who  now  lays  concealed  in  a  house  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  near 
35 


546  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

the  town  of  Middleburg,  a  little  northeast  of  the  Town  House,  one  story, 
cottage  style,  roof  very  steep,  back  of  the  house  high  hills,  in  front  a  garden 
laid  out  into  squares.  The  man  of  the  house  is  tall  and  straight,  of  sandy 
complexion  and  sore  eyes.  If  I  had  means  to  go  to  the  south  part  of  the 
State  to  consult  with  a  friend  of  mine,  I  think  thatVe  could  draw  a  diagram 
of  the  exact  location  and  send  to  you,  but  I  am  poor.  I  have  had  thieves 
caught  through  my  way  of  telling  things.  I  have  been  put  in  prison  for 
telling  the  same,  and  life  threatened  also.  If  you  should  think  this  of  any 
importance,  please  answer.  If  I  can  get  means  to  go  and  see  my  friend,  we 
will  send  you  a  correct  diagram  of  the  house  and  place  of  concealment.  It 
won't  cost  much  to  try.  Sir,  please  not  mention  this  to  no  one  but  yonr 
friends.  You  may  not  have  any  faith  in  this,  but  try. 

Yours  truly,  H.  F. 

Threats  of  additional  assassination  followed  the  murder 
of  Mr.  Lincoln : — 

TANNER,  CANADA,  April  20, 1860. 
To  ANDREW  JOHNSON,  President  of  United  States,  or  other  authority : — i 

With  certainty  I  state  to  you  that  John  A.  Payne  and  thirteen  others  are 
sworn  to  murder  Andrew  Johnson,  E.  M.  Stanton,  and  L.  S.  Fisher,  within 
thirty  days  from  23d  April,  1865.  The  arrangements  are  all  made  and  in 
progress  of  execution.  I  do  not  know  where  John  A.  Payne  is  now  ;  he  was 
at  Montreal  and  Tanner,  Canada,  when  this  plot  was  projected.  His  brother 
(name  I  do  not  recollect)  is  also  implicated.  Seven  of  the  plotters  are  at 
Washington,  four  at  Bedford,  Bedford  Co.,  Penn.,  and  the  thirteenth  is  with 
Payne.  These  are  plain  facts.  Do  not  reveal  this,  but  arrest  John  A.  Payne 
and  his  brother.  Yours  truly, 

JOHN  P.  H.  HALL, 

Of  Tanner,  Canada 
I  send  this  to  Detroit  to  avoid  suspicion. 

PHILADELPHIA,  April  20,  1865. 

To  Hon.  W.  H.  SEWARD  :— 

You  may  survive  the  fatal  blow  which  I  aimed  at  your  throat,  hut  know, 
thou  most  cruel,  cunning,  and  remorseless  man,  that  sooner  or  later  you  will 
fall  by  the  very  hand  which  assaulted  you  last  Friday  night,  and  now  pens 
these  calm,  solemn  words. 

MOORHBAD  CITY,  NORTH  CAROLINA,  May  5,  1865. 
Hon.  WM.  H.  SEWARD,  Secretary  of  State : — 

SIR — Inclosed  you  will  find  a  letter  which  I  found  floating  in  the  river  by 
the  new  Government  wharf,  at  this  place,  on  the  evening  of  the  2d  instant. 
It  was  not  until  late  last  night  that  I  succeeded  in  learning  its  purport,  it 
being  in  cipher.  Having  learned  its  nature,  I  lose  no  time  in  transmitting  it 
to  you,  as  one  concerned.  I  send  also  a  copy  of  the  letter  as  I  translate  it. 
It  is  easy  to  perceive  that  the  first  word  is  Washington ;  the  second,  April ; 
the  fourth,  Dear ;  and  the  fifth,  John.  Having  ascertained  that  much,  I  had 


COMMUNICATIONS.  547 

but  little  difficulty  in  making  out  the  remainder.  The  letter,  evidently,  had 
not  been  opened  when  thrown  in  the  river.  I  think  the  fiend  was  here  await 
ing  the  arrival  of  General  Sherman,  and,  on  learning  the  General  had  gone  to 
Wilmington,  and  feeling  himself  pressed  by  the  detectives,  threw  it  overboard. 

Respectfully  yours, 

CHAS.  DENET. 

P.  S. — If  the  letter  should  lead  to  any  thing  of  importance,  so  that  it 
would  be  necessary  that  I  should  be  seen,  I  can  be  found  at  126  South  H 
Street,  between  6th  and  4£.  I  am  at  present  engaged  in  the  Construction 
Corps,  Railroad  Department,  at  this  place.  Will  be  in  Washington  in  a  few 
days. 

CHAS.  DENET. 

[COPY.] 
Translation  of  the  Cipher  Letter. 

"WASHINGTON,  April  15,  1865. 

DEAR  JOHN — I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  Pet.  has  done  his  work  well. 
He  is  safe  and  Old  Abe  is  in  hell.  Now,  sir,  all  eyes  are  on  you — you-  must 
bring  Sherman.  Grant  is  in  the  hands  of  Old  Gray  ere  this.  Red  Shoes 
showed  lack  of  nerve  in  Seward's  case,  but  fell  back  in  good  order.  Johnson 
must  come,  Old  Crook  has  him  in  charge.  Mind  well  that  brother's  oath  and 
you  will  have  no  difficulty ;  alt  will  be  safe,  and  enjoy  the  fruit  of  our  labors. 
We  had  a  large  meeting  last  night — all  were  bent  on  carrying  out  the  pro 
gramme  to  the  letter.  The  rails  are  laid  for  safe  exit.  Old — always  behind — 
lost  the  pass  at  City  Point.  Now,  I  say  again,  the  lives  of  our  brave  officers, 
and  the  life  of  the  South,  depend  upon  the  carrying  this  programme  into 
effect.  No.  2  will  give  you  this.  It  is  ordered  no  more  letters  shall  be  sent 
by  mail.  When  you  write,  sign  no  real  name,  and  send  by  some  of  our 
friends  who  are  coming  home.  We  want  you  to  write  us  how  the  news  was 
received  there.  We  received  great  encouragement  from  all  quarters.  I  hope 
there  will  be  no  getting  weak  in  the  knees.  I  was  in  Baltimore  yesterday. 
Pet.  has  not  got  there  yet.  Your  folks  are  well,  and  have  heard  from  you. 
Don't  lose  your  nerve. 

O.  B.  No.  FIVE. 

A  few  brief  communications  are  taken  at  random,  which 
need  no  words  of  introduction,  but  will  be  readily  under 
stood  and  appreciated. 

McHr.NHT  HOTTSK,  MEADVILLE,  PENKSYLVANIA,  April  25,  1865. 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C. : — 

SIR — Recent  dispatches,  referring  to  a  former  and  futile  attempt  upon  the 
life  of  the  late  Abraham  Lincoln,  by  poison,  have  induced  me  to  write  you 
regarding  a  circumstance  occurring  at  this  hotel,  where  I  have  been  cashier 
for  a  year  and  a  half.  Some  time  ago  the  following  words  were  observed  to 
have  been  scratched  upon  a  pane  of  glass  in  room  No.  22  of  this  house,  eri- 


548  TOTTED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

dently  done  with  a  diamond:  "Abe  Lincoln  departed  this  life  August  13, 
1864,  by  the  effects  of  poison.1'  I  give  this  just  as  it  appears  upon  the  glass. 
In  view  of  recent  events,  it  was  deemed  best  to  take  the  pane  of  glass  out  and 
preserve  it,  and  we  have  it  safe.  As  to  the  date  of  the  writing,  we  cannot 
determine.  It  was  noticed  some  months  ago  by  the  housekeeper,  but  was  not 
thought  particularly  of  until  after  the  assassination,  being  considered  a  freak 
of  some  individual  who  was  probably  partially  intoxicated.  My  theory  now 
is,  that  the  words  were  written  in  prophecy  or  bravado  by  some  villain  who 
was  in  the  plot,  and  that  they  were  written  before  the  date  mentioned,  August 
13th.  As  to  who  was  the  writer,  we  can,  of  course,  give  no  definite  informa 
tion.  J.  Wilkes  Booth  was  here  several  times  during  last  summer  and  fall,  on 
his  way  to  and  from  the  oil  regions.  He  was  here  upon  the  10th,  and  again 
upon  the  29th  of  June,  1864,  but  does  not  appear  to  have  been  assigned  to 
that  room,  still  he  may  have  been  in  it  in  company  with  others  who  did 
occupy  it.  Upon  the  10th  the  room  was  assigned  to  W.  H.  Crowell  and  J.  C. 
Ford,  of  Irvine,  Pennsylvania;  and  upon  the  29th,  to  R.  E.  Glass  and  J.  W. 
King,  of  New  York.  Should  you  consider  the  matter  of  sufficient  importance 
to  desire  it,  I  will  give  you  a  list  of  the  persons  occupying  the  room  in  ques 
tion  for  a  long  time  preceding  the  above  date,  as  you  may  request. 

With  a  hearty  desire  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  bring  to  light  and  to  pun 
ishment  the  author  of  this  terrible  crime, 

I  remain,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

S.  D.  PAGE. 

BOSTON,  April  18,  1865. 

DEAR  SIR — As  I  am  willing  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  aid  in  the  arrest  of 
the  assassin  Booth,  perhaps  the  following  may  be  of  service  to  you,  as  I  have 
considerable  confidence  in  my  information,  which  I  will  let  you  know  about 
at  some  future  time.  Go  through  Mass.  Avenue  to  8th  Street  near  the 
market,  to  house  No.  61,  in  the  rear.  Mrs.  Caroline  or  Angeline  Wright  lives 
or  stays  there,  and  Booth  is  secreted  there.  He  goes  out  in  the  disguise  of  a 
negro,  and  also  did  before  the  assassination.  He  hides  up  stairs  in  a  concealed 
closet,  which  would  be  difficult  to  find,  unless  carefully  looked  after,  as  there 
is  a  slide  or  panel.  He  jumped  off  his  horse  after  the  crime  was  committed, 
another  man  taking  his  place,  to  avoid  suspicion.  The  house  may  be  No.  84, 
and  may  possibly  be  some  other  avenue,  but  on  8th  street,  or  near  the  corner. 
I  am  just  and  honest  about  this  matter,  but  dare  not  give  my  name  for  fear  I 
may  be  arrested;  but  should  this  give  any  information  to  you  I  shall  proba 
bly  know  it. 

Yours,  H . 

ST.  CLAIRSVILLE,  OHIO,  April  26,  1865. 

To  Hon.  E.  M.  ST ANTON:— 

Believing  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer,  and  earnestly  desiring  that  the  assassin 
of  our  beloved  President  be  brought  to  justice,  I  clearly  dreamed  that  the 
assassin  was  in  a  man's  house  by  the  name  of  Cromwell,  at  Reading,  Pennsyl 
vania.  I  am  no  believer  in  Spiritualism  or  fanaticism  of  any  kind,  I  am  a 


COMMUNICATIONS.  549 

matter-of-fact  woman,  but  for  the  intelligence  I  prayed  fervently;  take  it  for 
what  it  is  worth,  but  I  desire  that  it  never  be  made  public.     I  feel  it  to  be  a 
duty  to  give  my  name,  but  a  delicacy  prevents  me  from  so  doing. 
Yours  truly, 

ST.  CLAIRSVILLE,  BELMONT  Co.,  Onio. 

BUFFALO,  April  25,  1865. 

Hon.  Secretary  of  War: — 

SIR — I  crave  your  pardon  for  troubling  you  again  with  what  some  folks 
call  foolishness,  and  perhaps  you  have  no  faith  in.  I  have  called  several 
times  on  the  person  I  mentioned  to  you  since  I  wrote  you;  she  still  insist* 
that  the  assassin  is  hid  in  the  same  place  where  he  first  went,  and  it  is  not 
three  miles  from  the  theater;  she  thinks  he  is  clothed  in  female  attire,  and  is 
making  arrangements  to  go  off  on  a  large  boat.  I  think  it  would  be  well  to 
examine  every  female,  young  or  old,  that  wants  a  pass  to  leave  the  city,  and 
especially  if  their  destination  is  Europe.  You  are  aware,  I  presume,  that  a 
person  of  his  profession  can  adapt  themselves  to  any  disguise.  Do  not  let 
your  disbelief  in  fortune-telling  prevent  you  from  using  this  as  a  means  of 
information  to  bring  the  assassin  to  justice,  for  I  have  faith  to  believe  he  is 
concealed  in  a  house  of  that  description.  You  will  forgive  me  for  troubling 
you  when  you  know  how  much  we  loved  our  late  President. 

Your  humble  servant, 

MEEOY. 

S3  Tenth  Street. 

The  indignation  of  all  classes  of  loyal  people,  which  will 
deepen  in  its  tone  of  condemnation  and  scorn  around  the 
nameless,  unknown  grave  of  the  assassin,  with  the  years  of 
all  coming  time,  is  illustrated  in  the  curious  and  varied  cor 
respondence  copied  below.  Patriotism  and  religion  entered 
alike  into  the  absorbing  interest  of  the  exciting  national  ex 
perience  during  the  spring  of  1865. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Chronicle  :— 

As  any  tiling  pertaining  to  Booth  since  his  infamous  deed  (the  murder  of 
our  noble,  beloved  President,  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  is  lamented  by  all,  and 
above  all  by  the  soldiers,  as  a  kind,  generous  Father  departed)  possessesVan 
interest  to  the  great  reading  public,  I,  a  soldier,  relate  the  following  incident, 
as  showing  how  persistent  and  unchangeable  the  wretch  has  been  in  his 
treason  since  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion.  At  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  when  black-browed  and  defiant  treason  stretched  out  its  impious  hand, 
red  with  murder,  to  tear  in  pieces  the  Constitution,  to  which  the  millions  of 
the  North  clung,  as  to  their  sheet-anchor  of  hope,  J.  Wilkes  Booth  was  play 
ing  an  engagement  at  the  little  Gayety  Theatre,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  which  city, 
when  startled  from  its  propriety  by  the  news  of  the  unholy  attack  on  Sumter, 
attested  in  action,  more  eloquent  than  words,  its  love  for  the  old  flag,  by 
displaying  it  from  every  roof  and  window.  Booth  at  that  time  openly  and 


550  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

boldly  avowed  his  admiration  for  the  rebels  and  their  deeds,  which  he  charac 
terized  as  the  most  heroic  of  modern  times,  and  boasted  loudly  that  the 
Southern  leaders  knew  how  to  defend  their  rights,  and  would  not  submit  to 
oppression. 

So  vehement  and  incautious  was  he  in  his  expressions  that  the  people  be 
came  incensed,  and,  threatening  him  with  popular  violence,  compelled  his 
hasty  departure  from  the  city  he  had  too  long  polluted  with  his  presence. 
Before  leaving,  however,  he  attempted  the  life  of  a  lady  who,  for  the  one  or 
two  past  seasons,  has  been  an  established  favorite  at  Mrs.  John  Wood's 
Olympic  Theatre,  New  York  City,  with  whom  he  (Booth)  had  a  liaison,  as 
was  thought  by  many,  more  intimate  than  honorable ;  and  conceiving,  as  I 
suppose,  that  she,  with  a  profusion  truly  regal,  showered  her  charms  and 
blandishments  on  other  suitors,  he,  in  a  fit  of  insane  jealousy,  entered  her 
room  at  deep  midnight  and  struck  her  with  a  dagger  in  the  side.  She,  who 
could  find  no  pleasure  in  becoming  a  martyr,  merely  for  fun,  turned  upon  him 
with  the  fury  of  a  tigress,  and  in  turn  wounded  him.  Would  to  God  that  the 
dagger  of  the  actress,  to  quote  Carlyle,  "had  intervened  fatally,"  and  saved 
the  wretch  from  the  black,  gigantic  crime  that  was  impending  over  his  guilty 
head,  and  the  nation  from  the  universal  grief  which  now  shrouds  it  with  the 
funereal  gloom  of  the  grave,  and  which  has  excited  among  the  good  Blue 
Coats  of  the  army  an  indignant,  piercing  anguish,  that  goes  far  beyond  all 
power  of  description  in  words. 

A.  D.  DOTY, 
Carver  U.  S.  General  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C. 

STATE  OF  MARYLAND,  WASHINGTON  COUNTY,  to  wit : 

On  this  2d  day  of  March,  1865,  before  me,  the  subscriber,  one  of  the  Justices 
of  the  Peace  of  the  State  of  Maryland  in  and  for  Washington  County,  person 
ally  appeared  G.  Y.,  and  after  being  duly  sworn  according  to  law,  doth  depose 
and  say,  that  he  was  in  the  clothing-store  of  John  D.  Reamer  about  three 
weeks  since,  and  he  heard  Mr.  John  D.  Reamer,  in  conversation  with  William 
Gabriel,  say  that  there  was  in  Canada  from  England  fifty  thousand  men  and 
that  there  would  be  in  a  short  time  fifty  thousand  more.  He  was  then  asked 
by  Gabriel  what  that  meant,  and  in  answer  he  said  he  did  not  know,  but  we 
would  find  it  out  in  a  short  time,  and  said  that  there  was  one  hundred  thou 
sand  dollars  made  up  now  for  a  man  to  kill  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  that  the 
man  wanted  the  one-half  in  hand  and  the  balance  when  the  deed  was  done. 
He  was  asked  the  question  by  Gabriel  who  the  man  was  that  was  to  do  the 
act,  and  was  answered  by  Reamer  that  that  was  not  yet  known,  and  by  the 
1st  day  of  April  next  we  would  have  Lincoln  out  of  his  seat.  And  further 
this  deponent  saith  not.  Sworn  before 

J.  W.  COOK,  J.  P. 

I  hereby  certify  that  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original. 

J.  W.  COOK,  J.  P. 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON  : — 

DEAR  SIR — Thinking  that  any  information  tending  to  bring  the  actors  and 
accomplices  connected  with  the  late  lamentable  occurrences  in  Washington 


COMMUNICATIONS.  551 

to  the  bar  of  justice  would  be  acceptable  to  your  Government,  I  am  induced 
to  give  the  following  particulars  relative  to  a  young  man  who  came  into  our 
village  some  three  days  subsequent  to  the  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  and 
whom  I  am  inclined  to  believe  is  the  Mr.  Surratt  spoken  of  in  your  paper  as 
having  escaped  to  this  province.  He  is  a  young  man  of  twenty-four  or  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  five  feet  ten  inches,  perhaps  six  feet  in  height,  black  hair, 
parted  behind,  rather  inclined  to  curl,  lower  jaw  very  large  and  deep,  body 
small,  legs  disproportionately  lengthy,  figure  good,  bearing  soldierly.  His 
eyes  are  rather  small  and  black.  He  had  a  moustache  of  a  light  brown  when 
he  came  here,  but  dyed  black  since;  no  whiskers.  His  complexion  is  very 
fine.  He  is  stopping  with  a  Dr.  Merritt,  an  escaped  secessionist,  who  came 
here  in  December  last,  and  who  has  always,  when  speaking  of  your  Govern 
ment  and  late  Chief  Magistrate,  expressed  himself  in  terms  of  unrelenting 
bitterness  and  hostility.  It  is  currently  reported  in  our  village  that,  when  the 
news  of  the  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln  came  in,  he  fairly  danced  with  joy 
upon  the  street.  From  what  I  have  seen  of  the  man,  I  should  be  quite  pre 
pared  to  believe  him  capable  of  offering  his  house  as  a  rendezvous  for  such 
creatures  as  the  St.  Alban's  raiders  (of  whose  doings  he  seems  to  have  had 
some  foreknowledge)  and  the  villains  who  have  lately  thrown  your  country 
into  mourning.  I  send  inclosed  an  advertisement  published  by  Dr.  Merritt 
upon  his  arrival  here,  in  which  you  will  perceive  he  professes  to  have  been 
on  somewhat  intimate  terms  with  your  present  Chief  Magistrate,  President 
Johnson. 

u  J.  B.  MERRITT,  M.  D.,  would  very  respectfully  notify  the  citizens  of  Ayr 
and  surrounding  country,  that  he  has  taken  the  good-will  and  practice  of  the 
late  David  Caw,  M.  D.,  and  William  Caw,  and  will  be  found  at  the  office  lately 
occupied  by  them  in  Ayr,  on  and  after  the  1st  of  December. 

"  With  seventeen  years'  experience  in  the  treatment  of  diseases,  he  feels 
justified  in  claiming  a  share  of  the  public  patronage. 

"AYR,  November  17, 1S64.M 

"PERSONAL. — We  direct  the  attention  of  our  readers  to  the  cards  of  Drs. 
William  Caw,  and  J.  B.  Merritt.  in  another  part  of  this  issue,  the  former 
being  about  to  retire  in  favor  of  the  latter.  Mr.  Merritt  comes  to  Ayr  with 
the  best  of  recommendations  both  as  a  medical  practitioner  and  a  gentleman. 
We  have  copies  in  our  possession  of  quite  a  number  of  very  flattering  testimo 
nials  from  some  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Knoxville,  .Tennessee,  where  Mr.  M. 
formerly  practiced.  They  include  the  names  of  Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson,  M.  C., 
John  Netherland,  ex-Gov.,  W.  G.  Brownlow,  Editor  '  Knoxville  Whig,'  and 
one  from  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  which  we  give  in  full : — 

[Copy.] 

STATE  OF  TENNESSEE,  EXECUTIVE  CHAMBEB,  J 
NASHVILLE,  August  10,  1864.  j 

I  have  been  intimately  acquainted  with  Dr.  J.  B.  Merritt  for  a  long  time, 
he  having  been  my  family  physician  for  a  number  of  years.  It  affords  me 
great  pleasure  to  commend  him  as  a  first-class  physician,  and  as  a  gentleman 
entitled  to  every  degree  of  public  confidence. 

(Signed)  ANDREW  Jonxsox,  Governor. 


552  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

"Before  taking  the  step  I  have  done  by  writing  the  above,  I  consulted  a 
most  intelligent  and  efficient  magistrate,  a  resident  of  this  place,  upon  the 
matter,  and  he  unhesitatingly  indorsed  the  propriety  of  my  communicating 
with  you,  and,  like  me,  would  be  only  too  happy  in  being  in  any  degree 
instrumental  in  bringing  any  of  those  villains,  whether  raiders  or  assassins,  to 
the  bar  of  justice. 

By  communicating  with  Robert  Wyllie,  Esq.,  J.  P.,  or  with  me,  if  it  be 
thought  advisable,  any  information  that  you  may  desire  in  addition  to  the 
above,  if  possible  to  give  it,  will  be  most  cheerfully  forwarded  to  you. 

Dr.  T.  J.  Reid,  one  of  your  officers,  at  present  on  duty  in  the  Findlay 
Hospital,  Washington,  can  give  you  all  needed  information  as  to  our  village, 
its  whereabouts,  Robert  Wyllie,  Esq.,  and  your  correspondent. 

Sincerely  regretting  that  condnct  so  barbarous  as  the  assassination  of 
your  departed  President  and  the  attempted  assassination  of  your  Secretary  of 
State  should  have  been  witnessed  in  your  midst  to  call  for  a  communication 
of  this  character, 

I  am,  Sir,  your  obt., 

G.  W.  BINQHAM,  M.  D. 

ATK,  COUNTY  WATERLOO,  CANADA  WEST,  | 
April  25, 1865.  j 

YOEK,  PA.,  May  9, 1864. 
Col.  L.  C.  BAKER:— 

SIR — I  had  the  honor  to  suggest  to  you,  at  one  time,  that  I  thought  Booth 
was  secreted  in  underground  apartments  in  the  city,  and  that  he  might  attempt 
to  escape  in  the  disguise  of  a  female.  Subsequent  developments  demonstrated 
that  I  was  right  in  regard  to  the  underground  apartment,  but  wrong  as  to 
Booth.  It  was  another  one  of  the  conspirators  that  was  secreted  there  at  the 
time.  As  to  the  disguise,  I  suppose,  that  was  subsequently  attempted — not 
by  Booth,  of  course,  but  by  another. 

There  is  a  point,  I  think,  connected  with  the  plot,  which,  if  the  Judge- 
Advocate  could  draw  out  of  any  of  the  prisoners  or  witnesses,  would  make  a 
stronger  case,  viz.,  the  plan  and  canvass  of  the  practicability  of  escaping  from 
the  city  in  a  balloon,  which  I  think  they  had  at  one  time. 

I  submit  to  your  consideration  the  following  opinions  or  points:  That 
quite  a  number  of  persons,  cognizant  of  and  connected  with  the  conspiracy, 
are  still  at  large;  that  they  have  a  headquarters  still,  where  they  meet,  and 
plan,  and  advise ;  that  said  headquarters  are  probably  in  some  back  office  or 
rooms  in  the  city,  unknown  to  the  authorities ;  and  that  their  chief  conspira 
tor,  plotter,  adviser,  and  arch-devil,  at  present,  is  a  sly,  cunning,  quiet,  long 
headed  shoemaker  or  cobbler,  who  works  upon  his  bench,  and  plots  crime 
unsuspected. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

E.  MATTOCKS. 

CITY  OF  NEW  YOIIK,  April  28, 1865. 

Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON:— 

SIR — The  body  of  the  assassin  Booth  should  have  no  place  on  American 
soil.  What  State,  county,  or  town,  would  consent  to  give  him  a  burying- 


COMMUNICATIONS.  553 

place?      None  but  his  sympathizers,  and  they  should  not  be   allowed  to 
have  it. 

I  would  suggest  that  an  inquest  in  full  be  had,  and  a  full  and  complete 
perpetual  history  be  made  of  all  the  circumstances,  with  the  verdict  of  univer 
sal  condemnation  be  pronounced  upon  him,  a  copy  of  which  to  be  put  in  a 
bottle,  and,  with  Booth,  be  sunk  in  the  ocean,  in  the  deppest  part  thereof,  to 
be  food  for  reptiles,  and  to  inform  future  posterity  of  his  infamy. 

Your  obedient  servant,  , 

LE ANDES  Fox. 

123  HUDSON  STREET. 

To  Hon.  Mr.  STANTON  : — 

I  am  glad  to  read  this  morning  that  the  Booths  are  being  searched  and 
arrested,  but  oh,  be  vigilant ;  let  not  the  cellar  nor  the  housetop  escape  notice, 
let  not  the  darkey  that  washes  dishes  nor  old  lady  who  knits  in  her  easy  chair 
fail  to  be  looked  in  the  face,  for  with  them  it  is  nothing  but  play  to  perform 
what  has  so  long  been  rehearsed.  Perhaps  he  is  in  bed,  with  the  cap  and 
nightgown  of  a  female,  feigning  sickness.  Let  all  things  be  done. 

Arrest  Edwin  Booth  also;  it  will  do  no  harm,  for  I  think  he  and  his 
mother  are  very  near  to  the  murderer.  0  please,  for  the  sake  of  the  honor 
and  safety  of  people  in  general,  do  pass  a  law  punishable  with  death  for  either 
sex  to  wear  the  other's  apparel.  "Without  this  all  villains  will  run  rampant 
through  this  fair  land,  and  none  will  be  safe.  The  utmost  severity  is  needed 
in  this  trying  hour,  and  if  it  is  not  done,  others  more  inferior  will  trample  all 
law  under  foot. 

When  going  to  the  funeral  of  our  loved  President,  I  was  'asked  by  my 
neighbor  if  I  was  going  to  a  circus. 

May  God  grant  your  search  may  not  be  in  vain,  for  we  are  filled  with  those 
that  rejoice  in  our  midst,  and  none  more  so  than  those  who  have  grown  rich 
in  this  bloody  war. 

In  haste, 

JUSTICE. 

NEW  YOKE,  April  27, 1865. 

CLEVELAND,  Oiiio,  April  27, 1865. 
The  Hon.  the  Secretary  of  War,  Washington  : — 

SIR — Allow  me  to  suggest  that  the  skeleton  of  the  assassin  Booth  be  pre 
served  and  placed  in  appropriate  receptacle,  in  order  the  more  fully  to  per 
petuate  his  infamy  and  be  u  a  terror  to  evil  doers." 

I  am,  Sir,  yours  with  the  utmost  respect, 

J.  B.  GEIBBLE. 

PHILADELPHIA,  April  27, 1S65. 

To  Secretary  STANTON  : — 

BESPECTED  SIR — Has  the  theater  been  examined  critically  by  an  architect 
or  a  practical  builder.  They  could  best  detect  any  hiding-place  formed  by 
double  floors,  angular  ceilings  or  roofs,  partitions,  or  the  straightening  of 
crooked  walls ;  also  private  communications  with  adjoining  houses. 

The  hired  horse,  spurs,  and  rider  may  have  been  to  blind.     If  newspapers 


554  UNITED  STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

contained  the  likeness  and  description  of  the  murderer,  the  colored  man  South 
as  well  as  the  whole  North  might  be  detectives.  May  God  give  you  success. 
With  great  respect, 

I  remain  yours, 

•  R.  T.  K. 

N.  B. — There  is  scarcely  a  house  in  this  city  but  is  so  built  that  five  or  ten 
men  could  not  be  concealed  in  it.  None  but  a  builder  perhaps  could  detect 
the  place.  If  it  was  thought  proper  to  examine,  I  would  suggest  that  a  small 
dog  should  be  with  them. 

An  Englishman  in  Montreal,  who,  previous  to  the  mur 
der  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  had  sympathized  strongly  with  the  South, 
and  associated  with  their  agents  in  Canada,  and  has  been 
fully  posted  in  their  movements,  said  that  the  assassination 
was  too  much  for  him,  and  stated  that  he  knew  that  during 
the  20th  of  April  the  Southern  agents  heard  from  the  party 
that  murdered  the  President,  and  they  expected  him  to 
arrive  in  Montreal  within  forty-eight  hours — not  sure  that  it 
was  Booth,  but  one  closely  connected  with  assassination,  if 
not  the  principal — that  he  is  sure  he  will  have  him  in  thirty 
minutes  after  arrival — that  he  will  probably  arrive  ma  Troy 
and  Burlington,  or  W.  B,.  Junction,  but  most  likely  by 
Ohio  Central. 

This  information  was  given  by  said  Englishman  to  Alder 
man  Lyman  of  this  city  (Montreal),  by  Lyman  to  Mr. 
Cheney,  an  American,  brother  of  the  Expressman,  Cheney  & 
Co. ;  and  Cheney  came  to  St.  Alban's  and  gave  it  to  Governor 
Smith. 

Honorable  EDWIN  M.  STANTON  : — 

HONORED  AND  DEAR  SIR — In  the  disposal  of  the  remains  of  the  assassin 
of  President  Lincoln,  I  would  suggest  the  following :  Let  his  body  be  inclosed 
in  a  sack  of  shoddy,  and  carried  out  to  sea,  beyond  soundings,  thrown  over 
board,  there  to  remain  to  death  and  hell  give  up  their  dead. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

JOHN  MCLAUGHLIN. 

FEANKLIN  ROAP,  PHILADELPHIA, 
April  29, 1865. 

A  few  days  after  the  assassination,  the  subjoined  mys 
terious  letter  was  picked  up  in  Ford's  Theatre,  which  as  a 
relic  of  the  times  is  put  on  record,  with  another  anonymous 
epistle  of  different  tone,  which  fell  into  my  hands  : 


"K.  B.  G."— THE  HANDKERCHIEF.  555 

PHILADELPHIA,  Thursday  Night. 

DEAR  SIB — You  are  hereby  notified  that  your  presence  in  Philadelphia  is 
obnoxious  to  the  "Knights  of  the  Blue  Gauntlet,"  and  that  at  a  general  con 
vocation  held  this  night,  beneath  the  folds  of  the  "Starry  Banner,"  it  was 
determined  to  notify  you  of  the  fact,  and  to  give  you  ten  days  from  date  to 
place  yourself  without  the  pale  of  our  jurisdiction.  Beware,  the  Lapwing  is 
on  your  track — the  Moccasin  lies  hungry  in  your  path — the  true  "  Knights  of 
the  Blue  Gauntlet "  are  not  triflers.  ****** 

To  L.  GARLAND,  Actor,  &c.,  814  Market  street. 

Oh!  What  a  joke. 

Secesh  &  Co.  have  treated  your  honorable  body  with  one  of  their  latest 
Lincoln  jokes.  Wilkes  Booth  &  Co.  are  under  a  thousand  obligations  for  the 
pass  you  have,  in  your  hour  of  great  gratification,  granted  an  intimate  friend 
of  his.  Your  military  as  well  as  detective  force  is  not  worth  powder  and 
lead  to  kill  them.  We  thank  you,  honorable  Sirs,  with  sincerity,  for  your 
official  stupidity,  and  shall,  through  a  different  channel,  enable  you  to  patron 
ize  the  vendors  of  crape  in  a  wholesome  way.  Know  then,  all  the  rewards 
you  may  hereafter  offer  is  of  no  avail,  and  further,  that  we  will  have  the 
gratification  to  publish  our  friends  safely  at  your  expense.  Oh!  what  an 
immense  joke.  How  are  you,  base,  foul  Yankee  trash.  Signed  for  over 
ten  thousand  sworn  and  tried  friends  in  the  District  of  Columbia.  Think  of 
that,  base  tyrants,  and  tremble. 

A  WASHINGTONIAN. 

The  papers  transmitted  here  were  forwarded  to  me,  with 
the  handkerchief  referred  to  in  them,  and  have  at  least  a 
single  point  of  special  interest.  They  show  how  near  the  son 
of  the  female  assassin,  himself  deserving  the  halter,  came 
to  sharing  this  fate  with  his  mother.  The  statements  also 
underrate  the  instinctive  vigilance  of  the  quickened  thought 
of  the  people,  making  otherwise  ordinary  events  significant, 
and  often  detective,  when  a  great  crime  has  been  committed. 

MONTREAL,  April  27,  1865. 

Colonel  L.  C.  BAKER: — 

DEAR  SIR — I  have  seen  Governor  Smith  of  Vermont,  and  from  him  ob 
tained  all  the  facts  in  relation  to  the  information  he  obtained  from  this  city. 
Inclosed  you  will  please  find  a  copy.  While  in  Burlington  I  obtained  a  white 
linen  handkerchief,  which  was  dropped  in  the  Vermont  Central  Depot,  on 
Thursday  evening,  April  20,  by  one  of  three  strange  men  who  slept  in  depot 
all  Thursday  night.  These  men  came  from  steamer  Canada,  Captain  Flagg. 
She  was  very  late  that  evening ;  did  not  connect  with  the  train  north  (Montreal), 
which  leaves  at  seven  o'clock,  p.  M.  They  came  into  the  depot  between  seven 
and  a  half  and  eight  o'clock,  after  the  night  watchmen  came  on  duty.  They 


556  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

had  no  baggage ;  not  even  a  bundle.  They  were  all  rather  poorly  dressed, 
looked  rather  hard,  worn-out,  tired.  The  night  watchman,  C.  II.  B.,  is  a 
sharp,  intelligent  fellow.  He  asked  them  which  way  they  were  going ;  they 
said,  to  Montreal.  He  told  them  that  they  could  not  go  that  night.  They 
knew  that.  He  wanted  to  know  if  they  did  not  want  to  go  to  a  hotel.  They 
said  no,  that  they  were  going  to  stay  in  the  depot.  They  did  not  appear  to 
have  much  of  any  thing  to  do  with  one  another,  or  any  thing  to  say  to  one 
another.  They  took  separate  seats  around  the  room,  curled  themselves  up, 
and  went  to  sleep.  They  remained  quiet  all  night.  About  four  o'clock  A.  M., 
B.  woke  them  up  to  take  the  train,  which  they  did.  After  the  train  left,  B. 
saw  what  he  supposed  some  dirty  cloth  on  the  floor  about  the  place  where 
one  of  them  slept.  He  picked  this  material  up,  thinking  that  it  would  do  to 
wipe  his  lantern  with.  While  handling  the  stuff,  he  found  that  he  had  got 
two  very  dirty  pocket-handkerchiefs.  They  had  tobacco  juice  all  over  them. 
While  looking  his  prize  over,  he  found  the  name  of  J.  H.  Surratt,  No.  2,  on 
the  corner  of  one  of  the  handkerchiefs.  The  other  was  unmarked.  He  took 
them  home.  His  mother,  with  whom  he  lives,  was  away,  attending  to  a  sick 
brother,  and  did  not  return  until  Saturday  morning.  The  brother  died  on 
Tuesday  evening,  the  night  these  men  remained  in  the  depot.  B.  got  his 
mother  to  wash  the  handkerchiefs,  which  she  did  on  Saturday  morning. 
During  Saturday,  P.  M.,  B.  went  to  the  city  and  told  this  circumstance  of  his 
finding  the  handkerchiefs.  Detective  G.  0.  heard  of  it,  and  got  the  handker 
chief  from  B.,  and  I  got  the  handkerchief  from  C.  Inclosed,  you  will  find 
that — B.  said  one  of  the  men  was  tall,  and  the  others  short.  He  fully  identi 
fies  the  likeness  of  Surratt  as  being  one  of  the  men.  I  then  found  the  con 
ductor  that  ran  the  train  from  Burlington  to  Essex  Junction.  The  baggage 
man  ran  the  train  up  that  Friday  morning,  the  21st.  He  was  very  sick  when 
I  called  on  him.  He  had  some  recollection  of  three  men  whom  he  found  in 
the  depot,  and  he,  too,  fully  identifies  Surratt's  picture  as  being  that  of  one 
of  the  men  who  went  up  with  him.  I  next  found  the  conductor  who  ran  the 
through  train  to  St.  Alban's,  Vermont.  His  name  is  C.  T.  Hobart,  a  very 
gentlemanly  and  intelligent  man,  belongs  to  the  Vermont  Central  Railroad. 
His  trip  ends  at  St.  Alban's,  Vermont,  on  Tuesdays  and  Fridays.  He  gives 
this  description  of  two  men  who  got  on  his  train  at  Essex  Junction,  Vermont : 
One  very  tall  man,  over  six  feet,  and  a  short  man,  not  much  over  five  feet. 
This  was  on  Friday  morning,  April  21,  5.05  o'clock,  A.  M.,  he  being  twenty- 
five  minutes  late  that  morning.  These  two  men  had  no  money  to  pay  their 
fare  with,  so  they  said.  Their  story  was,  they  were  Canadians,  had  been  to 
New  York  city  to  work.  These  two  and  another  man  roomed  together,  they 
worked  together,  got  paid  off  together.  During  the  night,  after  being  paid 
off,  the  third  man  got  up,  rifled  their  pockets,  and  made  off  with  all  their 
money.  They  were  penniless;  could  get  money  when  they  got  home;  would 
do  so,  and  would  then  pay  him.  They  had  a  description  of  the  man  who  had 
robbed  them,  which  was  a  copy  of  one  they  gave  to  some  New  York  detec 
tive,  whom  they  named.  The  conductor  had  a  good  deal  of  talk  with  the  tall 
one ;  the  other  would  not  say  any  thing.  He  went  to  them  three  or  four 
times,  for  he  thought  they  had  money,  but  was  on  the  beat.  The  tall  one 


SUSPICIOUS  TRAVELERS.  557 

offered  his  coat  as  security.     Conductor  told  them  that  they  were  able-bodied 
men,  and  ought  not  to  be  traveling  without  money  to  pay  their  way.     They 
did  not  want  to  go  any  further  than  St.  Alban's,  as  they  would  be  going 
away  from  home  to  continue  on  toward  St.  John's,  C.  E.     Here  is  his  story — 
one  very  tall  man,  six  feet  one  inch,  or  more  (being  taller  than  the  conductor, 
who  is  five  feet  eleven  and  a  half  inches),  broad  shoulders,  otherwise  slim, 
straight  as  an  arrow ;  did  not  look  like  a  laborer,  although  dressed  rather 
poor ;  had  on  a  loose  sack-coat,  colored ;  cassimere  shirt,  all  one  color ;  collar 
some  turned  over ;  an  old  spotted  scarf,  long,  which  hung  down  and  was  held 
by  the  vest,  which  was  light  color,  buttoned  half  way  up,  old  style ;  light-colored 
pants,  being  loose,  had  the  appearance  of  having  no  suspenders  on ;  had  on  a 
light-colored,  tight-fitting  skull-cap.     His  entire  outfit  was  rather  dusty,  dirty, 
and  seedy.     His  hair  was  black  as  jet  and  straight ;  no  beard,  nor  the  appear 
ance  of  any  ;  was  young,  not  more  than  twenty-one  or  twenty-two.     He  left 
the  train  at  St.  Alban's.     The  other  man  was  a  good  deal  shorter,  not  much 
over  five  feet,  thick  set,  short  neck,  full  face,  sandy  complexion,  thin  sandy 
chin  whiskers  or  goatee,  light  in  quantity ;   no  other  beard.     He  wore  a  soft 
black  felt  hat,  very  dusty  ;  dark-colored  sack-coat,  either  black-brown  or  blue; 
light-colored  pants ;  reddish-colored  flannel  shirt.     Did  not  see  any  vest,  as 
he  had  his  coat  buttoned  up.     He  done  but  little  talking — had  not  much  to 
say  for  himself,  let  the  tall  man  do  that.     The  great  object  of  both  was  to  get 
home  to  Canada.     He  got  off  the  train  at  St.  Alban's.     0.  S.  H.  boards  at  the 
Mansion  Hotel  at  St.  Alban's,  and  as  he  was  going  into  the  house  he  saw 
these  two  men  coming  down  the  street  toward  the  house.     He  watched  them 
for  a  few  minutes.     They  turned  the  corner  going  toward  the  depot  again, 
but  they  did  not  take  the  cars  again.     He  fully  identifies  Surratt's  picture  as 
the  tall  one;  the  other  is  not  known.     He  says  he  should  know  Surratt  at  any 
place  or  anywhere.     They  seemed  determined  to  ride  on  the  platform.     H. 
pulled  them  both  in  by  the  collar,  saying  if  they  rode  with  him  they  must  do 
so  inside,  which  they  did,  keeping  close  to  the  door  all  the  time.     H.  said 
after  he  got  to  bed  he  could  not  go  to  sleep  for  nearly  two  hours,  thinking 
about  those  fellows.     He  felt  as  if  they  had  beat  him,  and  that  they  were  very 
likely  a  pair  of  the  assassins.     He  spoke  to  some  friend  about  the  matter,  and 
gave  vent  to  his  suspicions.     He  thought  no  more  of  them  until  I  spoke  to 
him  on  the  subject.     I  never  saw  such  looseness  in  the  police  business  as  they 
have  up  here.     All  these  lines  are  regular  highways  for  men  or  women  of 
the  true  Southern  style.     They  have  no  more  fears  of  passing  through  along 
the  northern  border  of  Vermont  or  New  York  than  though  the  territory  was 
in  Dixie.     C.,  the  only  one  of  the  six  men  sent  to  Richmond  to  get  the 
raiders'  commissions  who   succeeded  in  getting   through   to  Canada,   came 
boldly  into  St.  Alban's,  registered  his  name  in  full  from  Richmond,  Va.,  care 
lessly  remarking  that  St.  Alban's  was  a  tough  place  for  a  man  to  come  to 
from  Richmond,  Va.     None  molested  him ;  he  got  into  Canada  safe  with  his 
papers.     The  Provost-Marshal  at  A.  says  that  he  never  had  any  instructions 
as  to  what  were  his  duties  or  his  powers,  only  to  arrest  deserters  and  forward 
them  to  New  Haven,  Conn.     He  says  he  don't  know  that  he  has  the  power 
to  arrest  or  search  anybody,  and  if  he  had  ever  arrested  anybody,  he  should 


558  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

have  arrested  them  under  the  very  stringent  vagrant  law  passed  by  Vermont. 
I  asked  him  if  the  commission  of  captain  and  provost-marshal  made  only  a 
town  constable  of  him.  He  said  he  did  not  know  any  thing  of  the  duties  or 
powers  of  the  Provost-Marshal's  office.  He  has  always  been  a  rank  "  copper 
head  "  Democrat,  but  is  a  brother-in-law  of  Governor  Smith ;  so  last  fall  he 
went  the  "  Reb."  ticket  and  got  appointed  Provost-Marshal.  He  has  just 
gone  out  to  Kansas  City  on  bis.  or  pleasure.  There  is  a  young  major  Post 
Commandant,  who  has  four  companies  of  vets,  here,  with  some  ten  or  twelve 
officers,  but  two  privates  are  allowed  to  examine  trains  alone.  The  major 
says  that  he  supposed  such  duties  belonged  to  the  Provost-Marshal.  Then 
again,  the  Governor  assumes  some  little  powers  in  small  details.  Power  and 
authority  seem  to  clash — don't  work  together.  As  a  consequence,  nothing  is 
done  by  any  of  them  until  too  late.  Noted  rebels  pass  there  every  week  or 
two  to  New  York  and  back.  A  Miss  M.  came  up  on  Saturday  last.  She  goes 
back  and  forth  at  will,  no  doubt  carrying  letters  and  dispatches.  There  are 
several  men  who  do  the  same.  The  conductors  know  them  ;  but  there  is  no 
Provost-Marshal  or  other  officer  who  seems  to  have  the  power  or  inclination 
to  arrest  and  search  any  of  these  parties.  There  is  hardly  a  doubt  but  that 
Surratt  and  one  or  two  others  are  in  this  province  ;  who  the  others  are  I  can 
not  tell — may  be  persons  who  are  not  known  to  fame  as  yet.  Inclosed  I  send 
you  a  likeness  of  one  of  the  Paynes,  of  whom  there  are  seven  brothers,  all  Ken- 
tuckians.  Three  are  said  to  be  in  South  America,  one  in  jail  at  St.  Alban's, 
and  the  others  here,  as  you  hare  a  Payne,  may  be  one  of  these  brothers.  The 
picture  is  marked  on  the  back.  If  of  no  use,  please  send  it  back  to  the  owner, 
Mr.  Samuel  Williams,  Secretary  of  Civil  and  Military  Affairs,  St.  Alban's,  Vt. 
I  have  placed  those  pictures  in  the  hands  of  the  Provost-Marshal,  American 
consul,  &c.  Shall  go  down  to  Richmond,  C.  E.,  Three  Rivers,  Quebec,  Point 
Levi,  then  through  Upper  Canada.  Any  orders  or  instructions  by  letter  or 
by  telegraph  can  find  me,  directed  to  the  care  of  S.  S.  Potter,  Esq.,  American 
Consul-General,  Montreal,  C.  E.  Shall  drop  any  information  I  can  get.  I  am 
going  out  into  what  are  called  the  townships,  that  portion  of  Canada  East 
bordering  on  Maine,  New  York,  and  Vermont  north.  Many  rebels  are  in 
there.  Young  Saunders  is  out  there  now,  together  with  others.  Potterfield, 
a  dangerous  rebel,  is  making  preparations  to  go  to  Nashville,  Tenn. ;  ought 
not  to  be  allowed.  Towbridge,  another,  who  ran  a  vessel-load  of  slaves  into 
Mobile  (the  Wanderer),  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  Clinton  State  Prison, 
but  escaped  from  the  officers,  has  gone  to  Detroit  under  some  protection  got 
by  E.,  who  says  he  is  a  cousin  (cozzen,  I  guess). 
I  am  respectfullv.  &c., 

G.  A.  G. 

HKADQUARTKR8   UNITED   STATES   BARRACKS,  ) 

ST.  ALBAN'S,  VERMONT,  April  30,  1865.      j 

MAJOR — One  week  ago  last  Thursday  night  three  men  slept  in  th* 
R.  &  B.  Depot,  Burlington,  Vermont.  They  came  in  late  at  night  by  boat, 
and  inquired  for  the  first  train  for  Montreal,  and  took  it,  coming  as  far  as  St. 
Alban's,  Vermont,  when  they  took  stage  to  Franklin,  Vermont,  and  thence 
off  out  into  Canada.  A  detective  from  Colonel  Baker's  force  was  through 


THE   PHOTOGRAPHS.  559 

this  place  last  Tuesday,  and  he  exhibited  a  handkerchief  with  Surratt's  name 
upon  it,  which  was  found  in  the  depot  during  the  day,  Friday,  following  the 
Thursday  night  these  men  slept  in  the  building.  These  men,  or  two  in  par 
ticular,  were  noticed  by  the  conductor  on  their  way  to  St.  Alban's,  and  when 
the  photographs  of  Surratt  were  shown  him  he  said  at  once  that  they  fully 
answered  to  one  of  the  men  who  were  on  his  train  the  Friday  morning  spoken 
of.  He  also  said  the  photograph  of  Harrold  answered  well  for  another  of  the 
men.  The  detective  was  very  sure,  from  his  tracings,  that  Harrold  and  Sur 
ratt  had  passed  through  here  on  the  day  in  question.  Later  developments 
have  proved  him  mistaken  as  to  Harrold.  I  had  men  who  passed  over  every 
train,  and  the  men  saw  these  men,  took  notice  of  them,  &c.,  but  they  did  not 
answer  to  the  description  which  they  had  of  men  they  were  ordered  to  arrest, 
consequently  did  not  arrest  them.  I  have  traced  these  men,  two  of  them,  into 
Canada;  they  live  in  Broom,  have  been  South,  are  deserters  from  our  army, 
and,  upon  the  whole,  desperate  fellows.  This  circumstance,  then,  is  all  that  is 
worth  noticing.  These  men  are  from  the  South,  and  I  suppose  there  is  little 
doubt  that  one  of  them  dropped  the  handkerchief  in  question.  Now,  in  view 
of  the  place  they  have  come  from,  and  the  handkerchief,  what  is  the  circum 
stance  worth  ?  The  two  men  I  have  followed  into  Canada  are  both  known  in 
the  town  where  they  were  found,  and  neither  of  them  Surratt  or  Harrold. 
But  still  what  did  they  have  Surratt's  handkerchief  for,  &c.  ?  I  was  told  this 
man  could  be  found  any  time  in  Swatebury  or  Broom.  What  action  shall  be 
taken  ?  Can  money  expended  in  searching  for  these  men  be  recovered  ? 
I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  GKOUT,  Jr., 
Major  First  Regiment  F.  C.  Commanding  Post. 

To  Major  AUSTIN,  Military  Commander,  Brattleboro,  Vt. 

DEPARTMENT  OP  THE  EAST,  NEW  YORK,  May  3. 1865. 

Major-General  J.  A.  Dix,  Commanding: — 

Refers  communication  from  Major  J.  Grout,  Jr.,  dated  at  St.  Alban's, 
Canada  West,  relative  to  two  suspicious  characters  who  appear  to  be  impli 
cated  in  the  Harrold  and  Surratt  conspiracy. 

Colonel  BURNETT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OP  THK  EAST,  | 
NEW  YORK  CITY,  May  3,  1865.  J 

Respectfully  referred  to  the  Adjutant-General,  United  States  Army. 

JOHN  A.  Dix, 
Major-General  Commanding. 

Respectfully  forwarded  to  headquarters  Department  of  the  East,  New 
York. 

FR.  AUSTIN, 

Major  U.  S.  A.,  Military  Commander. 
BRATTLEDORO,  VEBMOHT,  May  1, 1865, 


560  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  May  9, 1865. 

Respectfully  referred  to  Colonel  L.  C.  Baker,  Agent  War  Department. 

H.  S.  BURNETT, 
Brevet  Colonel,  Judge-Advocate. 

The  following  letters,  written  a  year  earlier,  of  a  more 
domestic  nature,  will  make  a  fitting  and  rather  amusing 
accompaniment  to  the  story  of  the  handkerchief : — 

SURBATTSVILLK,  MARYLAND,  December  16,  18C3. 

Miss  BELL  SEAMAN  : — 

DEAR  COUSIN — "To  live,  is  to  learn,"  which  has  been  fully  verified  by  the 
contents  of  your  rather  surprising  letter.  I  must  confess,  rny  dear  Cousin, 
tha.,  your  letter  was  short,  sweet,  and  to  the  point.  Unkindncss  is  something, 
Cousin  Bell,  I  have  never  yet  been  willfully  guilty  of,  yet  no  doubt  you  con 
strued  my  letter  to  that  effect.  "Judge  ye  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged," 
is  a  wise  maxim,  and  one  to  which  I  always  well  look.  "Look  before  you 
leap." 

"Satisfied  in  my  conclusions,"  is  the  sentence  in  which  you  find  so  much 
fault.  Well,  ma  chere  Cousin,  to  explain  those  four  words,  it  is  necessary  to 
retrace  our  steps  to  a  certain  letter  you  wrote  me,  which  contained  something 
about  "having  more  principle  than  to  hold  an  office  under  a  Government  you 
pretend  to  despise."  In  fact,  you  concluded  that  I  was  a  hot-headed  rebel, 
one  belonging  to  the  horned  tribe,  for  they  tell  me  they  have  horns,  and  that 
I  ought  not  to  hold  an  office  under  this  E poor  busted  up  Union,  consequently 
my  being  superseded,  "satisfied  you  in  your  conclusion."  Is  it  not  so,  my 
dear  Cousin  ?  Do  tell  me,  won't  you  ?  I  sincerely  hope  now,  Cousin,  that  you 
are  really  satisfied  in  your  conclusions  about  my  meaning. 

Anna  started  for  Steubenville,  Ohio,  last  Monday  week,  and  has  arrived 
safely,  but  I  believe  lost  her  trunk.  I  arrived  from  Washington  a  few  hours 
ago,  and  found  your  letter  awaiting  me.  I  have  proved  my  loyalty,  so  that  it 
cannot  be  doubted,  and  will  regain  my  office  as  P.  M.  Joy  is  mine!  Cousin 
Bell,  I  expect  you  think  I  am  a  hard  case.  Without  doubt  I  am  the  Grossest, 
most  ill-contrived  being  that  ever  was.  Just  ask  Anna,  when  you  see  her, 
for  a  description  of  your  Cousin. 

Pardon  my  conclusion,  but  I  am  getting  really  sleepy.  It  is  now  ten 
o'clock,  an  hour  after  my  bed-time,  for  I  go  by  the  old  saying,  "  Early  to  bed, 
and  early  to  rise,  makes  a  man  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wise."  Ma  sends  her 
love  to  you  and  family.  Write  soon,  as  nothing  gives  me  greater  pleasure 
than  to  receive  a  letter  from  you. 

Your  Cousin, 

J.  HARRISON  SURRATT. 

SURRATT'B  VILLA,  MARYLAND,  August  1,  1864. 

MY  DEAR  COUSIN  BELL — You  ask  me  if  we  have  warm  weather  in  Mary 
land,  My  Maryland.  If  you  have  it  to  such  a  degree  as  you  represent  it,  up 
North,  what  must  it  be  in  our  hot-headed  South  ?  Yes,  Coz,  if  wo  had  you 


"COUSIN  BELL."  561 

down  here  we  would  soon  convert  you  into  "sugar,"  and  then  use  yon  to 
sweeten  our  dispositions.  You  know  'tis  the  extremely  hot  weather  that 
makes  us  "  Eebs  "  so  savage,  cruel,  and  disagreeable.  Yes,  Cousin  Bell,  it  is 
so  warm  that  we  can  neither  eat,  sleep,  sit  down,  stand  up,  walk  about,  and 
in  fact,  to  sum  the  whole  in  a  nutshell,  it  is  too  warm  to  do  any  thing. 

So  you  think  I  have  a  great  deal  of  assurance.  I  am  sorry  to  say  you  are 
the  first  one  that  ever  told  me  so.  On  the  contrary,  I  am  a  very  bashful, 
and  perfectly  unsophisticated  youth.  As  every  thing  pleases  yon,  I  a  in  over 
joyed  to  know  that  you  are  pleased  with  me,  as  very  few  young  ladies  take  a 
fancy  to  me.  I  am  really  delighted.  You  have  told  me  more  than  ever 
woman  dared  to  tell.  Coz.  Bell,  you  ask  me  why  I  do  not  get  married? 
Simply  because  I  can  find  no  one  who  will  have"  me.  Often  have  they  vowed, 
yes.  But — 

"This  record  will  forever  stand — 
Woman,  thy  vows  are  traced  in  sand." — BYKON. 

If  you  know  of  any  lovely  angel,  in  human  form,  desirous  of  a  "matrimo 
nial  correspondence,"  just  tell  her  to  indite  a  few  lines  to  your  humble  Cousin, 
and  I  can  assure  her  she  will  not  be  sorry  for  it. 

August  IQth. — Well,  Coz.,  I  have  just  been  on  a  visit  of  a  week's  duration. 
It  always  takes  me  about  two  weeks  to  write  a  letter.  Ma  and  Anna  are  sit 
ting  in  the  hall  enjoying  the  evening  breeze,  whilst  I  am  sitting  over  my  desk, 
almost  cracking  my  brain  in  order  to  find  something  to  fill  up  these  pages,  for, 
Cousin  Bell,  you  must  have  perceived,  long  before  this,  that  I  am  a  poor  letter 
writer.  I  had  almost  forgotten  to  tell  you  that  I  called  on  your  friend.  Mr. 
Wm.  Underwood,  at  the  Carver  Hospital.  He  has  nearly  recovered  from  his 
wound,  though  it  has  not  yet  quite  healed.  He  intended  going  home  in  a 
week  or  two,  and  perhaps  he  may  be  there  now,  as  it  has  been  over  a  week 
since  I  saw  him. 

Have  you  heard  from  your  Uncle  James  lately?  There  has  been  some 
very  hard  fighting  out  West  recently,  and  you  know,  Cousin  Bell,  that  the  foe 
has  very  little  regard  where  he  directs  his  bullets.  May  God  preserve  him, 
and  grant  that  he  may  see  the  end  of  this  unholy  war  without  harm.  At 
what  time  does  your  vacation  arrive?  Doubtless  you  look  forward  to  that 
time  with  a  great  deal  of  impatience. 

I  am  very  sorry  to  think  that  it  is  your  intention  to  become  an  old  maid. 
The  horrible  creatures!  curses  upon  society!  a  perfect  plague!  always  med 
dling  with  affairs  that  do  not  concern  them  !  This  is  my  opinion  of  old  maids. 
I  express  it  to  you,  because  you  have  not  yet  arrived  at  that  state  of  misery 
and  despair.  They  are  looked  upon  down  our  way  as  unnatural  beings — 
something  forsaken  by  God,  man,  and  devil.  So  beware!  Coz.,  I  met  a 
gentleman  from  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  by  the  name  of  Stevenson, 
who  is  very  well  acquainted  with  the  name  of  Surratt — so  he  says.  Do  you 
know  any  thing  of  him?  He  is  a  very  nice  man,  and  a  perfect  gentleman. 
Have  you  heard  any  thing  of  the  Rebel  Captain,  I  have  not  heard  from  him 
for  some  time? 

Really,  I  must  bring  my  tiresome  letter  to  a  close.  Every  thing  looks  liko 
starvation.  Very  encouraging,  is  it  not  ?  I  hopo  you  will  answer  soon,  as 
36 


562  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

nothing  gives  me  greater  pleasure  than  to  receive  a  letter  from  yon.  Cousin 
Bell,  I  am  not  prone  to  flatter,  so  you  must  believe  what  I  say.  Ma  and 
Anna  send  their  love  to  you.  I  wish  you  knew  Ma,  I  know  yon  would  like 
her.  Neither  of  us  is  like  her.  My  brother  resembles  her  very  much.  Ho 
is  the  best  looking  of  the  family.  That  is  sayiitg  a  good  deal  for  myself. 
Excuse  this  miserable  scrawl,  as  I  have  to  dip  my  pen  in  the  stand  at  every 
word.  Anna  has  just  commenced  playing  the  "  Hindoo  Mother."  I  would 
advise  you  to  get  it.  It  is  really  beautiful.  Good-by.  I  hope  to  see  you 
before  many  months. 

Your  Cousin, 

J.  HARRISON  SURRATT. 
"  To  whom  shall  we  Grant  the  Meade  of  praise  ?"     Ha !  ha ! 

OFFICE  OF  TUB  COMMISSAKY-GEKF.RAT,  OF  PRISONERS,  I 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  February  6,  1805.  J 

Miss  BELL  SEAMAN: — 

DEAR  COUSIN — I  received  your  letter,  and  not  being  quite  so  selfish  as  you 
are,  I  will  answer  it,  in  what  I  call  a  reasonable  time.  I  am  happy  to  say 
we  are  all  well,  and  in  fine  spirits. 

We  have  been  looking  for  you  to  come  on  with  a  great  deal  of  impatience. 
Do  come,  won't  you  ?  Just  to  think,  I  have  never  yet  seen  one  of  my  cousins. 
But  never  fear,  I  will  probably  see  you  all  sooner  than  you  expect.  Next 
week  I  leave  for  Europe.  Yes,  I  am  going  to  leave  this  detested  country, 
and  I  think,  perhaps,  I  may  give  you  all  a  call  as  I  go  to  New  York.  Do  not 
be  surprised,  Cousin  Bell,  when  you  see  your  hopeful  Cousin.  Truly  yon 
may  be  surprised. 

I  have  an  invitation  to  a  party,  to  come  off  next  Tuesday  night.  Anna 
and  myself  intend  going,  and  expect  to  enjoy  ourselves  very  much.  I  have 
been  to  a  great  many  this  winter,  so  that  they  are  beginning  to  get  common  ; 
but  as  this  is  something  extra,  I  looked  forward  with  a  great  deal  of  impa 
tience.  I  wish  you  were,  in  order  that  I  might  have  the  pleasure  of  intro 
ducing  you  to  regular  country  hoe-down.  I  know  you  would  enjoy  it. 

There  is  no  news  of  importance,  save  the  burning  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institute,  which,  of  course,  you  have  heard  of.  His  Excellency  Jefferson* 
Davis  and  Old  Abe  Lincoln  couldn't  agree,  as  sensible  persons  knew  before 
hand;  and  now  I  hope  people  are  satisfied,  and  hope  they  will  make  up  their 
minds  to  fight  it  out  to  the  bitter  end. 

"  Show  no  quarter."     That's  "  my  motto." 

Cousin  Bell,  try  and  answer  me  in  a  few  days  at  least,  as  I  would  like 
very  much  to  hear  from  yon  before  I  leave  home  for  good.  I  do  not  know 
what  to  think  of  our  mutual  Miss  Kate  Brady.  Byron  justly  remarks — 

"This  record  will  forever  stand — 
Woman,  thy  vows  are  traced  in  sand." 

I  have  just  taken  a  peep  in  the  parlor.  Would  you  like  to  know  what  I 
saw  there?  Well,  Ma  was  sitting  on  the  sofa,  nodding  first  to  one  chair,  then 
to  another,  next  the  piano.  Anna  sitting  in  corner,  dreaming,  I  expect,  of 
J.  W.  Booth.  Well,  who  is  J.  W.  Booth?  She  can  answer  the  question.  Mi;>s 


MRS.  SURRATT— OFFICIAL   DISPATCH— REWARDS.         563 

Fitzpatrick  playing  with  her  favorite  cat — a  good  sign  of  an  old  maid — the 
detested  old  creatures.  Miss  Deaii  fixing  her  hair,  which  is  filled  with  rats 
and  mice. 

But  hark !  the  door-bell  rings,  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Booth  is  announced.     And 

listen  to  the  scamperings  of  the .     Such  brushing  and  fixing. 

Cousin  Bell,  I  am  afraid  to  read  this  nonsense  over,  so,  consequently,  you 
must  excuse  all  misdemeanors.  We  all  send  love  to  you  and  family.  Tell 
Cousin  Sam.  I  think  he  might  write  me  at  least  a  few  lines. 

Your  Cousin, 

J.  HARRISON  SURRATT, 
541  H  Street,  between  6  and  7  Streets. 


During  my  visits  to  the  prisoners,  before  their  execution, 
Mrs.  Surratt  confessed  to  me  her  complicity  with  the  con 
spirators  so  far  as  the  intended  abduction  was  concerned,  but 
affirmed  that  she  reluctantly  yielded  to  the  urging  of  Booth 
in  aiding  the  plot  of  assassination.  He  insisted  that  her  oath 
of  fidelity  bound  her  to  see  the  fatal  end  of  the  conspiracy. 

As  before  stated,  the  honor  and  prestige  of  their  capture 
have  been  credited  to  me  by  an  official  dispatch  to  the  Asso 
ciated  Press  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  announcing  that  the 
assassins  had  been  captured  by  Colonel  Baker' s  force.  This 
announcement  induced  all  those  previously  engaged  in  the 
search  to  immediately  abandon  the  whole  case.  Evidence  to 
convict  the  assassins  had  yet  to  be  obtained.  On  my  bureau 
devolved  the  task  of  procuring,  compiling,  and  arranging 
this  testimony.  I  subpoenaed  for  the  prosecution  and  de 
fense  more  than  two  hundred  witnesses.  The  trial  proceed 
ed,  and  all  its  details  have  already  been  made  known  to  the 
public.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the  Secretary  of  War  had 
offered  large  rewards  for  the  capture  of  the  assassins.  Imme 
diately  after  the  execution  of  the  criminals,  all  those  engaged 
in  the  search  began  to  forward  their  written  statements  and 
affidavits,  as  a  basis  on  which  to  demand  from  the  Govern 
ment  a  portion  of  the  reward.  It  was  remarked  by  a  member 
of  Congress,  one  of  the  Committee  on  Claims,  who  subse 
quently  examined  all  the  testimony,  that  he  had  practiced 
law  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  had  never  seen  so  much 
willful  misrepresentation  and  perjury  as  had  been  exhibited 
in  these  statements  and  affidavits.  Individuals  who  had 
simply  been  engaged  in  the  search,  and  who  had  not  even 


564  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

procured  a  particle  of  testimony  in  the  case,  claimed  the 
largest  proportion  of  the  reward.  A  commission  was  finally 
appointed  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  composed  of  General 
Holt,  Judge- Advocate-General,  and  General  Townsend,  the 
Adjutant- Genera],  to  whom  were  referred  all  the  applica 
tions,  statements,  affidavits,  and  papers  forwarded  by  those 
making  the  claims.  After  some  two  or  three  months  spent 
in  examining  these  papers,  the  Secretary  of  War  issued  an 
order  directing  that  all  persons,  making  claims  for  any  por 
tion  of  the  rewards  offered  for  the  capture  of  the  assassins, 
should  file  them  on  or  before  the  firstf  day  of  January,  as  no 
applications  would  be  received  after  that  date.  Another 
delay  of  two  or  three  months  occurred,  when  the  Commission 
finally  made  their  report.  In  this  report,  the  Commission 
gave  the  entire  credit  of  the  capture  of  the  assassins  to  me, 
although  they  gave  me  but  a  small  portion  of  the  reward. 

Much  dissatisfaction  was  expressed  among  the  applicants 
at  this  decision,  and  the  whole  matter  was  finally  referred  to 
Congress,  who  referred  it  to  the  Committee  on  Claims.  That 
committee,  whose  time  was  taken  up  with  other  important 
matters,  referred  the  whole  matter  to  the  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Hotch- 
kiss,  of  Binghamton,  New  York.  After  another  long  delay, 
the  Committee  on  Claims  reported  as  follows  :— 

The  committee  further  report,  that  the  expedition  which  resulted  in  the 
capture  of  Booth  and  Harrold  was  planned  and  directed  by  Colonel  (now 
General)  Lafayette  C.  Baker,  then  a  detective  officer  of  the  War  Department ; 
the  force  consisting  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Everton  J.  Conger,  Lieutenant 
Luther  B.  Baker,  then  in  the  detective  service,  Lieutenant  Edward  P.  Doherty, 
and  twenty-six  privates  of  the  Sixteenth  Ne\v  York  Cavalry. 

And  the  committee  further  report,  that  Major  James  R.  O'Beirne,  then 
provost-marshal  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  General  H.  H.  Wells,  then  un 
der  General  Augur's  command,  George  Oottingham  and  Alexander  Lovett, 
detectives,  and  Samuel  II.  Beckwith,  a  telegraph  operator,  rendered  import 
ant  service  leading  to  the  arrest,  of  Booth  and  Ilarrold,  and  the  committee 
regard  them  as  coming  within  the  terms  of  the  offer  of  rewards. 

The  committee,  do  not  regard  the  capture  of  Booth  and  Ilarrold  as  purely 
military  service,  and  do  not  feel  bound  to  award  compensation  to  mere  rank, 
without  regard  to  the  extent  and  merit  of  the  service  performed,  but  look  to 
the  rank  and  position  of  the  officers  engaged  in  such  service  as  evidence  of 
the  opportunity  afforded  them  and  the  duty  imposed  upon  them  to  exercise 
greater  care,  skill,  and  diligence,  than  persons  in  a  subordinate  position. 

And  the  committee  further  report,  after  a  careful  consideration  of  the  evi- 


REPORT  OF  THE   COMMITTEE  ON  CLAIMS.  565 

dence  presented  to  them  of  the  services  of  the  respective  parties  engaged  in 
the  capture  of  Booth  and  Ilarrold,  in  their  opinion,  the  sum  of  seventy-five 
thousand  dollars  reward  for  the  capture  of  said  Booth  and  Harrold  should  be 
distributed  as  follows : — 

To  Lafayette  C.  Baker,  chief  detective $17,500 

To  Everton  J.  Conger ' 17,500 

To  Luther  B.  Baker 5,000 

To  James  R.  O'Beirne 2,000 

To  H.  H.  Wells 1,500 

To  George  Cottingham 1,500 

To  Alexander  Lovett 1,000 

To  Samuel  H.  Beckwith 500 

To  Lieutenant  Edward  P.  Doherty,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry  . .  2,500 
To  Sergeant  Boston  Corbett,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry  ;  Ser 
geant  Andrew  Wendell,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry;  Corporal 
Charles  Zimmer,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Corporal  Michael 
Uniac,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Corporal  John  Winter,  Six 
teenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Corporal  Herman  Newgarten,  Six 
teenth  New  York  Cavalry;  Corporal  John  Walz,  Sixteenth  New 
York  Cavalry ;  Corporal  Oliver  Lonpay,  Sixteenth  New  York 
Cavalry;  Corporal  Michael  Hormsby,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cav 
alry;  Private  John  Myers,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry;  Private 
John  Ryan,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Private  William  Byrne, 
Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry  ;  Private  Philip  Hoyt,  Sixteenth  New 
York  Cavalry ;  Private  Martin  Kelley,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cav 
alry;  Private  Henry  Putnam,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry;  Pri 
vate  Frank  McDaniel,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Private  Lewis 
Savage,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Private  Abraham  Genay, 
Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Private  Emery  Parady,  Sixteenth 
New  York  Cavalry ;  Private  David  Baker,  Sixteenth  New  York 
Cavalry;  Private  William  McQuade,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry  ; 
Private  John  Millington,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Private 
Frederick  Deitz,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry;  Private  John  A. 
Singer,  Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry;  Private  Carl  Steinbrugge, 
Sixteenth  New  York  Cavalry ;  Private  Joseph  Zisgen,  Sixteenth 
New  York  Cavalry,  one  thousand  dollars  each 20,000 

Total     $75,000 

The  report  of  this  committee  was  still  very  unsatisfactory 
o  a  majority  of  those  claiming  rewards,  and  an  effort  was 
immediately  made,  by  interested  parties,  to  have  the  decision 
reversed.  A  systematic  effort  was  made  by  lobbyists  at  the 
capitol  to  have  this  report  set  aside.  The  most  willful  and 
malicious  misrepresentations  were  made  concerning  myself. 
I  had  taken  but  little  interest  in  this  matter,  never  having 


566  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

filed  a  claim  for  reward.  I  simply,  as  was  my  just  right, 
demanded  that  myself  and  those  acting  under  my  orders 
should  have  the  entire  credit  for  the  capture  of  Booth  and 
Harrold.  On  the  day  that  this  report  was  submitted  to  Con 
gress,  the  lobbyists,  interested  parties,  and  certain  disloyal 
members  of  Congress,  immediately  started  a  story  that  I  had 
turned  Copperhead,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  Andy  John 
son.  I  had  no  opportunity  to  controvert  these  statements ; 
the  question  went  to  the  House  ;  the  report  of  the  Committee 
on  Claims  was  disapproved  and  altered,  giving  me  a  much 
smaller  sum  than  that  awarded  me  by  the  committee.  The 
Hon.  Mr.  Hotchkiss,  however,  who  had  thoroughly  investi 
gated  the  matter,  and  become  convinced  of  the  influences 
that  had  been  working  against  me,  and  of  the  misrepresenta 
tions  that  had  been  made  concerning  my  affiliation  with  the 
Copperhead  party,  defended  the  report  in  a  speech  of  nearly 
an  hour,  in  which  he  manfully  sustained  my  claim  to  the 
reward,  and  defended,  with  great  ability,  the  personal  attacks 
made  upon  me. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

FINAL  REPORT  OF  RESULTS— THE   CASE   OF   WIHZ. 

The  Auxiliary  Aid  of  this  Bureau  in  Government  Investigations — Its  Economy — 
Statement  of  Goods  Seized — The  Attempted  Suicide  of  Andersonvillo  Wirz. 

THE  report  I  shall  now  present  will  convey,  in  condensed 
and  authentic  form,  some  idea  of  the  economical  service  of 
the  bureau,  while  it  indicates  the  first  auxiliary  aid  rendered 
in  the  various  investigations  conducted  by  the  Government. 
I  am  sure  the  reader  will  be  surprised,  and  greatly  enlight 
ened,  by  the  contrast  between  the  passionate  denunciation 
of  the  National  Police  by  its  enemies,  with  a  singular  silence 
respecting  its  substantial  achievements  on  the  part  of  its 
friends,  and  the  simple  results  which  appear  in  the  column 
of  figures  in  the  pages  of  the  report.  I  repeat,  that  such  an 
institution  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  our  Repub 
lic  in  peaceful  times ;  nor  is  martial  law,  with  man}^  other 
extraordinary  means  employed  to  secure  success  in  the  ap 
peal  to  arms.  But  to  allow  a  service,  because  in  its  nature 
unpopular,  to  blind  the  popular  view  of  its  real  value  arid 
honorable  record,  is  both  unjust  and  unpatriotic.  The  re 
port  might  have  been  extended  to  many  times  the  number 
of  sheets  it  now  covers. 

OFFICE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  WAK  BrrAiiTMENT,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  December  1,  1SC5.  j 

Hon.  E.  M.  ST ANTON,  Secretary  of  War  :— 

Sin— Herewith  I  have  the  honor  to  forward  a  recapitulation  and  con 
densed  report  of  the  operations  of  this  office  since  its  creation,  in  August, 
1861,  to  December  1,  1865.  I  desire  particularly  to  call  your  attention  to 
the  subjoined  report  of  Government,  abandoned,  and  contraband  property. 
A  very  minute  and  careful  record  of  every  article  seized  ;  when,  where,  and 
under  what  circumstances  said  property  was  found  ;  to  what  department  or 
bureau  turned  over;  as  well  as  the  receipts  and  vouchers  for  the  same,  from 
the  various  officers  receiving  said  property;  and  its  valuation  as  fixed  by  the 
Quartermaster-General;  all  of  which  Will  be  found  in  my  monthly  state- 


566  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

/*  merits,  now  on  file  in  the  War  Department.  From  the  voluminous  character 
of  these  monthly  reports,  I  have  been  compelled  to  simply  give  results  in 
a  very  condensed  form.  In  compliance  with  an  order  from  the  War  Depart 
ment,  under  date  of  May  20,  1864,  to  turn  over  this  property  to  the  Treasury 
Department,  I  directed  another  inventory  to  be  made,  under  the  supervision 
of  two  trusty  employees  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  assisted  by  two 
employees  of  the  Treasury  Department,  designated  and  detailed  by  Mr.  H.  A. 
Risley,  special  supervising  agent  of  the  Treasury  Department.  This  inven 
tory  embraced  all  property  except  ordnance  and  medical  stores,  and  was 
receipted  for  by  Mr.  Risley  ;  which  receipt  is  now  on  file  in  the  Quartermas 
ter-General's  office.  Also  a  statement  showing  the  amount  of  moneys  recov 
ered  from  defaulting  quartermasters,  paymasters,  contractors,  and  Govern 
ment  employees;  also  the  disposition  made  of  said  funds,  to  which  is  added  a 
statement  of  monthly  and  yearly  disbursements  of  all  moneys  paid  out  by  me, 
and  on  what  account,  &c.  The  nature  and  amount  of  services  rendered  by 
this  bureau,  in  detecting  frauds  in  connection  with  the  recruiting  service,  is,  I 
think,  too  well  known  to  your  Department  to  require  any  detailed  account 
from  me.  My  report  to  the  Provost-Marshal-General  sets  forth  fully  the  vast 
amount  of  labor  and  beneficial  results  arising  from  these  investigations.  The 
Secretaries  of  the  Navy  and  Treasury  have  repeatedly  solicited  my  services  in 
conducting  investigations.  The  result  of  such  investigations  has  been  com 
municated  to  the  respective  Secretaries  of  these  Departments.  It  is  impossi 
ble,  in  a  brief  report  of  this  character,  to  even  refer  to  the  thousands  of  cases 
investigated  and  reported  upon  at  this  office  during  the  past  four  years. 
These  records  are  on  file  with  the  War  Department,  and  necessarily  form  a 
part  of  the  great  history  of  the  Rebellion. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Brig.-Gen.  and  Pro. -Mar.  War  Department. 

SEVEN  MONTHS   IN   1862. 
GOODS  CAPTURED  FKOJI  JULY,  18 62,  TO  DECEMBER,  INCLUSIVE. 

Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Goodvt  consisting  of  groceries,  dry  goods,  clothing, 
&c.,  too  numerous  to  mention. 

Value.  Total 

465  boxes $26,G82  00 

8,621  articles 21,884  75 

2M  cases 2,490  00 

127£  barrels 1,820  75 

62  bales  and  bundles 2,127  00 

2  lots  of  boxes 1,856  00 

1  lot  of  "  tenting  and  rags  " 200  00 

70  sacks  and  bags 470  25 

3  chests 122  00 

16  trunks 80  00 

3  baskets  and  packages 20  CO 

$57,752  76 


STATEMENT  OF  SEIZURES. 

Liquors —  Value. 

182  cases $3,429  00 

440  boxes 2,700  00 

1,7 14  bottles 893  00 

33$  barrels 847  00 

63^  kegs 490  00 

32  demijohns 161  50 

6  casks 131  00 

7  baskets 98  00 

57  jugs 59  00 

32  canteens  and  cans 48  CO 

I  trunk 20  00 

$8,948  50 

Ordnance — 

2,601  muskets,  rifles,  guns,  &c $31,004  00 

G37  articles 958  50 

II  cases 5,500  00 

160  boxes 4,144  00 

9  kegs 332  00 

41,938  50 

Vessels — 

1  each,  schooner  and  vessel 1,200  00 

Lead — 

35,522  pounds $2,841  20 

1  keg 40  00 

2,881  20 
Brass — 

3  barrels 140  00 

Horses  and  Mules — 

251 24.720  00 

Quinine  and  Morphine — 

150  ounces 650  00 


$138,230  95 
YEAR    1863. 

GOODS,  <tc.,  CAPTURED  FROJI  JANUARY  1,  1863,  TO  END  OF  THE  YEAR. 

Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Goods,  consisting  of  groceries,  dry  goods,  clothing, 
&c.,  too  numerous  to  mention. 

Value. 

525  boxes $27,501   00 

8,008  articles 18, 1 04  00 

2  cases 20  00 

177f  barrels  and  half  barrels 7.859  00 

3  kegs 315  00 

62  hogsheads 8,900  00 

1,1 97£  bushels 958  50 

12  bags 103  75 

21  chests 280  00 

28  trunks 6,033  25 

10  valises  and  satchels 343  00 


570  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Value.  Total, 

1  cask $50  00 

241  sacks 1,G92  00 

7  bundles  and  packages  793  00 

600  pounds  of  rope 120  CO 

24  cords  of  woods 192  00 

$73,324  60 

Liquors — 

77  boxes $1,272  00 

6  cases .......    80  00 

82  barrels 2,4G3  00 

51  kegs 393  00 

18  cans 19  00 

7G  demijohns 1G8  00 

574  bottles 2G3  00 

8  canteens 2  00 

31  gallons 31  00 

1  trunk 50  00 

3  valises  and  satchels 20  00 

2  baskets 800 

4.769  00 

Ordnance — 

2,137  mu?kets,  rifles,  guns,  &c $21,392  00 

3,414  articles 1,198  00 

92  boxes 1,480  00 

1  keg 9  00 

24,079  00 

Horses  and  Mules — 

8G4 82,730  00 

Steers  and  Cows — 

47 1,88900 

Quinine  and  Morphine — 

450  ounces 2,300  00 

Opium  and  Borax — 

125  pounds 340  00 

Lead — 

14,270  pounds 1,140  00 

Money — 

Southern  bank  notes    $25,582  00 

Confederate  notes. 5,387  00 

IT.  S.  Treasury 1, 172  00 

Northern 209  00 

Gold  and  silver C,097  00 

Cash 130  75 

.        37,577  75 


$228,149  25 


STATEMENT   OF  SEIZURES.  571 

YEAR   1864. 
GOODS,  &c.,  CAPTURED  FROM  JANUARY  1,  1864,  TO  END  OP  THE  YEAR. 

Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Goods,  consisting  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  clothing, 
&c.,  too  numerous  to  mention. 

Value.  Total. 

759  articles $1,832  00 

2  boxes 60  00 

4  bundles 40  00 

2  trunks 100  00 

4  valises  and  satchels , 35  00 

$2,067  00 

Ordnance — 

110  muskets,  rifles,  guns,  &c $1,150  00 

87  articles 55  00 

1.205  00 

Horses  and  Mules — 

83  ..  8.300  00 


$11,572  00 

11   MONTHS,  1865. 
GOODS,  &c.,  CAPTURED  FROM  JANUARY  1  TO  NOVEMBER  30,  1865,  INCLUSIVE. 

Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Goods,  consisting  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  clothing, 
&c.,  too  numerous  to  mention. 

Value.  Total. 

116  articles $415  20 

13  boxes 554  CO 

1  trunk 1,250  00 

$2,219  20 

Ordnance — 

15  muskets,  rifles,  guns,  &c $21500 

100  articles 5  00 

220  00 

Horses  and  Mules — 

422 42,200  00 


^$44,639  20 
RECAPITULATION. 

Vahte.  Total. 

1862.  July,  to  end  of  year $138,230  95 

1863.  Year 228, 140  25 

18G4.     Year 11,57200 

1865.    January,  to  December  1st 44,639  20 

$422,591  40 


572  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 


OFFICE  PBOVOST-MAKSHAL  WAP.  DEPARTMENT  | 
December  1,  1865.  f 

The  following  is  a  statement  showing  the  total  yearly  and  monthly  expen 
ditures  incurred  at  this  office  from  August  9,  1862,  to  December  1,  1865, 
including  all  moneys  disbursed  for  services  of  operatives,  transportation,  and 
subsistence  of  prisoners  while  in  custody,  postage,  telegraphing,  &c.,  compiled 
from  the  daily  records  now  on  file  in  this  office. 

1862. 


It 

H 

It 

« 

II 

II 
II 

II 

11 

Amount 
u 

it 

K 

it 
u 

u 
u 

u 
u 

ti 

ri 
u 

u 

incidental  expenses  from  Aug.  9th  to  Sept.  9th.. 
pay-roll  from  Sept.  9th  to  Oct.  9th  

413  22 

$1.729  34 
2,570  94 
2,855  63 
5,711  63 

3.739   12 
$16,606  66 

$3,945  18 
4,867   11 
5,509  42 
5,728  1C 
5,804  11 
5,462  54 
5,513  23 
fi  1  1  8  03 

$2,122  63 
448  31 

$1,996  37 
859  26 

incidental  expenses  from  Sept.  9th  to  Oct.  9th  .  . 
pay-roll  from  Oct.  9th  to  Nov.  1st  

incidental  expenses  from  Oct.  9th  to  Nov.  1st.  .  . 

pny-roll                      for  month  of  November  .... 
incidental  expenses            u                 "          

pay-roll                               "          December  
incidental  expenses            "                 " 

1863. 

pay-roll                     for  month  of  January  

$3,384  45 
2,327   18 

$2,487   03 
1,252  09 

$2,778  91 
1,166  25 

incidental  expenses            "              "         .... 

pav-roll                                "          February  

$3,389  34 

1,477  77 

$3,498  60 
2,070  82 

incidental  expenses             "                '• 

pay-roll                                "          March...    . 

incidental  expenses            "              1; 

pav-roll                                 "           April  

$3,367   16 
2,361   00 

incidental  expenses             "              "    

pav-roll                                 "           May  .  . 

$>3  507   39 

incidental  expenses            "            "     

2,276  72 

pay-roll                                "          June    .... 

$3,4.70  27 
1,992  27 

incidental  expenses            "              '' 

pay-roll                                "          July  

$3,606  25 

1,906  98 

incidental  expenses            "             "... 

pay-roll                                 "           August  

$2,850  29 
3,267  74 

incidental  expenses            "                "      

EXPENDITURES   IN  PROVOST-MARSHAL'S  OFFICE.       573 


Amount  pay-roll 


incidental  expenses 


for  month  of  September $3,300  24 

"  "          1,909  63 


II 
II 

II 

II 

II 
II 

Amount 
it 

it 
it 

ii 
ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

it 
ii 

ii 
ii 

ii 
ii 

a 
ii 

ii 
ii 

ii 

ii 

it 
ii 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll                     for 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-  roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

"          October 

$3,019  9G 
1,410  53 

5>U,-Ui»     01 

4,430  49 
1,391  03 
2,007   2tf 

a                it 

November  

$681   93 
709  10 

K                                II 

December  

$939  10 
],OG8  15 

ii                  it 

1864. 

month,  of  January 

$1,304  00 
854  45 

$56,046  40 

$2,158  45 
2,999  02 
2,741  93 
2,563  90 
2,573   19 
2,766  65 
2,783  00 
2,060  99 
3,004  19 
2,378  76 
3,175  30 
3,852  80 

u                u 

"          February  

$1,626  74 
1,372  28 

u                ii 
"          March  

$1,525  06 
1,216  92 

u              it 

"          April  .    . 

$1,526  00 
1,037  90 

it                 a 

"          May 

$1,328  99 
1,244  20 

II                        U 

Juno  

$1.223  83 

1,542  82 

u             a 

"          July  .. 

$963  06 
1,819  94 

u            it 

11          August.  . 

$1,210  00 
850  99 

it               u 

"          September  

u                       a 

"          October 

$1,257  50 
1,746  69 

$1,402  50 
976   26 

a                 (i 

November  .... 
u                 u 

"          December 

$1,257   50 
1,917   SO 

$1,452  50 
2,400  30 

a                 ii 

$33,058  23 


674 


UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 


Amount  pay-roll 


incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 

incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 

incidental  expenses 

pay-roll 
incidental  expenses 


1865. 

for  month  of  January $1,674  15 


% 

February 

$2,864:  01 
1,300  74 
868  75 
3,275  80 
6,982  65 
6,566  83 
9,053  56 
9,597  62 
7,637  61 
9,357  70 
7,704  02 

$591   CO 
709  14 

<t 

March    

$580  00 
288  75 

ii 

April  

$1,059   22 
2  21G  58 

May.. 

$2,718  2:i 
4,264  42 

Juno 

$3,335  00 
3,231  S3 

July  .  . 

$3,480  00 
5,573  56 

ii 

August 

$3,153   2G 
6,444  36 

ii 

September  .... 

October  
ii 

$2,947  50 
4,690  11 

$3,237  50 
6,120  20 

November  .... 
ii 

$2,256  32 
5,447   70 

$65,209  29 


RECAPITULATION. 


From  August  9,  1862,  to  end  of  year $16,606  66 

11     January  1,  1863,  to  end  of  year 56,046  40 

"     January  1,  1 86 1,  to  end  of  year 33,058  23 

"     January  1,  1865,  to  end  of  November 65,209  29 


$170,920  58 

The  following  statement  shows  the  amount  of  money  received  from 
defaulting  quartermasters,  paymasters,  contractors,  Government  clerks,  and 
employees ;  to  whom  turned  over,  &c. 

A.  M.  "W.,  forage  contractor,  overcharge  on  groin $32,500  00 

T.  F.  E.,  amount  obtained  on  false  vouchers,  on  ice  contract 1,885  5C 


DEFAULTERS—ARRESTS. 


575 


T.  A.  "W.,  amount  received  by  him  on  account  of  forage,  never  deliv 
ered $2,750  00 

Win.  TV.,  amount  received  by  him,  for  making  false  entries  on  ledger, 
thereby  increasing  the  weight  of  forage  delivered  by  certain 
contractors 2,511  00 

Chas.  C.,  amount  illegally  received  by  him  on  horse  contract 1,500  00 

F.  "W..  amount  received  for  entering  false  amount  of  grain,  delivered 

by  certain  contractors 1 , 000  00 

J.  "W.  H.,  A.  Q.  M.,  U.  S.  A.  Fled  to  Canada  with  $16,000,  Quarter 
master's  funds,  was  pursued,  arrested,  and  made  to  refund  ....  10,684  00 

C.  B.  F.,  A.  Q.  M.,  at  Alexandria,  Virginia 18,000  00 

(The  whole  of  the  above  amounts  were  turned  over  to  Judge- 
Advocate  Turner.) 

H.  K.  S.,  Paymaster,  U.  S.  A.,  at  New  Orleans,  refunded 10,000  00 

(Paid  into  U.  S.  Treasury.) 

0.  L.,  Paymaster,  U.  S.  A.,  at  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  refunded  on  my  order  . .         161,289  50 
(Paid  over,  by  direction  of  the  Paymaster-General,  to  Major 
Thnrston,  Paymaster,  U.  S.  A.) 

Mel.  and  IT.,  on  information  given,  and  investigations  instituted  at  this 
office,  showing  a  large  defalcation,  and  paid  over  to  the  Paymas 
ter-General  581,450  55 

Received  from  bounty  brokers,  made  by  them  on  fraudulent  enlist 
ments,  and  paid  over  to  the  Provost-Marshal-General 62,829  50 

Received  from  bounty  brokers,  and  paid  over  to  the  wives  and  friends 

of  enlisted  men 15,190  00 

L.  C.,  defaulting  paymaster,  received,  and  turned  over  to  Paymaster- 
General 12,500  00 

Amount  paid  into  the  U.  S.  Treasury,  as  fines  imposed  by  military 
courts-martial,  and  commissions  in  cases  investigated  at  this 
office. .  117,250  90 


$1,031,340  95 

The  following  statement  will  show  the  number  of  arrests  made  since  Sep 
tember  1,  1862,  to  December  1,  1865  ;  also  the  nature  of  the  charges,  where 
committed,  &c. 

FROM   IST  SEPTEMBER,    18G2,   TO   Slsr  DECEMBER,   INCLUSIVE. 


Charges. 

Stealing  Government  property 

Robbing  soldiers 

Aiding  and  abetting  the  rebellion 

Falsely  representing  himself  an  United  States  officer 

Selling  Government  horses 

Defrauding  Government  out  of  money  by  false  vouchers. . 

Selling  Government  property , 

Forging  claims  on  Government 

Violating  parole 

Procuring  and  using  forged  passes 


Old 

Capitol 
Prison. 

14 
1 
5 
1 
2 
8 
1 
2 


Central 
Guard 


Total 

21 
1 
5 
2 

3 
9 
5 

4 

1 
2 


576 


UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SEIiVIOE. 


Old 

Central 

Charges. 

Capitol 

Gutird 

Prison. 

House. 

1 

Desertion  

18 

Selling  citizens'  clothes  to  soldiers  .»  .  . 

5 

Dislovalty  

8 

7 

Purchasing  Government  property,  knowing  the  same  to 

be  such  

1 

Passing  the  pickets  of  the  Virginia  army  without  passes  . 

1 

\Villfullv  running  vessel  against  Long  Bridge  

1 

Soldiers  drunk  and  disorderly  

9 

7 

Forging  discharge-papers  

8 

1 

Smuggling  liquors  in  violation  of  orders  

2 

Altering  passes  and  forging  signature  of  United  States 

officer  

1 

«> 

Total  

63 

121 

YEAR   18G3. 

Aiding  soldiers  to  desert  

9 

Stealing  Government  property  and  money  

5 

G9 

Defrauding  Government  for  forged  vouchers  

12 

35 

Forging  passes  

5 

Desertion  

310 

Disloyalty  

22 

105 

Soldiers  drunk  and  disorderly    

1 

47 

Rebel  spv  

14 

11 

Smuggling  liquor  in  violation  of  military  orders  

5 

45 

Forging  transportation  and  passes  

14 

Carrying  rebel  mail  

2 

11 

Contempt  military  orders  

1 

Highway  robbery  committed  by  soldiers  

3 

Falsely  representing  a  Government  officer  

G 

Defrauding  Government  by  delivering  short  weight  

8 

19 

Forging  of  soldiers'  papers  

7 

Bribery  of  Government  officers  

2 

•      2 

Unlawfully  branding  Government  horses  U.  S  

3 

Other  causes  

1 

2 

Scalping  dead  Union  soldiers  

2 

Robberv  bv  soldiers  

3 

3 

Running  blockade  with  contraband  goods  

4 

7 

Robbery  of  pavmasters'  safes  

2 

Selling  liquor  to  soldiers  

16 

Kidnapping  colored  men  

10 

Soldiers  rioting  

3 

Murder  of  United  States  officer  

1 

Threats  to  kill  the  President  of  the  United  States  

1 

10 

Attempt  to  kill  Government  officer  

1 

Arson  

3 

1 

Forging  and  selling  passes  

2 

4 

Total. 

1 
78 

5 
15 

1 
1 
1 

16 
9 
2 

4 
180 


9 

74 

47 

5 

310 

127 

48 

25 

50 

14 

13 

1 

3 

6 

27 
7 
4 
3 
3 
2 
6 
11 
2 

16 

10 

3 

1 

11 
1 
4 
6 


ARRESTS.  577 

Old  Central 

Charges.                                                     Capitol  Guard  Total. 

Prison.  House. 

Blistering  brand  on  United  States  horse . .  4  4 

Government  teamsters  for  drunkenness . .  2  2 

Falsely  branding  Government  horse , .  2  2 

Threats  against  life 1  3  4 

Smuggling  goods  into  the  army . .  1  1 

Total 86  776  862 

YEAR   1864. 

Stealing  Government  horses  and  property . .  6  6 

Defrauding  Government  by  forged  passes 16  1  17 

Defrauding  Government  by  forged  vouchers 4  1  5 

Defrauding  Government  by  false  weight 1  . .  1 

Riot  by  soldiers . .  1  1 

Disloyalty 18  . .  18 

Robbery 1  . .  1 

Robbery  of  United  States  quartermaster 1  . .  1 

Desertion . .  2  2 

Smuggling  whisky  to  the  army 2  .  .  2 

Kidnapping  colored  men. . 2  . .  2 

Counterfeiting  United  States  Treasury  notes 24  . .  24 

Total G9  11  80 

IST  JANUARY  TO   DECEMBER,    1865. 

Defrauding  Government  by  forged  vouchers 33  . .  33 

Defrauding  Government  by  false  measurement 33  . .  33 

Defrauding  Government  by  short  weight 10  ..  10 

Stealing  horses  and  Government  property 6  . .  6 

Soldiers  drunk  and  disorderly 2  . .  2 

Attempted  assassination 9  . .  9 

Disloyalty 4  . .  4 

Desertion 17  ..  17 

Forgery 3  . .  3 

Bribery 1  ..  1 

Forged  soldiers'  discharge-papers 7  . .  7 

Murder 1  ..  1 

Total 126  ..  12G 

RECAPITULATION-. 

Total  number  from  September,  1862,  to  end  of  year 65  121  186 

Total  number  for  year  1863 86  776  862 

Total  number  for  year  1864 69  11  80 

Total  number  from  1st  January  to  1st  December,  1865  . .  126  . .  12G 

Total ." 346  908  1,254 

37 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

ATTEMPTED   SUICIDE   OF  WIRZ. 

My  Connection  with  the  Imprisonment  of  Wirz  and  Jeff.  Davis — Vigilance  in  Guard 
ing  the  Prisoner — Mrs.  Wirz  visits  her  Husband — He  desires  a  Call — The  Inter 
view — Attempted  Suicide. 

POOR  Wirz,  the  German  prisoner,  keeper  at  Anderson- 
ville,  has  a  place  and  a  name  in  the  history  of  the  American 
conflict,  imperishable  as  that  of  Jefferson  Davis,  and  no  more 
and  no  less  enviable.  He  is  only  the  willing  servant,  in 
war's  cruelest  work,  of  the  master  spirit  of  the  revolt,  who 
richly  deserves  the  disgraceful  doom  of  the  wretched  victim  of 
the  gallows,  to  whom  no  mercy  was  extended.  Not  alone 
by  the  surviving  victims  of  his  barbarity  will  Wirz  be  held 
in  remembrance,  but  by  all  the  loyal  people  of  the  land, 
who  watched  with  intense  interest  the  progress  of  his  trial. 
Soon  as  it  became  evident  that  the  testimony  against  this 
disciple  of  Nero  was  sufficiently  strong  to  convict  him,  there 
were  rebel  emissaries  who,  fearing  a  confession  from  his 
lips,  which  would  implicate  Jefferson  Davis  and  others  in 
the  guilt  of  his  crimes,  desired  and  determined,  if  possible, 
to  bring  the  trial  to  a  speedy  close.  Wirz  himself  had 
several  times  intimated  that,  if  convicted,  he  would  make  a 
statement  of  all  the  facts  connected  with  his  administration 
of  the  Andersonville  prison,  which  would  show  conclusively 
that  he  acted  under  the  direct  orders  of  Davis  and  General 
Winder. 

I  had  taken  no  part  in  Wirz' s  trial,  most  of  the  evidence 
having  been  procured  by  military  officers  then  on  duty  at 
the  South.  During  the  last  days  of  the  trial,  Mrs.  Wirz 
appeared  in  Washington,  and  desired  an  interview  with  her 
husband.  The  Secretary  of  War  had  directed  the  officer  in 
command  of  the  prison  to  exercise  the  utmost  caution  in 


MY   VISIT  TO  WIRZ— MRS.  WIRZ.  579 

respect  to  the  prisoner.  It  was  feared  that  he  would  commit 
suicide.  Orders  were  issued  not  to  allow  any  interview  to 
"be  had  with  him  under  any  pretense  whatever.  He  was  to 
"be  kept  entirely  secluded  from  the  other  prisoners,  and  only 
visited  by  the  clergy  and  his  counsel.  Mrs.  Wirz  applied  to 
me  for  permission  to  see  him.  She  claimed  that  she  desired 
only  to  administer  to  his  comfort,  as  far  as  possible,  and  had 
no  objection  to  the  interview  taking  place  in  the  presence  of 
an  officer  of  the  Government.  Wirz  sent  me  a  request  to 
visit  him,  and  accordingly  I  repaired  to  his  apartment  in  the 
"Old  Capitol."  During  the  conversation,  he  expressed  ear 
nest  desire  to  see  his  wife,  when  I  reminded  him  that  the 
orders  of  the  Secretary  prohibited  such  interviews.  His 
anxiety  was  so  great,  that  I  stated  the  prisoner' s  request  to 
Mr.  Stanton,  who  consented  to  a  meeting  in  my  presence, 
with  no  communications  in  their  own  language  between  them. 
He  then  gave  me  the  following  order : 

WAP.  DEPARTMENT,  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  ) 
WASHINGTON,  November  9, 1865.         ) 

Major-General  AUGUR,  commanding  Department  of  Washington  : — 

GENERAL — Henry  Wirz  has  sent  a  request  to  General  L.  C.  Baker  to  visit 
him.  The  Secretary  of  War  desires  that  the  authority  be  given  General 
Baker. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

E.    D.    TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Acting  Adjutant-General. 

With  this  document  I  procured  a  permit,  and  requested 
Mrs.  Wirz  to  be  at  the  prison  at  four  o'clock  that  day.  The 
interview  took  place,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the  first  meet 
ing  between  Wirz  and  his  wife.  She  exhibited  the  most 
stoical  indifference,  and  simply  said,  "  How  are  you,  Wirz  ?" 
Instead  of  embracing  him,  as  would  naturally  have  been 
expected  under  the  circumstances,  she  sat  down  in  a  chair  in 
front  of  him,  and  looked  at  the  doomed  man  a  moment,  and 
then  gave  utterance  to  the  most  vindictive  words  against  the 
Government,  in  which  he  joined.  Instead  of  talking  of  their 
family  affairs,  the  unfortunate  position  in  which  Wirz  was 
placed,  and  the  probability  of  his  execution,  she  took  occa 
sion  to  denounce  Colonel  Chipman,  Judge- Advocate  of  the 
commission  before  whom  Wirz  was  being  tried,  and  the  wit- 


580  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

nesses  as  perjurers,  and  in  the  most  threatening  manner  defied 
the  Government  to  carry  the  findings  of  the  commission  into 
execution.  This  interview  finally  closed  in  their  making  an 
appointment  for  another. 

The  conduct  of  Wirz  and  his  wife  was  to  my  mind  very 
suspicious.  I  did  not  conceive  that  such  indifference  was 
natural  under  the  circumstances,  and  determined  to  watch 
their  next  interview  very  closely.  It  came  in  due  time,  and 
was  very  similar  to  the  first  one.  Mrs.  Wirz  sat  in  front  of 
her  husband,  and  I  took  a  position  where  I  could  casually 
observe  the  movements  of  each.  Mrs.  Wirz  took  from  her 
hand  a  glove,  inside  of  which  I  noticed  she  had  a  small 
package  ;  what  it  was  I  could  not  tell.  The  interview  was 
short,  as  both  were  conscious  that  I  was  observing  every  move 
ment.  At  the  third  interview  the  same  thing  was  repeated. 
As  we  all  rose  to  go  to  the  door  leading  to  the  hall,  Wirz 
walking  first,  Mrs.  Wirz  next,  and  myself  at  the  rear,  she 
for  the  first  time  approached  him,  when  they  embraced  and 
put  their  lips  up  to  kiss  each  other.  I  watched  the  motion, 
and  perceived  that  she  was  conveying  something  from  her 
mouth  to  his.  I  sprang  forward  in  an  instant,  caught  him 
by  the  throat,  and  threw  him  on  the  floor.  He  raised  a  pill 
from  his  throat,  brought  it  within  his  teeth,  crushed  it  and 
spit  out.  I  picked  it  up  and  found  it  to  be  a  small  round 
piece  of  strychnine  inclosed  in  a  piece  of  oiled  silk.  Upon 
this  discovery  I  informed  Mrs.  Wirz  that  she  could  have  no 
more  interviews  with  her  husband.  She  was  compelled, 
therefore,  to  leave  him  to  his  fate.  My  next  step  was  to 
inform  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  and  Judge  Holt  of  the 
singular  occurrence.  I  also  showed  to  the  former  the  strych 
nine  pill.  On  the  day  of  the  prisoner's  execution,  I  related 
the  poison  scene  to  a  reporter  of  a  New  York  paper.  It  was 
given  to  the  public  by  him.  The  copperhead  press  imme 
diately  opened  their  artillery  of  abuse,  making  me  the  target 
of  bitterest  attack.  The  whole  statement  was  pronounced  a 
fabrication,  while  it  was  verified  entirely  by  Louis  Skade,  the 
counsel  of  Wirz,  and  by  Mrs.  Wirz.  It  is  a  fact,  which  should 
uiako  the  loyal  men  of  the  land  reflect  deeply,  that  these 
reckless  detractors  of  the  administration  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  and 
all  who  aided  him  in  checking  the  insane  revolt,  who  defended 


CHANGE   OF  TONE-^-REBEL  HATE.  581 

the  vilest  actors  in  the  drama  of  rebellion,  are  to-day  the 
friends  of  Mr.  Johnson  and  his  "policy."  No  reflective 
patriotic  mind  can  exclude  the  doubt  whether  the  infamous 
keeper  of  the  Andersonville  prison  pen  would  have  been 
executed  at  all  had  the  merited  fate  been  delayed  a  few 
months  longer,  until  the  change  in  the  tone  of  the  Presi 
dential  feeling  toward  rebels,  whom  he  had  so  warmly 
condemned  and  warned  that  their  treason  must  be  made 
u odious"  for  all  coming  time.  It  is  more  sad  and  stinging 
to  know  this,  for  those  of  us  who  necessarily  were  familiar 
with  the  character  and  deeds  of  the  brutal  servants  of  Davis 
and  his  counselors  and  commanders.  I  could  narrate  hor 
rors  which  would  stir  the  indignation  of  the  coolest  loyal 
heart,  that  were  openly  or  silently  approved  by  the  Con 
federate  Government ;  and  yet  we  are  asked  to  be  charitable 
and  conciliatory  toward  men  who  hated  with  the  venom  of 
a  Nero  our  slain  President  and  our  "boys  in  blue,"  and 
have  only  changed  from  power  to  wreak  their  vengeance  to 
weakness  that  can  do  no  more  than  nurse  a  disarmed  dis 
loyalty.  If  it  is  true,  in  the  words  of  the  song,  that  John 
Brown' s  soul  is  marching  on  !  it  is  equally  a  reality  that  the 
souls  of  Booth  and  Wirz  are  still  marching  stealthily  on 
through  the  streets  of  the  cities  and  over  the  plantation  plains 
of  the  "sunny  South." 


CHAPTER    XL. 

THE   NEW   PRESIDENT-BORDERED   SOUTH— RESULTS. 

The  President — Mrs.  Cobb,  and  my  Official  Relations  to  both.  Efforts  to  prejudice 
the  new  President  against  my  Bureau.  The  Success  contrasted  with  that  under 
the  former  Administration — Ordered  to  the  South  to  get  important  Papers — Mrs. 
C.  C.  Clay — The  Documents  found — A  new  order  for  Investigation — Results — 
Mrs.  Cobb  appears  on  the  Stage  of  passing  Events  at  the  Capital. 

A  FEW  months  after  the  assassination  of  Abraham  Lin 
coln,  and  immediately  following  the  inauguration  of  Mr. 
Johnson,  reports  reached  me  that  an  earnest,  persistent  effort 
was  made  by  my  enemies  of  rebel  character,  and  others 
whom  I  had  troubled  in  the  prosecution  of  my  official  ser 
vice,  to  convince  the  new  President  that  I  had  committed 
great  wrongs  under  the  former  administration.  It  was 
asserted  that,  through  my  confidential  relations  toward  the 
Government,  I  had  come  into  possession  of  facts,  the  revela 
tion  of  which  would  not  only  reflect  seriously  upon  the  char 
acter  of  the  President,  and  those  associated  with  him  in  the 
administration  of  the  Government,  but  would  acquaint  the 
public  with  many  acts  not  sanctioned  by  law,  and  that  both 
Mr.  Lincoln  and  Mr.  Stanton  had  been  repeatedly  cautioned 
against  the  irregular  and  arbitrary  proceedings  of  the  Detect 
ive  Bureau.  Scarcely  a  week  elapsed  during  Mr.  Lincoln's 
administration,  that  some  complaint  was  not  made  to  him 
respecting  my  service.  Both  Mr.  Lincoln  and  Mr.  Stanton 
for  a  long  time  listened  patiently  to  these  complaints ;  but 
whenever  a  request  was  made  by  either  of  them  that  these 
charges  should  be  put  in  writing,  the  usual  excuse  was  that 
they  "  dare  not  do  it !  That  General  Baker  had  the  machin 
ery  of  his  bureau  so  thoroughly  organized,  that  his  espionage 
over  the  acts  of  public  men  was  so  complete,  that  he  could 
ruin  almost  any  one  whom  he  chose  to  sacrifice/'  Fre 
quently  the  charges  came  from  men  high  in  authority.  The 


COMPLAINTS— MR.  STANTON— MR.  JOHNSON.  583 

frequency  of  the  complaints  at  length  induced  Mr.  Stanton 
to  enter  upon  an  examination  that  would  silence  these  accu 
sations,  or  secure  from  the  complainants  their  written  affida 
vits.  Early  in  1863,  a  number  of  prominent  secessionists,  in 
from  Maryland,  who  had  been  under  arrest,  visited  Wash 
ington,  to  repeat  the  tale  of  grievances  inflicted  upon  unoffend 
ing  citizens.  Mr.  Lincoln  referred  them  to  the  Secretary  of 
War.  He  listened  to  their  story,  and  then  said,  "  Your  state 
ment,  gentlemen,  seems  to  be  very  plausible  and  reliable ; 
you  have  it  written  out  here,  and  as  you  claim  to  be  respon 
sible  men,  you  certainly  can  have  no  objection  to  attaching 
your  signatures,  and  swearing  to  it."  This  they  declined  to 
do,  when  Mr.  Stanton  remarked,  "I  have  listened  to  com 
plaints  against  Colonel  Baker  for  more  than  two  years.  I 
have  never  yet  found  an  individual  who  was  willing  to 
attach  his  signature  to  a  statement  of  any  kind  against  him. 
Until  you  do  this,  and  prove  your  statements,  I  slmll  listen 
to  no  more  of  them.  He  is  a  commissioned  officer  in  the 
military  service  of  the  Government,  and  is  clearly  triable  by 
a  court-martial  at  any  moment."  In  Mr.  Johnson  those  false 
accusers  found  a  willing  listener,  appealing  to  all  his  pre 
vious  prejudices  against  Black  Republicans  and  Abolition 
ists.  This  system  of  detraction  and  misrepresentation  was 
carried  on  for  months.  I  was  advised  by  my  friends  to  see 
the  President,  and  disabuse  his  mind  of  the  unjust  impres 
sions.  I  replied  that  I  supposed  the  President  of  the  United 
States  was  a  reasonable,  consistent  man,  and  would  never 
condemn  an  officer  on  ex  parte  statements.  That  when  he 
wanted  me  he  would  probably  send  for  me,  and  I  should 
be  prepared  to  make  any  explanation  he  might  require. 
Some  months  elapsed,  and  this  state  of  things  continued. 
The  first  personal  interview  that  I  ever  had  with  President 
Johnson  was  with  reference  to  securing  the  letters  and  offi 
cial  correspondence  of  Jacob  Thompson,  C.  C.  Clay,  John  C. 
Breckinridge,  and  other  prominent  rebel  leaders  then  in 
Canada.  It  was  considered  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the 
Government  that,  as  the  President  had  offered  a  large  reward 
for  the  capture  of  Jeff.  Davis,  these  papers  and  this  corre 
spondence  should  be  secured.  Mr.  Johnson  sent  for  me,  and, 
in  a  general  conversation,  desired  that  I  should  secure  the 


584  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

papers.     On  the  7th  of  August  I  received  the  following 
order : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ADJVTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  | 
WASHINGTON,  Augunt  7,  1865.  f 

Brigadier-General  L.  C.  BAKER,  Special  Provost-Marshal,  Washington,  D.  C. : 
GENERAL — An  order,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy,  has  been  made  this 
day  by  the  President : 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  WASHING-FOX,  D.  C.  \ 
Augimt  7,  1S65.  J 

Brigadier-General  L.  C.  BAKER,  Special  Provost-Marshal : 

Is  directed  to  proceed  with  the  utmost  dispatch  to  Huntsville,  Ala.,  and 
seize,  take  possession  of,  and  bring  to  Washington,  all  correspondence,  papers, 
and  documents  belonging  to  Clement  C.  Clay,  that  may  be  found  at  that  place 
or  elsewhere  in  the  Southern  States.  On  arriving  at  Nashville,  General 
Baker  will  report  to  Major-General  Thomas,  commanding  the  Military  Divi 
sion  of  Tennessee,  and  submit  to  him,  confidentially,  this  order.  General 
Thomas  is  directed  to  furnish  General  Baker  all  aid  and  assistance  that  he 
may  require  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty,  and  also  to  give  instructions  to  the 
commanders  of  the  Departments  of  Alabama  and  Georgia  to  aid  General 
Baker,  and  to  render  him  such  assistance  as  may  be  needed,  in  the  execution 
of  this  order.  This  order  will  be  regarded  as  strictly  confidential,  and  the 
utmost  diligence  will  be  employed  to  obtain  the  correspondence,  papers,  and 
documents  of  said  Clay. 

(Signed)  ANDREW  JOHNSON, 

President. 

You  will  proceed  immediately  to  execute  the  foregoing  order,  and  report 
to  this  Department. 

By  command  of  the  President.  E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Acting  Adjutant-General. 

In  compliance  with  this  order,  I  proceeded  to  Huntsville. 
Previous  information  obtained  from  the  War  ^Department 
indicated  that  C.  C.  Clay's  papers  were  at  his  father's  at 
Huntsville  ;  that  Mrs.  Clay  was  to  arrive  at  Huntsville  about 
the  time  I  should  arrive  there,  and  that  she  would  have  the 
papers  in  her  possession.  I  reported  to  General  Thomas  at 
Nashville,  and  from  him  obtained  an  order  on  the  director 
of  military  railroads  to  furnish  a  special  train.  On  arriving 
at  Huntsville,  I  proceeded  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Clay's  father, 
and  found  there  a  very  aged  and  infirm  man,  who  informed 
me  that  he  was  the  father  of  C.  C.  Clay.  In  the  discharge 
of  all  my  official  duties  during  the  rebellion,  I  have  never  so 
reluctantly  obeyed  an  order  as  the  one  to  search  this  house. 
The  old  gentleman  (since  dead),  then  in  his  second  childhood, 


C.  C.  CLAY— A   EEBEL   JUDGE.  585 

did  not  fully  comprehend  the  object  of  my  visit,  but  at  once 
began  to  make  incoherent  inquiries  concerning  his  poor  son 
Clement.  The  aged  mother  of  Clay  also  manifested  great 
anxiety  about  her  son.  I  endeavored  to  pacify  them,  detailed 
to  them  the  object  of  my  visit,  and  asked  them  if  Mrs.  Cle 
ment  Clay  had  arrived.  On  learning  that  she  had  not,  I  had 
to  comply  with  my  order.  I  immediately  directed  the  officer 
with  me  to  make  a  partial  examination  of  the  papers  in  the 
house.  Nothing  of  importance  was  found,  however  ;  and  I 
proceeded  the  following  morning  to  Macon,  Ga.  I  had  a 
letter  of  introduction  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  General 
Wilson,  the  bold  and  dashing  cavalry  commander  who  was 
stationed  at  that  post.  At  the  time  of  C.  C.  Clay' s  arrest  by 
General  Wilson's  scouts,  it  was  supposed  that  important 
letters  were  in  his  possession.  On  inquiry,  however,  I  found 
that  General  Wilson  had  not  discovered  any  such  papers. 
Making  known  to  General  Wilson  the  object  of  my  visit  to 
Macon,  he  informed  me  that  he  had  already  made  a  thorough 
search  of  all  the  effects  belonging  to  the  Clay  family ;  but 
to  carry  out  my  instructions,  I  informed  him  that  I  must 
proceed  with  the  search.  Ascertaining  that  Mrs.  Clay  was 
stopping  at  the  house  of  a  noted  rebel  judge  in  Macon,  in 
company  with  General  Wilson  I  went  to  it,  and  was  intro 
duced  to  the  magistrate's  wife.  General  Wilson  then  left 
me,  when  I  made  known  to  the  lady  the  object  of  my  visit, 
and  inquired  for  the  judge.  She  informed  me  that  the  judge 
was  at  his  office  in  the  city,  and  if  I  desired  to  see  him  I  must 
go  there.  I  told  her  I  had  come  to  search  the  house,  and  it 
was  immaterial  to  me  whether  the  judge  was  present  or  not ; 
if  she  wished  to  have  him  present,  however,  I  would  cheer 
fully  give  her  time  to  send  for  him.  She  then  sent  a  colored 
servant  for  her  husband.  When  he  arrived,  he  was  of  course 
informed  of  the  object  of  my  visit,  when  he  positively 
declined  to  allow  the  search.  He  said  the  "  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  forbade  the  search  of  any  house  except  on 
proper  affidavit."  I  told  him  "I  thought  he  was  the  last 
man  to  refer  to  the  Constitution  ;  that  he  had  been  engaged 
for  five  years  in  violating  it,  but  now  claimed  its  protection  ; 
that  I  should  make  the  search,  but  did  not  wish  to  disturb 
his  property.  I  asked  him  where  I  could  find  Mrs.  Clay' s 


586  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

baggage.  He  informed  me  that  it  was  in  a  room  up  stairs, 
and  that  Mrs.  Clay  had  the  key  to  it,  with  the  key  to  her 
trunks.  I  requested  him  to  send  for  a  locksmith  and  have 
them  opened,  adding  that  I  would  pay  the  expense  incurred. 
After  an  argument  of  considerable  length,  in  which  he 
referred  in  almost  every  sentence  to  the  Constitution,  he  con 
sented  to  have  the  room  and  trunks  opened.  A  thorough 
examination  revealed  the  whereabouts  of  the  documents 
desired.  I  secured  them  and  returned  to  Washington.  I 
may  here  state  that  these  papers  are  the  identical  ones  after 
ward  sent  before  the  Boutwell  Committee.  I  had  so  suc 
cessfully  performed  the  service  assigned  to  me  by  the  Pre 
sident,  that  on  the  22d  of  September  following  he  again  sent 
for  me,  arid  placed  in  my  hands  a  letter  written  by  a  Mr.  D. 
N.  Coleman,  of  Tennessee,  in  1861.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  Andy  Johnson  was  at  that  time  stumping  the  State  as  a 
Union  man.  The  letter  referred  to,  written  by  Mr.  Coleman, 
denounced  Andy  Johnson  in  the  most  bitter  and  scornful 
terms.  D.  N.  Coleman  now  appeared  in  Washington  as  an 
applicant  to  Mr.  Johnson  for  a  pardon.  The  President 
had  not  forgotten  his  former  communication,  and  refused,  of 
course,  to  grant  the  rebel's  request.  He  desired  me  to  place 
Coleman  under  the  strictest  possible  surveillance  ;  to  watch 
his  every  movement,  to  see  where  he  went,  when  he  went, 
and  with  whom  he  conversed.  He  further  directed  I  should 
make  out  each  day  and  bring  to  him  a  record  of  Coleman' s 
movements.  Accordingly,  on  the  24th  of  September,  I  wrote 
the  following  communication : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  "WASHINGTON  CITY,  I 
September  24,  1SC5.  f 

To  Ills  Excellency  the  President : — 

SIR — D.  K  Coleman  breakfasted  at  Willard's,  Wednesday  morning,  Sep 
tember  20th,  at  eight  o'clock  and  forty-five  minutes.  Went  to  the  President's 
grounds  (in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  White  House)  at  ten  o'clock  and 
ten  minutes.  Remained  around  the  White  House  until  twenty-five  minutes 
after.  Returned  to  hotel,  went  to  Attorney-General's  office  at  eleven  o'clock. 
Remained  there  until  one  o'clock.  Went  from  Attorney-General's  office  to 
Dorsey's  livery  stable,  No.  122  Twelfth  Street.  Hired  a  small  roan  saddle- 
horse.  Rode  to  Georgetown  Heights;  did  not  dismount  or  speak  to  anyone. 
Returned  to  hotel  at  three  o'clock  and  twenty-four  minutes ;  did  not  leave 
hotel  again  that  day.  Retired  at  nine  o'clock  and  thirty-five  minutes.  Thurs 
day,  September  21.— Breakfasted  at  eight  o'clock  and  fifty- four  minutes; 


COLEMAN  UNDER   SURVEILLANCE.  587 

went  to  President's  grounds  at  nine  o'clock  and  twenty-two  minutes; 
remained  until  ten  forty-five.  Went  to  Attorney-General's  office  at  eleven 
o'clock ;  remained  until  one.  Returned  to  hotel  at  one-ten.  Met  a  stranger 
near  hotel.  Stranger  invited  Coleinan  to  call  on  him  that  evening  at  nine 
o'clock,  at  No.  9  Indiana  Avenue  (this  is  the  residence  of  E.  B.  Edwards,  an 
old  resident  of  this  city,  but  decidely  disloyal).  Entered  hotel ;  went  to  his 
room ;  remained  until  eight-twenty.  Kept  his  appointment  at  No.  9  Indiana 
Avenue;  remained  until  eleven-forty.  Returned  to  hotel,  and  entered  about 
twelve  o'clock.  Friday,  September  22. — Arose  at  eight-twenty ;  breakfasted. 
Went  to  Attorney- General's  office  as  usual  at  eleven  o'clock ;  was  there  up 
to  the  time  of  the  closing  of  this  report. 

REMARKS. — Coleman  seems  to  have  but  few  friends  among  the  numerous 
pardon-seekers  now  in  this  city.  He  has  often  met  and  conversed  with  one 
J.  B.  Fry,  who  is  comparatively  a  stranger  here,  but  is  said  to  be  engaged  in 
the  business  of  procuring  pardons  (shall  report  further  concerning  this  indi 
vidual) ;  also  converses  with  John  S.  Hollingshead,  Commissioner  of  Deeds, 
corner  of  Eighth  and  E  Streets. 

The  above  is  an  extract  from  a  police  diary  in  the  case  of  D.  N.  Coleman 
from  Wednesday,  September  20,  four  o'clock,  to  Friday,  September  22,  at 
twelve  o'clock  and  forty  minutes. 

I  am,  Sir,  with  much  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKEE, 
Brigadier-General  and  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASIIIXGTOX  CITY,  | 
September  26,  1S65.  f 

To  His  Excellency  the  President : — 

SIR — Friday  night  retired  at  nine  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes.  Saturday 
morning,  went  to  White  House  at  nine  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes.  While  in 
the  reception-room,  had  a  long  and  earnest  conversation  with  Senator  Patter 
son,  from  Tennessee,  Senator  II.  Clay,  of  Kentucky,  and  a  Mr.  Gettes,  of  Vir 
ginia.  Don't  know  the  purport  of  the  conversation.  Returned  to  hotel  at 
two  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes.  Had  long  conversations  with  a  number  of 
pardon-seekers.  Retired  at  nine  o'clock. 

Sunday.  Remained  in  hotel  until  two  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes,  then 
went  to  the  residence  of  a  Mr.  Martin,  on  B  Street,  two  doors  from  Fourteenth 
(Island),  remained  until  nearly  dark,  returned  to  hotel,  retired  at  nine  o'clock. 

Monday.  Went  to  White  House  at  nine  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes,  was 
in  reception-room  until  two  o'clock,  returned  to  hotel,  remained  about  an 
hour,  left  and  went  down  avenue  to  Thirteenth  street,  down  Thirteenth  to  D, 
up  D  to  Twelfth,  down  Twelfth  to  C,  then  to  hotel. 

Tuesday.  At  nine  o'clock  was  in  conversation  with  three  men  at  Wlllard's, 
White,  Gettes,  and  Juda. 

Diary  from  Police  Record,  in  the  case  of  D.  N.  Coleman. 

I  am,  Sir,  respectfully,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Brigadier-General  and  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department. 


588  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT.  WASHINGTON  CITT,  | 
September  30,  1SC5.  f 

To  His  Excellency  the  President  :— 

SIR — D.  N.  Coleman  left  Washington  in  4.30  train  last  evening.     Before 
leaving,  he  spent  three  hours  in  conversation  with  Brigadier-General  McCul- 
lom,  Superintendent  Military  Railroad.     In  parting  from,  his  friends  at  Wil- 
lard's,  he  remarked,  "I  hope  to  have  better  luck  when  I  come  again." 
I  am,  Sir,  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

L.  C.  BAKER, 
Brigadier-General  and  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department. 

These  reports  prevented  a  pardon,  and  Coleman  left  the 
capital  in  disgust,  and  with  the  smothered  fire  of  treason  in 
his  breast. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

MAJOR   AND   MRS.  COBB—  PARDONS—  INDICTMENTS. 

The  Career  of  Mrs.  Cobb  and  the  Course  of  her  Friend  the  President  —  An  Application 
to  Mrs.  Cobb  for  a  Pardon  —  The  Contract  —  The  Pardon  obtained  —  The  Arrest  — 
Report  to  the  President  —  How  he  received  it  —  Subsequent  Interviews  —  He 
defends  Mrs.  Cobb  —  Gets  Angry  —  Denounces  the  Detectives  —  The  Farewell  to 
the  White  House. 


turn  to  a  matter  of  grave  importance,  more  or  less 
known  to  the  public,  but  correctly  understood  by  compara 
tively  few  persons.  Nothing  during  my  connection  with  the 
Government  was  so  willfully  and  maliciously  misrepresented, 
no  facts  have  been  so  much  perverted,  as  the  management  of 
the  Cobb  pardon  case.  I  never  hesitated  to  attack  criminal 
transactions,  wherever  they  were  found,  no  fear  of  un 
pleasant  consequences  to  me  personally  being  allowed  to 
interfere  with  this  plain  duty.  Perhaps  no  endeavor  in  the 
course  of  my  service,  to  expose  a  great  fraud  and  bring  the 
guilty  to  justice,  demands  a  more  faithful  record  than  the 
story  of  my  connection  with  the  arrest  and  trial  of  Mrs. 
Cobb.  In  the  winter  of  1863,  I  was  called  upon  in  my 
headquarters  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night  by  a  poor  woman 
named  Mrs.  Bell,  who  resided  in  Eleventh  Street,  Washing 
ton.  She  represented  to  me  that  a  certain  Major  Cobb  and 
his  wife  had.  taken  lodgings  at  her  house  several  weeks 
before  ;  that  they  had  rented  her  parlor,  agreeing  to  pay  the 
rent  weekly  ;  that  she  was  a  poor  widow,  with  a  sick  and 
aged  mother  dependent  upon  her  for  support  ;  and  that  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cobb  had  not  only  refused  to  pay  their  rent,  but 
had  taken  her  fuel,  and  for  a  long  time  had  entertained  at 
her  house  persons,  both  male  and  female,  of  the  most  sus 
picious  character.  She  requested  me  to  see  them  with  regard 
to  vacating  her  house.  I  repaired  to  the  premises,  and  there 


590  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

for  the  first  time  met  the  notorious  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb.  I 
asked  Cobb  why  lie  had  refused  to  pay  for  his  lodgings,  and 
said  to  him,  that  as  a  commissioned  officer  of  the  Navy  De 
partment,  he  certainly  had  no  right  to  disgrace  his  uniform 
by  conduct  unworthy  any  honorable  man.  I  expressed  my 
doubts  whether  he  was  a  paymaster  in  the  Navy,  and  asked 
him  to  show  his  commission.  He  then  produced  an  applica 
tion  for  an  appointment  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and 
also  the  usual  letter  granted  upon  the  filing  of  his  securities. 
These  papers  bearing  date  some  time  previous,  induced  me  to 
ask  for  his  commission.  This  he  could  not  show.  I  charged 
him  with  being  an  impostor,  arid  told  him  he  must  leave  the 
premises.  He  left  that  night,  and  on  the  following  day  I 
went  to  the  Navy  Department,  and  ascertained  from  the 
records  that  my  suspicions  were  correct.  Mr.  Cobb  had 
failed  to  file  his  bonds,  and  consequently  was  not  a  pay 
master.  Some  three  weeks  subsequently  I  was  applied  to 
by  a  one-legged  soldier,  who  represented  that  Major  Cobb, 
ot'  the  Navy,  had  rented  apartments  at  his  house,  but 
refused  to  pay  the  rent ;  that  he  was  a  very  poor  man,  and 
could  not  let  his  rooms  without  being  paid  for  them.  I  at 
once  recognized  the  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  before  referred  to. 
I  repaired  to  the  house,  and  found  them  to  be  the  same  per 
sons.  I  then  charged  Cobb  again  with  being  an  impostor, 
informed  him  that  he  was  not  an  officer  of  the  Navy,  that  he 
had  failed  to  file  his  bonds,  and  that  he  should  not  assume 
the  uniform  of  a  Navy  officer  for  the  purpose  of  imposing 
upon  poor  and  credulous  people.  I  tore  the  shoulder- 
straps  from  his  coat  and  ordered  him  out  of  the  house.  He 
left  the  premises  at  once.  Some  months  afterward  I  discov 
ered  that  Mrs.  Cobb  was  keeping  a  cigar  store  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Kirkwood  House,  on  the  Avenue.  She  subsequently 
secured  a  place  in  the  Armory  Square  Hospital  as  a  nurse, 
where  she  remained  a  short  time,  being  discharged  by  the 
surgeon  of  the  hospital.  So  much  has  been  said  through 
the  copperhead  press  with  reference  to  my  action  in  detail 
ing  detectives  for  duty  at  the  White  House,  that  1  desire 
here  to  make  a  plain  unvarnished  statement  of  all  the  facts 
connected  with  the  case.  For  more  than  two  years  I  had 
entirely  lost  sight  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb.  On  the  19th  of 


ISAAC  SURRATT— A  TRIP   TO   CANADA.  591 

October,  1865,  I  was  sent  for  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  who 
placed  in  my  hands  the  following  dispatch  :— 


[Received  3  p.  M.     In  cipher.] 

ADQUAKT 

NKW  OKLBANS,  October  IS,  1S65. 


HEADQUARTERS  DIVISION  OF  THE  GULF,  ) 


Hon.  E.  M.  STAXTOX,  Secretary  of  War: — 

General  Steele  communicates  the  following  intelligence. 
Isaac  Surratt,  another  son  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  left  Monterey,  Mexico,  some 
three  or  four  weeks  ago  to  assassinate  the  President.  This  resolution  was 
taken  after  he  heard  of  the  execution  of  his  mother,  and  the  rebels  at  that 
place  made  up  a  purse  for  him.  The  young  man  was  very  frantic  when  he 
left  Monterey  some  four  weeks  ago,  traveling  toward  the  Rio  Grande  on 
horseback. 

Isaac  Surratt  is  about  thirty-two  years  of  age,  olive  complexion,  five  feet 
nine  or  ten  inches  in  height,  full  beard,  dark  eyes,  black  curly  hair,  and  good 
looking.  Was  a  member  of  DulFs  regiment  of  cavalry. 

(Signed)  P.  II.  SHERIDAN,  Major-General. 

That  great  importance  was  attached  to  the  reported 
movements  of  Surratt  by  General  Sheridan  would  seem  to 
be  indicated  by  the  following  :— 

OFFICE  ILvmsn  STATES  MIMT.VRT  TELEGRAPH,  WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

The  following  telegram  rccoi%-ed  at  Washington,  11  A.  M.,  October  30,  18C5. — From  New  Orleans. 
Louisiana,  9.30  A.  M.,  October  28,  19C5. 

lion.  EDWIN"  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War: — 

Mr.  J.  K.  S.,  the  man  from  whom  the  information  was  obtained  of  the  in 
tention  of  Isaac  Surratt,  slipped  off  from  me  on  the  United  States  steamship 
Maripota,  which  sailed  for  New  York  on  the  evening  of  the  26th  from  this 
place.  He  is  unconscious  of  the  Government  being  in  possession  of  the  infor 
mation  that  was  obtained  from  him  through  Mr.  A.  I  hesitated  to  arrest  him, 
fearing  it  might  interfere  with  the  arrest  of  Surratt,  but  he  has  registered  his 
name  on  the  ship's  register,  and  can  be  apprehended  at  New  York  on  the 
arrival  of  the  boat.  I  think  he  is  on  his  way  to  Canada. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN,  Major-General. 

The  Isaac  Surratt  referred  to  in  this  dispatch  was  little 
known  in  Washington,  having  left  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
rebellion,  with  a  regiment  of  rebel  troops  organized  in  Lower 
Maryland.  I  received  no  instructions  from  the  Secretary  of 
War  as  to  what  course  I  should  pursue,  he  leaving  that,  as 
usual,  entirely  discretionary  with  me.  On  the  afternoon  of 
the  day  this  telegram  was  received,  my  carpet-bag  was 
packed  for  a  trip  to  Canada,  on  important  business,  which 
would  detain  me  there  for  a  few  weeks.  I  left  the  matter  in 
the  hands  of  my  assistant,  Colonel  Assmussen,  for  such 


592  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

action  as  he  deemed  proper,  and  that  night  was  on  the  way 
to  the  British  Provinces. 

At  Baltimore,  while  going  toward  the  Harrisburg  depot, 
I  met  one  of  my  detective  officers,  who  informed  me  that 
Isaac  Surratt  was  then  in  that  city.  I  repaired  immediately 
to  the  telegraph  office,  and  sent  a  telegram  to  Mr.  Stanton, 
in  cipher,  that  Isaac  Surratt  was  in  Baltimore ;  at  the  same 
time  telegraphing  to  my  assistant,  Colonel  Assmussen,  and 
directing  him  to  look  out  for  Surratt.  I  proceeded  to  Cana 
da,  and  was  absent  two  weeks.  When  I  returned,  ignorant 
of  what  had  transpired,  and  anxious  to  know,  I  questioned 
my  assistant  as  to  what  had  occurred ;  he  told  me  that  he 
had  detailed  two  detective  officers  to  go  to  the  White  House, 
with  instructions  to  remain  outside,  and  not  to  make  their 
business  known  to  any  individual.  This  he  had  done  solely 
as  a  matter  of  precaution,  to  prevent  any  suspicious  charac 
ters  from  entering  the  Executive  mansion.  Nothing  un 
usual,  however,  had  occurred.  I  then  sent  for  S.  S.  Jones, 
one  of  the  detectives  detailed  for  this  service,  and  interro 
gated  him  with  reference  to  seeing  any  persons  of  doubtful 
business  or  character  about  the  Executive  Mansion.  He 
also  assured  me  that  nothing  alarming  had  transpired,  but 
remarked,  ." there's  some  strange  proceedings  there;"  that 
the  second  day  after  he  entered  on  duty  his  business  became 
known  to  some  of  the  attaches  of  the  White  House,  who 
invited  him  inside,  and  he  became  familiar  soon  with  many 
of  the  frequent  visitors  at  the  National  Homestead.  He  in 
formed  me  that  a  regular  system  of  pardon  brokerage  was 
in  successful  operation,  both  by  the  conspicuous  rebels  in 
the  capital  and  by  a  certain  class  of  disreputable  women, 
well  known  to  the  local  police  of  this  city  ;  among  whom 
he  mentioned  the  name  of  Mrs.  Cobb,  who  he  said  was  a  con 
stant  visitor,  was  there  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night, 
boasting  openly  to  him  that  she  had  procured,  and  could 
procure,  pardons  from  the  President,  at  any  time,  in  six 
hours  ;  and  she  exhibited  to  him,  on  one  occasion,  two  par 
dons  which  she  had  obtained  for  rebels  at  Richmond, 
declaring  on  that  day  she  had  made  a  thousand  dollars. 
When  questioned  as  to  her  mode  of  proceeding,  she  simply 
remarked  she  had  an  understanding  with  the  President,  and 


A  FEMALE  PARDON  BROKER.  593 

he  dare  not  refuse  to  grant  her  requests.  She  further 
claimed,  that  in  the  prosecution  of  her  business  she  found  it 
necessary  to  divide  a  portion  of  the  money  received  for  par 
dons  with  certain  Government  officials. 

I  decided  to  bring  such  a  record  of  facts  before  the  Presi 
dent,  with  respect  to  her  case,  as  would  satisfy  him  of  her  un 
worthy  conduct,  and  the  nefarious  business  in  which  she  was 
engaged.  To  accomplish  this,  I  determined  to  manufacture 
a  fictitious  application  for  pardon.  To  represent  an  appli 
cant,  I  selected  Captain  H.  H.  Hine,  formerly  Assistant  Pro- 
vost-Marshal-General  at  St.  Louis,  who  was  then  in  Wash 
ington  endeavoring  to  procure  the  revocation  of  a  sentence 
passed  upon  him  by  a  military  commission  under  General 
Rosecrans.  It  seems  Captain  Hine  had  been  tried,  convicted 
(as  he  claimed  unjustly),  and  sentenced  to  the  Alton  Peniten 
tiary.  Before  the  sentence  was  carried  into  execution,  how 
ever,  he  escaped  and  fled  to  Canada.  While  there  he  was 
known  as  a  rebel  officer,  and  consequently  became  very 
familiar  with  all  the  rebel  officers  then  engaged  in  organizing 
raids  and  committing  depredations  upon  the  border.  He 
wrote  me  a  number  of  letters  giving  information  as  to  the 
movements  of  the  rebel  emissaries  in  Canada.  After  the 
assassination  of  the  President,  he  communicated  many  im 
portant  facts  to  the  Government,  in  consideration  of  which 
the  Assistant  Secretary  of  AYar  gave  him  permission  to  visit 
Washington,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  a  revocation  of  his 
previous  sentence.  While  he  was  there,  waiting  to  have  a 
hearing  at  the  War  Department,  the  case  of  Mrs.  Cobb  came 
up,  and  I  selected  him  to  represent  an  applicant  for  a  par 
don.  A  regular  application  was  made,  in  the  name  of 
Clarence  J.  Howell.  In  this  fictitious  application  were  set 
forth  fully  the  offenses  committed  by  the  applicant.  The 
detective  officer  before  mentioned,  who  was  placed  on  duty 
at  the  White  House,  and  who  had  become  acquainted  with 
Mrs.  Cobb  and  her  business,  being  in  the  secret,  introduced 
Howell  to  Mrs.  Cobb  as  an  applicant  for  a  pardon.  How 
ever  censurable,  unjustifiable,  or  illegal  my  course  may  have 
been,  my  only  desire  was  to  serve  the  President  and  the 
Government.  The  fact  is  familiar  to  jurists,  that  in  such 
case  of  emergency,  when  prompt  action  for  the  public  good 

38 


594  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

is  demanded,  the  courts  have  decided  that  a  margin  of 
authority  transcending  the  letter  of  the  law  is  allowable. 
The  charge  and  verdict  pronounced  by  the  judge,  in  the  dis 
posal  of  this  case,  clearly  indicate  his  unwillingness  to  regard 
the  letter  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  spirit  of  legislation. 

Captain  Howell  stated  his  case  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  arid  she 
agreed  to  procure  a  "full,  complete,  and  unconditional  par 
don  for  all  his  past  offenses,"  as  the  contract  reads,  for  the 
sum  of  three  hundred  dollars.  It  is  proper  here  to  remark, 
that  the  usual  routine  at  the  Executive  mansion  and  the 
Attorney-General's  office,  in  procuring  pardons,  requires  from 
two  to  five  weeks,  a  record  of  the  names  of  the  applicants 
being  placed  on  the  books  of  the  Attorney-General's  office, 
which  names  are  taken  up  in  their  order  and  disposed  of. 
For  an  extraordinary  consideration,  however,  Mrs.  Cobb 
agreed  to  procure  the  pardon  in  question  in  twelve  hours,  as 
appears  from  the  following  contract : — 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  November  5, 18(55. 

For  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  three  hundred  dollars,  paid  to  me 
by  Captain  Clarence  J.  Howell,  I  hereby  agree  as  follows,  to  wit:  To  take 
from  Captain  Howell  his  statement  in  regard  to  his  case,  and  procure  for  him 
the  full  and  complete  pardon  for  his  past  offenses.  The  money  to  be  paid  as 
follows:  one  hundred  dollars  in  hand,  and  the  remaining  two  hundred  on  the 
delivery  of  his  pardon  on  Monday  evening  at  six  o'clock  P.  M.  I  further  agree 
that  in  case  I  do  not  succeed  in  getting  the  pardon  as  agreed,  I  will  return  to 
him  the  one  hundred  dollars  received  of  him. 

(Signed)  Mrs.  L.  L.  COBB. 

The  above  contained  the  following  receipt  on  the  back  : — 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  November  5,  1865. 

Received  on  the  within,  one  hundred  dollars. 

(Signed)  Mrs.  L.  L.  COBB. 

This  occurred  on  the  7th  of  November.  To  secure  posi 
tive  and  indisputable  evidence  against  Mrs.  Cobb,  I  took  six 
fifty-dollar  treasury  notes  and  marked  them  in  the  presence 
of  five  persons,  that  they  might  be  identified  as  the  bills 
paid  for  the  pardon.  On  the  evening  of  the  7th,  when 
Howell  was  to  have  it,  accompanied  by  a  detective  officer,  I 
went  with  him  to  the  Avenue  House,  where  he  was  to 
receive  the  document,  determined,  as  soon  as  the  money  was 


DISAPPOINTMENT-RECOGNITION-EXCITEMENT.        595 

paid  by  him  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  and  he  had  the  pardon  in  his 
hands,  to  demand  of  her  the  money.  As  shown  by  Mrs. 
Cobb's  testimony,  the  pardon  was  not  procured  on  the  7th, 
she  alleging  that  the  President  was  sick,  that  Mr.  Seward 
was  not  in  the  city,  and  that  a  friend  of  hers  in  the  Treasury 
Department,  who  assisted  her,  was  also  absent  from  the  city, 
in  New  York,  but  on  the  following  evening  she  would  cer 
tainly  have  the  pardon  ready.  Accordingly,  on  the  evening 
of  the  8th,  I  again  visited  the  Avenue  House  with  a  detect 
ive,  and  the  moment  Howell  paid  the  money  to  Mrs.  Cobb 
and  received  his  papers,  I  entered  the  room  and  demanded 
from  Mrs.  Cobb  the  two  hundred  dollars.  She  at  once 
recognized  me,  and  remarked  she  uhad  met  me  before."  I 
informed  her  I  had  been  watching  her  for  several  days,  I 
believed  I  was  posted  as  to  her  doings  at  the  White  House, 
and  said,  "  You  shall  not  impose  upon  the  President  by  your 
presence.  He,  doubtless,  regards  you  as  an  honest  woman, 
and  when  he  is  made  aware  of  your  real  character,  and  the 
business  in  which  you  are  engaged,  I  think  you  will  not  be 
permitted  again  to  visit  the  White  House."  She  refused  to 
return  the  money,  when  I  asked  her  to  go  with  me  to  my 
office  ;  she  consented,  and  asked  me  if  I  had  any  objection  to 
her  husband  accompanying  us  ;  I  replied,  "  Certainly  not," 
and,  entering  the  carriage  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb,  went  to 
my  headquarters.  I  took  Mrs.  Cobb  into  my  private  office, 
and  requested  her  to  return  to  me  the  money  paid  her  by 
Howell,  stating  to  her  distinctly  that  it  was  my  money  ;  I 
had  marked  it  for  the  purpose  of  entrapping  her  ;  the  person 
for  whom  she  had  obtained  the  pardon  was  not  Captain 
Howell  but  Captain  Hine  ;  I  had  devised  this  plan  to  ascer 
tain  how  and  through  what  means  she  obtained  pardons; 
she  should  not  impose  upon  the  President  any  longer,  and  I 
should  lay  all  the  facts  before  him  at  once,  awaiting  his 
decision  in  the  matter.  She  became  very  much  excited  and 
extremely  abusive,  declaring  that  she  had  obtained  a  great 
many  pardons  from  the  President,  and  she  should  continue 
to  obtain  them  as  long  as  she  could  find  customers  ;  she  and 
the  President  had  a  perfect  understanding,  and  he  dare  not 
refuse  to  sign  any  paper  she  presented  to  him.  I  asked  lier 
how  many  pardons  she  had  procured.  She  said  she  could 


696  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

not  tell,  but  a  great  many  ;  she  had  got  three  in  a  single  day, 
and  very  indignantly  claimed  that  she  had  as  much  right  to 
do  so  as  other  brokers.  I  asked  her  who  among  her  ac 
quaintances  were  engaged  in  the  business.  She  mentioned 
the  name  of  Mrs.  Ella  B.  Washington,  she,  and  one  of  the 
rebel  colonels  and  others  ;  she  said  that  Mrs.  Washington 
had  obtained  ten  pardons  where  she  (Mrs.  Cobb)  had  ob 
tained  one  ;  she  did  not  see  why  she  should  be  selected  for 
arrest  while  Mrs.  Washington  and  others  were  allowed  to  be 
unmolested,  adding  the  remark:  "Your  action  in  arresting 
me  will  cost  you  your  commission  ;  I  shall  see  the  President 
to-morrow,  and  have  you  mustered  out  of  service."  I  re 
plied  to  her:  "The  President  will  probably  require  some 
other  reason  for  my  dismissal  from  service  than  the  state 
ment  of  a  vile  creature  like  you." 

To  satisfy  me  of  her  intimacy  with  the  President  and  with 
the  attaches  at  the  White  House,  she  entered  into  a  long 
and  minute  statement  of  conversations  she  had  had  with  him, 
assuring  me  that  he  had  informed  her  that  I  was  to  be  mus 
tered  out  of  service  on  the  15th  of  November ;  that  Mr. 
Stanton  would  not  be  retained  in  the  cabinet  beyond  the  1st 
of  January  ;  that  many  of  the  Black  Republican  and  Aboli 
tionist  officeholders  were  to  be  removed,  and  she  knew  who 
they  were  ;  that  the  President  had  informed  her,  on  one 
occasion,  that  the  Detective  Bureau  was  to  be  broken  up, 
and  that  Stanton' s  friend  Baker  would  retire  to  private  life. 
After  listening  for  more  than  an  hour  to  conversation  of  this 
character,  I  decided  immediately  to  see  the  President.  I 
took  the  pardon,  as  delivered  by  Mrs.  Cobb  to  Captain  Hine, 
Mrs.  Cobb's  written  contract  with  Captain  Hirie  for  pro 
curing  the  same,  the  marked  fifty-dollar  notes  paid  by  Hine 
to  Mrs.  Cobb  and  by  her  returned  to  me,  and,  leaving  Mrs. 
Cobb  in  charge  of  one  of  my  officers,  I  went  to  the  Execu 
tive  mansion  about  eight  o'clock.  I  found  the  President 
alone  in  his  room,  and,  after  the  usual  salutation,  I  said, 
"Mr.  President,  I  have  some  papers  here  that  I  desire  to 
show  you."  He  said,  "Take  a  seat,  sir."  I  immediately 
unfolded  the  pardon  and  laid  it  on  the  table  before  him.  He 
put  on  his  spectacles,  looked  at  it, -and  said,  "  Sir,  where  did 
you  get  this  ?"  "  I  got  it  from  Mrs.  Cobb."  1  then  handed 


THE   CONTRACT— PRESIDENTIAL  ANGER.  597 

to 'him  Mrs.  Cobb's  written  contract  for  procuring  said  par 
don.  He  read  it,  when  I  exhibited  to  him  the  marked  money, 
and  began  a  detailed  statement  of  all  the  facts  connected  with 
the  case.  He  interrupted  me  in  a  moment,  and  said,  "  Where 
did  you  get  this  pardon  ?"  I  replied,  "  From  Mrs.  Cobb  ;" 
and  was  proceeding  to  narrate  the  circumstances,  when  he 
again  interrupted  me,  and  added,  "  Well,  what  is  this  all 
about?"  I  began  a  third  time  to  relate  the  circumstances, 
when  he  interrupted  me  with  rising  passion,  "This  is  a 
detective  job,  isn't  it  ?"  I  answered,  "Yes,  sir  ;  and  if  you 
will  listen  to  me  a  moment  I  will  explain  it."  He  raised  the 
pardon  from  the  table  and  said,  "  But  what  business  have 
you  with  this  pardon  f '  When  I  again  attempted  to  make 
an  explanation,  he  broke  in  by  saying,  "  Well,  this  is  a  very 
strange  affair.  This  pardon  has  not  been  recorded.  You 
have  no  business  with  it,  sir.  There  is  no  oath  of  amnesty 
attached  to  it."  I  then  politely  requested  the  President  to 
listen  to  me,  stating  that  I  would  explain  the  whole  matter. 
I  had  not  proceeded,  far,  however,  when  he  became  very 
much  excited,  rose  from  his  chair,  and  said,  "Sir,  what 
business  have  you  to  interfere  here  ?  What  business  has 
this  woman  to  use  my  name  in  connection  with  this  matter  1 
How  did  this  pardon  get  out  of  the  Attorney-General's 
office  without  being  recorded  ?"  Looking  at  the  pardon,  he 
remarked,  "  This  is  my  signature.  I  did  not  sign  this  pardon 
until  very  late  this  afternoon,  and  here  I  find  it  returned,  as  you 
say,  through  a  pardon  broker."  He  called  his  son  Robert, 
and  inquired,  "  Robert,  do  you  know  any  thing  about  this 
pardon?"  Robert  answered,  "Yes,  father;  that  is  the  par 
don  you  signed  for  Mrs.  Cobb  this  afternoon."  He  took  the 
pardon  from  his  drawer,  unfolded  it,  and  remarked,  "  This  is 
a  pretty  business.  Where  is  Mrs.  Cobb  ?"  I  replied,  "At  my 
headquarters.".  "  Did  you  arrest  her,  sir  ?"  I  replied,  "  No, 
sir  ;  I  simply  asked  her  to  go  to  my  headquarters  to  make  an 
explanation."  Again  he  became  very  much  excited,  walked 
the  room  to  and  fro,  and  suddenly  turned  ferociously  upon 
me  and  exclaimed,  "  Who  employs  you  to  interfere  with  the 
duties  of  the  President  or  the  Attorney-General?"  My 
answer  was,  I  certainly  intended  no  wrong ;  I  did  not  con 
ceive  it  to  be  possible  that  he  could  know  the  real  character 


598  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  this  woman ;  my  only  desire  was  to  exhibit  to  him  the 
character  of  the  persons  engaged  in  procuring  pardons,  and 
the  means  employed ;  and  if  I  had  done  wrong  I  was  very 
sorry.  He  became  more  composed,  and  wanted  to  know 
who  this  Mrs.  Cobb  was.  I  stated  to  him,  as  far  as  possible, 
who  she  was.  He  then  asked  me  if  I  would  request  Mrs. 
Cobb  to  come  and  see  him  the  following  evening  at  six 
o'clock.  I  replied,  "  Certainly."*  He  also  requested  me  to 
come  and  see  him  the  next  evening,  which  I  promised  to  do, 
and,  leaving  the  pardon  and  Mrs.  Cobb's  contract  with  Cap 
tain  Howell  in  his  possession,  I  returned  to  my  headquarters. 
During  my  conversation  with  Mrs.  Cobb,  previous  to 
visiting  the  President,  as  before  recorded,  I  learned  that 
Mrs.  Ella  B.  Washington,  residing  in  Georgetown,  was  also 
engaged  in  the  pardon  business,  and  knowing  that  the  expo 
sure  that  must  necessarily  follow  in  Mrs.  Cobb's  case  would 
intimidate  and  prevent  Mrs.  Washington  from  procuring 
further  pardons  from  the  President,  I  immediately,  on  the 
same  evening,  drew  up  an  application  for  another  pardon,  in 
the  name  of  John  Kelly.  I  placed  this  application  in  the 
hands  of  Captain  Hine,  gave  him  one  hundred  dollars  in 
treasury  notes,  and  directed  him  to  go  to  Mrs.  Washington's 
boarding-house  in  Georgetown  and  make  an  agreement  to 
procure  from  the  President  another  pardon.  8.  S.  Jones, 
who  had  introduced  Captain  Hine  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  accom 
panied  him  to  Georgetown,  and  introduced  him  to  Mrs. 
Washington  as  a  rebel,  and  an  applicant  for  a  pardon.  Mrs. 
Washington  informed  Captain  Hine  that  she  would  procure 
his  pardon  that  night.  He  paid  the  one  hundred  dollars  to 
Mrs.  Washington,  and  took  the  following  receipt : 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  Nov.  5,  1SG5. 

Received  from  John  Kelly  one  hundred  dollars  as  retaining  fee  for  obtain 
ing  his  (Kelly's)  pardon  from  the  President. 

(Signed)  ELLA  B.  WASHINGTON. 

This  pardon,  however,  was  not  procured,  because,  on  the 
following  morning,  Mrs.  Cobb's  case  had  become  noised 

*  Tn  Mrs.  Cobb's  testimony  on  the  trial,  it  will  be  noticed  that  she  speaks  of  having 
received  a  note  at  the  hotel  This  note  I  sent  her,  in  compliance  with  the  President's 
request. 


MRS.  COBB  AT  LIBERTY— FOUR  INDICTMENTS.          599 

about  among  the  pardon  brokers,  and  Mrs.  Washington 
declined  to  comply  with  her  contract. 

But  to  return  to  Mrs.  Cobb.  On  arriving  at  my  head 
quarters,  I  informed  her  that  she  was  at  liberty  to  go  home, 
and  immediately  furnished  herself  and  husband  with  a  con 
veyance.  Before  leaving,  she  reiterated  her  determination 
to  lay  the  whole  matter  before  the  President,  and  have  me 
summarily  dismissed  the  service.  She  told  me  that  she 
had  very  influential  friends  in  Washington,  and  she  would 
go  before  the  Grand  Jury  and  have  me  indicted  for  false 
imprisonment,  &c. 

In  compliance  with  the  President's  request,  I  went  to  his 
mansion  the  next  evening,  and  found  him  in  a  state  of  great 
excitement.  He  denounced  "my  interference  with  matters 
at  the  White  House  ;  Mrs.  Cobb  was  a  respectable,  virtuous 
lady,  and  I  had  no  right  to  interfere  with  her  occupation.'* 
I  had  sincerely  believed  I  could  render  the  President  a 
great  service  by  exposing  the  character  and  business  of  this 
woman.  When,  however,  I  found  that  he  was  determined 
to  put  a  wrong  construction  upon  my  motives,  and  to  sustain 
Mrs.  Cobb,  I  felt  mortified  and  indignant.  Never  was  there 
a  greater  contrast  between  anticipations  and  the  result.  It 
was  coming  down  from  the  summit  of  human  glory,  when 
the  unworthy  ruler  of  a  great  people  was  conquered  and  led 
captive  apparently  by  the  vile  protege  of  his  fancy.  The 
Grand  Jury  of  the  District  of  Columbia  then  being  in  session, 
on  the  following  day,  very  much  to  my  surprise,  I  learned  that 
four  indictments  had  been  found  against  me :  one  for  false 
imprisonment  of  Mrs.  Cobb  ;  one  for  false  imprisonment  of 
Mr.  Cobb  ;  one  for  robbery  in  taking  from  her  the  two  hun 
dred  dollars  I  had  marked  and  given  to  Captain  Howell ; 
and  one  for  extortion.  It  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  how 
a  Grand  Jury  could  ever  find  evidence  in  this  case  on  which 
to  base  these  indictments,  but  when  it  is  recollected  that 
nearly  every  member  of  this  Grand  Jury  was  a  secessionist ; 
that  many  of  them,  if  not  all,  had  at  some  time  during  the 
previous  four  years  fallen  under  my  official  notice,  these 
facts  will  perhaps  furnish  an  explanation.  When  it  became 
known  that  these  indictments  had  been  found  against  me, 
the  disloyal  press  throughout  the  country  hailed  the  event 


600  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

as  one  likely  to  terminate  my  official  connection  with  the 
.Government,  and  declared  that  President  Johnson  would 
never  permit  himself  to  be  compromised  by  permitting  the 
continuance  of  the  Deteclive  Bureau.  Especially  were  pains 
taken  by  the  associated  press  to  send  the  news  broadcast 
everywhere,  that  Colonel  Baker  had  been  indicted  for  rob 
bery,  without  giving  any  of  the  circumstances  in  connection 
with  the  case.  To  those  reports  I  made  no  reply,  determined 
to  wait  patiently,  satisfied  that,  if  an  impartial  investigation 
could  be  had,  I  should  stand  not  only  honorably  acquitted 
before  the  community,  but  that  my  action  in  the  case  would 
be  commended  rather  than  censured. 

On  the  evening  of  November  10,  1865,  in  a  conversation 
with  the  President,  he  affirmed  that  it  was  not  possible  that 
he  could  know  the  character  of  the  females  visiting  his 
house  ;  he  desired  to  give  all  an  interview  ;  Mrs.  Cobb  and 
Mrs.  Washington  had  been  there  frequently — he  knew  their 
faces  well ;  believed  he  had  on  one  or  two  occasions  recom 
mended  Mrs.  Cobb  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  a 
situation,  but,  beyond  that,  he  knew  nothing  of  her  or  of 
Mrs.  Washington  ;  and,  if  he  could  be  convinced  that  the 
character  of  these  women  was  bad,  he  certainly  would  not 
tolerate  their  presence  at  the  Executive  mansion  a  moment. 
He  then  asked  me  to  make  out  a  written  report,  as  briefly  as 
possible,  on  which  he  could  base  some  order  directing  his 
subordinates  to  exclude  bad  characters  from  the  White 
House.  Accordingly,  on  the  evening  of  the  llth  of  Novem 
ber,  I  placed  in  the  President's  hands  a  communication,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 

WASHINGTON  CITT,  November  11, 1SG5. 

To  His  Excellency  the  President: 

SIR — I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  a  certain  class  of  persons  in  this 
city  (male  and  female),  who  are  daily  visiting  the  White  House,  known  as 
pardon  brokers. 

My  attention  was,  some  time  since,  called  to  the  individual.-;  referred  to; 
the  means  employed  in  the  prosecution  of  their  business;  and  also  a  number 
of  persons  holding  positions  under  the  Government,  &c.  I  declined,  however, 
to  take  any  official  cognizance  of  the  matter,  until  quite  recently,  when  I  dis 
covered  that  certain  females,  of  very  questionable  character  and  reputation, 
to  say  the  least,  were  almost  daily  procuring  pardons.  These  females  have 
advertised  or  proclaimed  themselves  in  the  public  hotels  and  saloons  of  this 


LETTER  TO  THE  PRESIDENT.  601 

city  as  "Pardon  Brokers,"  asserting  that  they  could  procure  the  pardon  of 
any  one  applying,  in  twelve  hours. 

Some  days  since  an  officer  of  the  II.  S.  Army,  who  had  been  convicted  at 
St.  Louis,  by  military  court-rnartial.  sentenced  to  the  Penitentiary  at  Alton, 
111.,  for  two  years,  but  escaped  to  Canada  in  1804,  came  to  Washington  to 
procure  his  pardon.  He  was  advised  to  apply  to  a  Mrs.  L.  L.  Cobb,  who 
assured  the  officer  that  she  could  obtain  his  pardon  in  twelve  Hours,  for  the 
sum  of  three  hundred  dollars,  remarking  at  the  same  time  that  she,  Mrs.  0., 
would  have  to  pay  a  portion  of  said  three  hundred  dollars  to  certain  clerks 
and  others.  The  officer  paid  Mrs.  Cobb  one  hundred  dollars  as  retaining  fee, 
taking  a  receipt  for  the  same,  the  original  of  which  is  in  your  hands.*  Mrs. 
Cobb  informed  the  officer  at  their  first  interview,  that  she  had  procured  or 
obtained  a  great  number  of  pardons,  but  was  always  compelled  to  divide  the 
amount  received  therefor  with  certain  persons  holding  positions  in  different 
departments  and  bureaus.  Mrs.  Cobb  having  foiled  to  procure  the  pardon 
within  the  time  mentioned  in  the  above  receipt,  the  officer  became  dissatisfied, 
and  complained  to  me  that  lie  feared  he  should  lose  the  one  hundred  dollars 
advanced.  After  hearing  his  statement,  I  feared  that  Mrs.  C.  might  be 
engaged  with  others  \n.  forging  pardons,  as  I  did  not  think  it  possible  that  a 
woman  of  her  character  could  procure  a  pardon  under  any  circumstances, 
much  less  procure  it  in  the  time  specified  in  her  agreement  with  the  officer. 
Being  desirous,  and  deeming  that  the  ends  of  justice  would  best  be  subserved, 
I  asked  the  officer,  in  case  she  should  succeed  in  procuring  the  pardon,  to  pay 
the  remaining  two  hundred  dollars  in  such  funds  as  could  be  identified; 
accordingly  I  gave  the  officer  four  fifty-dollar  treasury  notes,  and  marked 
them.  The  same  evening  the  officer  went  to  Mrs.  Cobb's  room,  No.  20  Ave 
nue  House,  paid  the  two  hundred  dollars,  taking  Mrs.  Cobb's  receipt  therefor. 
I  then  went  to  Mrs.  Cobb's  room,  and  required  her  to  give  me  the  two  hun 
dred  dollars,  Avhich  she  did.  I  then  asked  her  and  her  husband  to  accompany 
me  to  my  office  immediately.  The  same  evening  I  took  the  receipt  and  con 
tract  of  Mrs.  Cobb  to  you.  The  pardon  Avas  found  in  Mrs.  C.'s  room,  and,  on 
inquiry,  I  found  it  had  been  delivered  to  her  before  the  oath  of  amnesty  had 
been  made,  as  required  by  law.  Mrs.  C.  remained  at  my  office  until  nearly 
eleven  o'clock,  when  I  discharged  her  and  her  husband,  and  they 'returned  to 
the  Avenue  House  the  same  evening.  During  my  conversation  with  her,  she 
made  a  long  statement,  claiming  that  she  was  not  the  only  female  engaged  in 
procuring  pardons  for  pay,  &c.  The  pardon  referred  to  and  procured  by  Mrs. 
Cobb  was  in  the  name  of  Clarence  J.  Howell,  a  name  assumed  for  the  occa 
sion.  When  AVO  take  into  consideration  the  notorious  bad  character  and 
reputation  of  this  woman  (Mrs.  Cobb) — her  conduct  while  at  the  Executive 
mansion,  which  is  Avell  known  to  nearly  every  employee  at  the  White  House — 
her  public  boastings  that  she  could  procure  pardons  at  all  times  quicker  than, 
any  other  person  in  Washington — that  siie  has  (if  her  own  statement  can  be 
relied  upon)  procured  a  larger  number  of  pardons,  through  the  assistance  of 
certain  attaches  of  the  different  departments — I  trust  1  shall  bo  pardoned 

*  Given  on  a  page  preceding. 


602  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

for  calling  your  attention  to  the  matter,  in  official  statement  of  the  facts  in 
regard  to  Mrs.  Ella  B.  Washington,  another  female  pardon  broker,  and  the 
person  of  whom  I  spoke  at  our  interview  not  long  since.  I  beg  leave  to  say 
that  she  contracted  to  procure  the  pardon  of  one  John  Kelly,  as  appears  from 
the  receipt,  the  original  being  in  my  possession.  The  pardon  was  not  for 
warded,  however.  I  know  but  little  of  Mrs.  W.'s  previous  character.  She  is 
the  wife  or  widow  of  Lewis  B.  Washington,  heretofore  known  as  one  of  the 
most  bitter  and  uncompromising  haters  of  our  Government.  There  are  many 
other  important  facts  partially  brought  to  light  by  this  investigation,  which 
go  to  show  conclusively  that  a  system  of  manipulation  and  corruption  is 
being  practised,  by  persons  holding  official  positions  under  the  Government, 
in  connection  with  the  procuring  of  pardons. 

I  am,  Sir,  most  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Brigadwr-General  and  Provost-Marshal  War  Department. 

Before  doing  so,  however,  being  desirous  of  obtaining 
such  facts  from  the  President's  employees  as  to  the  character 
of  Mrs.  Cobb  as  would  satisfy  him  that  my  statements  were 
correct,  I  procured  the  following  affidavit  from  one  of  the 
President's  private  policemen,  Mr.  W.  H.  Crook.  It  will 
be  understood  that  Mr.  Crook  was  not  a  member  of  my 
force,  and  when  I  sent  for  him  to  ask  him  to  make  this  state 
ment,  I  had  never  seen  him  in  my  life : 

Statement  of  William  H.  Crook. 

I  am  a  resident  of  Washington;  arn  a  member  of  tho  Metropolitan  Police 
of  this  city;  was  detailed  by  Sergeant  Richards  for  duty  at  the  White  House, 
on  the  9th  of  January  last,  where  I  have  since  been;  I  know  Mrs.  L.  L. 
Cobb;  she  has  been  a  frequenter  at  the  Executive  mansion  almost  daily  since, 
I  think,  about  the  middle  of  June ;  I  never  knew  any  thing  of  her  business, 
except,  I  heard  she  was  procuring  pardons;  about  two  months  since  Mrs. 
Cobb  came  to  the  White  House,  and  was  sitting  in  the  Enst  Room  ;  I  remarked 
to  her,  you  have  a  pretty  foot.  She  replied,  "You  have  never  seen  my  legs." 
She  then  raised  her  clothes  and  showed  me  \\QY  fine  legs,  some  distance  nbovo 
her  knees  \  on  another  occasion  she  told  me  she  could  have  any  employee  of 
the  White  House  dismissed  that  she  desired  ;  her  general  conduct  while  tit 
tho  White  House  has  been  extremely  unladylike,  so  much  so  that  she  became 
a  subject  of  general  remark  among  the  employees. 

W.  H.  CROOK. 

As  an  indication  of  the  intelligence  and  education  of  Mrs. 
Cobb,  I  will  here  introduce  a  lithographed  original  letter 
from  her,  addressed  to  S.  S.  Jones,  the  detective  police 


MRS.  COBB'S  LETTER— HER  BOASTS.  603 

officer  before  referred  to  as  being  on  duty  at  the  White 
House  : — 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  October  25, 1865. 

Mrs  Cobb  begs  leaf  to  informe  Mr  S  S  Jones  that  she  has  returned  and 
is  now  redy  to  do  or  transact  eny  baseness  you  may  wish  her  to 

I  am  stoping  at  the  avenue  house  on  7  St 

Mrs  J  R  COBB 
To  Mr  S  S  JONES 

At  the  time  of  the  indictment,  the  popular  feeling  in  the 
District  being  against  me,  for  reasons  before  mentioned,  my 
chances  with  the  President  to  obtain  justice  were  poor 
indeed.  After  what  I  had  said  to  the  President  respecting 
Mrs.  Cobb  and  her  operations  at  the  White  House,  and  after 
furnishing  him  with  an  official  report,  at  his  own  request,  I 
certainly  thought  he  would  give  orders  to  have  her  kept  out 
of  the  Executive  mansion.  On  the  contrary,  I  heard  that  she 
was  a  more  frequent  visitor  there  than  ever,  and  was  boasting 
among  her  friends  that  in  spite  of  General  Baker's  interfer 
ence  she  was  still  a  welcome  guest  of  the  President.  I 
could  not  think  this  possible.  So,  in  order  to  bring  the 
controversy  between  the  President  and  myself  to  an  issue,  I 
directed  an  officer  to  ascertain  whether  this  was  true,  and 
learned  that  she  was  a  constant  visitor.  Still  thinking  the 
President  could  not  be  aware  of  her  visits,  on  the  15th  of 
November,  I  stationed  a  detective  police  officer  at  the  front 
entrance,  with  instructions  to  prevent  Mrs.  Cobb's  entering. 
About  eleven  o'clock,  as  usual,  she  presented  herself,  and 
was  told  that  she  could  not  go  in.  She  asked  the  officer  by 
whose  order  he  was  acting,  and  he  replied,  "By  order 
of  General  Baker."  Mrs.  Cobb  replied:  "Well,  I  will  see 
the  President  in  ten  minutes."  She  went  round  to  the  rear 
part  of  the  house,  entered  the  kitchen,  went  up  to  the  Presi 
dent'  s  private  room,  and  told  him  that  General  Baker  had 
stationed  a  detective  at  the  door  to  prevent  her  seeing  him. 
The  President  sent  for  the  detective,  and  said:  "Sir,  by 
whose  order  do  you  presume  to  guard  my  door?"  The 
detective  replied:  "I  am  not  guarding  the  door.  I  was 
sent  here  by  General  Baker  to  prevent  Mrs.  Cobb  from 
entering  the  house."  The  President  said:  "Tell  General 
Baker  I  want  to  see  him  immediately."  Accordingly,  he 


604  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

started  for  my  office,  "but  in  the  mean  time  the  President  had 
sent  his  private  messenger,  who  arrived  iirst,  and  in  a  very 
excited  manner  informed  me  the  President  wished  to  see  me 
immediately ;  I  must  drop  all  business  *and  come  at  once. 
I  went,  arid  entered  the  President's  private  room.  I  found 
him  alone,  pacing  the  room  very  excitedly.  Furiously 
he  said  to  me :  ' i  How  dare  you  place  detectives  at  my 
door?"  I  told  him  that  I  supposed  he  desired  Mrs.  Gobi) 
and  other  females  of  like  character  to  be  kept  from  the 
house.  He  answered:  "When  I  want  your  services  I  will 
send  for  you.  Mrs.  Cobb  has  just  as  much  right  to  come 
here  as  you  or  any  other  person.  This  is  not  the  first  time, 
sir,  that  you  have  interfered  at  the  White  House.  Now  I 
want  it  stopped." 

Still  pacing  the  room,  he  repeated  several  times  what  he 
had  before  said  concerning  Mrs.  Cobb— that  she  had  as 
much  right  to  visit  the  White  House  as  any  other  respecta 
ble  person.  Walking  up  to  me  like  a  pugilist,  he  shook  his 
fist  in  my  face,  and  said  again  :  "How  dare  you  presume  to 
exercise  any  control  over  the  management  of  the  White 
House?"  I  then  said:  "Mr.  President,  when  such  vile 
characters  as  Mrs.  Cobb  can  visit  the  White  House  at  all 
times  of  night  and  day ;  when  she  can  procure  pardons  as 
she  has  done  in  the  case  of  Captain  Howell,  and  deliver 
them  in  person  incomplete,  or  without  being  recorded ; 
when  she  boasts  publicly  in  the  streets,  hotels,  and  saloons 
of  this  city  that  she  is  a  pardon  broker,  and  the  President 
dare  not  refuse  any  of  her  applications,  but  she  has  the 
President  of  the  United  States  in  her  power,  I  think  it  is 
high  time  that  somebody  interfered."  The  President  re 
plied  :  "How  dare  you  talk  to  me  in  that  way,  sir?  Now, 
sir,  I  tell  you  once  for  all,  you  must  not  interfere  with  my 
business ;  neither  must  you  interfere  with  any  person  who 
has  business  at  the  Executive  mansion."  I  started  to  leave 
the  room,  when  he  followed  me  to  the  door,  and,  with  his  fist 
clenched,  said  :  "  Now,  recollect  what  I  have  told  you.  You 
can  go  and  tell  your  friend  Stanton  all  I  have  said.  I  say, 
you  can  go  now  and  tell  your  friend  Stanton  all  I  have 
said."  With  this  I  left  the  Presidential  mansion,  and  have 
never  entered  it  since. 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

RESIGNATION    OF    COMMISSION. 

The  Request  to  be  Relieved  from  Special  Service — The  Case  of  Mrs.  Washington — 
Popular  Prejudices,  and  the  Periodical  Press — The  Trial  of  Mrs.  Cobb — Her 
Testimony. 

FOR  more  than  two  years  previous  to  the  inauguration  of 
President  Johnson,  I  had  repeatedly  asked  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  relieve  me  from  duty  as  provost-marshal  of  the  De 
partment.  In  two  official  communications  I  asked  to  be  sent 
to  my  regiment.  On  the  17th  of  June,  1865,  I  tendered  my 
resignation  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  Receiving  no  response 
to  this  communication,  I  again  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
in  these  words : — 

On  the  17th  of  June  I  tendered  my  resignation,  since  which  time  I  have 
heard  nothing  from  the  Department.  I  have  respectfully  to  ask  that  my  res 
ignation  be  accepted.  The  war  has  closed,  and  I  see  no  use  for  the  existence 
of  a  detective  bureau. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Brig.-Gen.,  and  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Dept. 

In  addition  to  this  I  had  frequently  asked  the  Secretary 
of  War  to  accept  my  resignation,  after  my  last  interview 
with  the  President,  and  desired  him  at  this  time  to  include 
my  name  in  the  list  of  volunteer  officers,  then  being  made 
up,  who  were  to  be  honorably  mustered  out  of  service. 
Accordingly  my  name  was  inserted  in  the  same  list  with 
General  Rosecrans  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  others, 
which  honorably  discharged  me  from  the  service.  In  one 
of  my  conversations  with  the  President,  he  repeatedly  ac 
cused  me  of  being  a  tool  of  the  radicals.  He  said  he  had 
been  informed  that  I  was  in  the  employ  of  the  radicals,  and 
had  heard  that  I  had  detailed  detectives  to  watch  the  Presi- 


606  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

dential  mansion,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  and  furnish  a  list 
of  the  prominent  copperheads  and  rebels  who  were  visiting 
the  White  House. 

The  case  of  Mrs.  Ella  B.  Washington,  referred  to  in  my 
official  communication  to  the  President,  requires  some  fur 
ther  explanation.  It  appears  that  Mrs.  Washington,  who 
was  the  wife  of  a  rebel  colonel,  had  become  a  great  favorite 
at  the  Presidential  mansion  and  at  the  Treasury  Department. 
In  1862  her  husband  resided  on  the  Lewis  Washington 
estate,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Harper's  Ferry.  A 
treasury  agent  (Major  B.  H.  Morse)  had  seized  all  the  per 
sonal  property  belonging  to  the  Washington  estate.  After 
the  close  of  the  rebellion,  Mrs.  Washington  appeared  at  the 
capital  as  a  claimant  for  this  property,  and  it  was  reported 
that  she  obtained  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  a  por 
tion  of  the  property  and  pay  for  the  balance.  Being  a 
woman  of  more  than  ordinary  attractions,  her  influence  at 
the  Departments  had  become  very  great,  and,  after  transact 
ing  her  own  business,  she  became  a  pardon  broker.  She 
gave  soirees  at  her  boarding-house  in  Georgetown,  sending 
her  invitations  to  the  heads  of  the  different  departments  and 
bureaus.  On  the  very  evening  that  she  made  the  contract 
with  Captain  Hine,  who  in  the  application  for  his  pardon 
represented  John  Kelly,  she  gave  a  party  at  her  rooms,  at 
which  were  present  Secretary  McCulloch,  Colonel  Browning, 
private  Secretary  of  the  President,  and  a  large  number  of 
other  distinguished  guests. 

It  will  not,  perhaps,  be  inappropriate,  in  connection  with 
this  subject,  to  relate  an  amusing  incident,  in  connection  with 
tli is  female  pardon  broker. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  two  detectives  were  detailed 
for  duty  at  the  White  House.  One  of  them,  while  so  em 
ployed,  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Mrs.  Cobb  and  Mrs. 
Washington.  Mrs.  Washington,  supposing  the  detective  to 
be  a  regular  attachce  of  the  Presidential  mansion,  gave  him 
a  very  polite  and  fashionable  invitation  to  attend  her  soiree, 
with  the  other  distinguished  guests  before  referred  to.  The 
desire  to  participate  in  this  little  social  entertainment  of 
course  could  not  be  resisted.  Accordingly  he  was  in  attend 
ance  ;  but  during  the  evening  the  Honorable  Secretary  de- 


EXTRACTS  FROM  NEWSPAPERS.  607 

tected  the  gentleman  as  one  of  .Ba7cer'>s  detectives,  and  com 
municated  the  fact  to  his  lady  hostess,  when  the  detective 
was  unceremoniously  enjoined  to  leave. 

For  a  more  detailed  account  of  this  distinguished  party,  I 
will  refer  to  the  "Evening  Star"  of  November  8th.  Just 
previous  to  the  holidays  there  appeared  in  the  Associated 
Press  dispatches  a  notice  that  the  Honorable  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  would  visit  New  York  City,  to  consult  with 
leading  Wall  Street  bankers  concerning  the  finances  of  the 
country ;  but,  as  appears  from  a  telegram  in  the  "Philadel 
phia  Enquirer,"  the  Honorable  Secretary  spent  his  holidays 
at  the  country  residence  of  Mrs.  Washington,  near  Harper's 
Ferry  ;  but  it  is  yet  unknown  what  schemes  of  finance  were 
decided  upon  at  this  long  consultation. 

The  exultation  manifested  by  the  enemies  of  the  Govern 
ment,  at  what  they  falsely  represented  to  be  my  dismissal 
from  the  service  cannot,  perhaps,  be  better  shown  than  by 
the  following  extracts  from  the  "New  York  Daily  News" 
of  February  1,  1866,  and  the  "New  York  Herald"  of  Feb 
ruary  8th.  Said  the  Herald  :— 

We  notice  it  is  rumored  that  the  notorious  detective  Baker  has  been  rein 
stated  to  office  by  the  War  Department.  This  man's  conduct  toward  the 
President,  his  assumption,  and  his  subserviency  to  the  bitterest  enemies  of  the 
President,  ought  to  have  ostracized  him  forever.  So  far  from  being  reinstated, 
he  ought  never  to  have  another  office,  or  his  face  be  ever  seen  again  in  Wash 
ington.  We  should  not  give  credit  to  the  rumor,  did  we  not  know  that  such 
an  act  would  be  jnst  in  accordance  with  Secretary  Stanton's  general  official 
conduct  toward  Mr.  Johnson.  If  it  be  so,  the  act  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
must  be  regarded  as  insulting  to  the  President. 

The  News  copied  the  next  article  : — 

Washington  Correspondence  "Richmond  Times." 

The  notorious  Government  detective,  General  L.  C.  Baker,  ceases  to  be  a 
brigadier-general  with  this  day.  By  the  terms  of  an  order  from  the  War 
Department,  his  commission  was  canceled  on  the  15th  instant,  and  he  is 
mustered  out  of  a  service."  It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the 
military  officers  here  disclaim  Baker's  right  to  recognition  as  of  the  military 
service  proper,  since  he  did  not  receive  nis  title  as  brigadier-general  by  reason 
of  meritorious  conduct  in  the  field,  nor  on  account  of  service  in  the  army  of 
the  United  States.  His  "promotion"  to  a  brigadiership  was  the  work  of  Mr. 
Stanton,  upon  importunities  of  Baker,  who  asked  the  distinction  as  a  sort  of 
healthy  covering  to  hide  his  disreputable  conduct  while  acting  in  the  capacity 


608  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

of  chief  thief-catcher,  &c.,  for  the  Government.  This  detective  has  had  his  day ; 
now  his  trouble  will  commence,  for  he  can  no  longer,  at  his  own  bidding,  bring 
to  his  aid  the  strong  arm  of  the  Government  to  protect  him  from  the  vengeance 
of  outraged  citizens  who  have  been  sufferers  in  person  and  property  from  the 
unconstitutional  and  utterly  illegal  acts  of  this  man. 

Baker  had  become  so  impudent,  and  felt  so  entirely  secure  from  the  reach 
of  all  men,  save  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  he  actually  attempted  to  play  the 
detective  upon  the  President  and  his  household  some  weeks  ago.  There  is 
scarcely  a  doubt,  however,  that  this  last  specimen  of  indecency  and  wonderful 
imprudence  was  encouraged,  if  not  suggested,  by  some  of  the  President's 
"  radical  friends."  The  "great  detective"  made  an  utter  failure  of  his  espion 
age  upon  the  Executive  mansion,  for  it  was  somehow  discovered  by  Mr.  John- 
eon,  who  sent  a  messenger  to  bring  Baker  immediately  into  his  presence.  The 
detective  dropped  every  other  consideration,  and  repaired  with  all  haste  to  the 
White  House,  totally  at  fault  as  to  the  purpose  of  this  summons  from  the 
President.  His  name  being  announced,  the  President  directed  that  he  be  at 
once  admitted,  notwithstanding  the  presence  of  several  gentlemen*  then 
engaged  with  Mr.  Johnson.  The  latter  most  unceremoniously  charged  Baker 
with  his  villainous  espionage,  and  informed  him  that  if  he  again  heard  of  his 
presence  in,  or  prowling  about,  the  White  House,  or  if  he  permitted  any  of 
his  creatures  to  sneak  around  the  premises,  the  "great  detective"  should  him 
self  lodge  in  some  one  of  the  dingy  cells  in  the  Old  Capitol, t  where  so  many 
had  been  incarcerated  upon  the  simple  order  of  Baker  himself,  without  war 
rant,  or  the  semblance  of  law  or  justice. 

The  "  great  detective  "  was  amazed  at  what  he  heard,  and  remained  speech 
less  while  the  President  scored  him.  Upon  the  President's  command,  "Go, 
sir,"  Baker  hastily  moved  toward  the  door;  but  before  he  quite  arrived  there, 
Mr.  Johnson  added:  "Hold  one  moment,  sir.  1  ticsire  that  you  now  go  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  tell  him  every  word  I  have  said  to  you,  and  (shaking 
his  finger  at  him)  don't  let  me  ever  see  you  here  again." 

The  "great  detective  "  left  instanter,  and  has  obeyed  the  last  injunction  of 
the  President  most  religiously. 

The  counsel  for  Mrs.  Cobb — Mr.  Hughes,  whose  loyalty 
was,  to  say  the  least,  very  questionable,  Mr.  Bradley  and  his 
son,  both  open  and  avowed  sympathizers  with  the  rebellion, 
and  the  District  Attorney — all  undertook  the  case  voluntari 
ly.  In  ordinary  cases,  the  District  Attorney  prosecutes. 
This  was  a  case — The  United  States  vs.  L.  C.  Baker — and  it 
was  clearly  the  duty  of  the  District  Attorney  to  prosecute 
it;  but  Hughes  and  the  Bradleys  volunteered  in  order  to 

*  No  person  was  present  at  this  interview. 

f  The  Old  Capitol  prison  had  been  closed  up  and  turned  into  private  dwellings 
BIX  months  previous  to  the  interview  above  referred  to. 


MRS.  COBB'S  TESTIMONY.  609 

Insure  a  conviction.  A  feeling  of  intense  bitterness  and 
hostility  was  manifested  toward  me  throughout  the  whole 
trial  by  the  entire  community  of  Washington,  thoroughly 
disloyal,  and  among  whom  there  was  hardly  an  old  resident 
of  any  prominence  who  had  not  been  arrested  by  me.  The 
moment  a  word  was  said  by  the  counsel  reflecting  upon  me, 
traducing  me,  there  was  a  shout  in  the  court-room. 

I  shall  introduce  somewhat  at  length  extracts  from  the 
testimony  presented  on  the  trial,  together  with  the  eloquent 
plea  of  Mr.  Riddle.  And  I  begin  with  the  story  of  the  prin 
cipal  actor  in  the  legal  drama,  which  cannot  fail  to  interest 
all  readers  who  have  either  any  curiosity  in  regard  to  the 
career  of  the  Cobbs  or  the  details  of  the  cause,  a  peculiar 
arraignment  from  an  unprincipled  woman's  lips  :— 

Mrs.  L.  L.  COBB  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Bradly : 

My  husband's  name  is  John  R.  Cobb.  We  reside  at  the  St.  Charles's  HoteJ. 
at  present.  On  the  8th  of  November  last,  we  resided  at  the  Avenue  House  in 
this  city.  I  recognize  Baker.  I  saw  him  at  the  Avenue  House  on  the  8th  of 
November.  Last  Wednesday,  about  six  o'clock  on  Wednesday,  some  one 
came  to  my  door  and  rapped.  I  opened  the  door,  and  found  two  gentlemen, 
as  I  supposed,  standing  there.  The  first  one  to  walk  into  my  room  was  Baker. 
I  did  not  know  or  recognize  him,  at  least  at  that  time.  He  said  "  Mrs.  Cobb, 
Mrs.  Cobb,  Mrs.  Cobb,"  three  or  four  times;  "I  have  been  looking  for  you 
for  some  time."  I  asked  him  who  he  was.  He  said  he  would  show  me  who 
he  was,  and  said  he  thought  he  knew  my  husband.  My  husband  repeated  the 
question,  and  he  said  he  was  General  Baker  of  the  War  Department,  and  that 
he  arrested  us  both.  My  husband  asked  by  whose  authority.  He  said  he 
needed  no  authority.  My  husband  demanded  a  warrant  for  the  arrest.  He 
said  he  had  none  and  needed  none.  My  husband  then  demanded  his  author 
ity.  He  said  he  acted  upon  his  own  authority,  and  upon  his  own  responsibility. 
He  said  he  wanted  two  hundred  dollars  which  I  had  in  my  possession.  I  told 
him  he  could  not  have  it.  He  said  he  would  have  it,  and  have  it  before  he 
left  the  room.  I  again  told  him  that  he  could  not  have  it.  He  said  that  he 
would  take  me  to  his  headquarters.  That  we  could  go  quietly,  or  he  would 
take  us,  and  make  us  all  the  notoriety  we  wanted,  and  told  me  to  pack  up  my 
"duds,"  and  go  along  with  him.  That  he  would  put  us  where  he  would  not 
have  any  more  trouble  from  us,  that  he  would  break  up  this  pardon  broker's 
institution.  He  again  asked  us  if  we  were  going  along  with  him,  or  whether 
he  should  take  us.  I  put  on  my  bonnet  and  furs,  and  my  husband  his  coat 
and  hat,  and  went  down  stairs.  He  put  us  into  a  carriage,  and  from  there  we 
drove  to  his  headquarters.  Then  he  took  us  into  a  front  room  down  stairs, 
and  separated  us ;  put  me  up  stairs  in  the  back  room,  and  kept  my  husband 
39 


610  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

down  stairs.  He  came  up  stairs  in  the  room  where  I  was,  and  said  he  had 
some  questions  to  ask  me. 

Q.  Was  any  one  else  in  the  room  at  that  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  He  told  me  I  was  compelled  to  answer  these  questions.  1 
told  him  it  would  depend  on  circumstances  whether^  answered  them  or  not. 
The  first  question  that  he  asked  me  was  whether  I  owned  any  property  in 
Pennsylvania,  below  Harrisburg.  The  answer  was,  "  None  of  his  business;" 
that  if  he  was  trying  me,  or  held  me  for  any  criminal  offense,  to  proceed  with 
his  questions.  He  then  showed  me  a  receipt  written  by  one  Clarence  J.  How- 
ell,  and  signed  by  me  for  one  hundred  dollars.  He  asked  me  if  that  was  my 
receipt.  I  told  him  it  was.  He  then  told  me  that  I  should  give  him  that  two 
hundred  dollars.  I  replied  that  I  would  not.  He  asked  me  if  he  understood 
me  to  refuse  to  give  it  to  him  ?  I  told  him  he  did.  He  then  said  he  would 
order  me  handcuffed,  and  search  me  for  it ;  upon  which  I  handed  him  the 
money,  remarking  that  it  did  not  end  there.  He  then  rang  his  bell,  and  sent 
for  Mr.  Spear.  He  told  him  to  take  Mrs.  Cobb  to  the  Avenue  Hotel,  and  get 
that  pardon. 

The  District  Attorney :  I  would  state  to  the  counsel  on  the  other  side 
that  I  would  like  to  have  that  pardon  produced,  and  read  in  evidence,  together 
with  the  receipt. 

Mr.  Riddle :  The  papers  to  which  you  refer  were  returned  by  General 
Baker  to  the  President,  who  issued  them  by  order  of  the  Executive,  and  are 
now  in  his  (the  President's)  possession.  It  was  taken  the  same  night  to  the 
President  by  General  Baker,  who  made  known  the  whole  matter  to  him.  It 
was  retained  by  him,  upon  the  ground  that  it  had  been  improperly  procured. 

Mr.  Bradly: 

I  would  like  to  inquire  of  the  counsel,  as  the  explanation  is  made  in  the 
presence  of  his  client,  whether  that  information  was  furnished  to  him  by  Gen 
eral  Baker. 

A.  Certainly  it  was.  I  would  state  that  we  have  a  certified  copy  of  the 
receipt,  the  original  of  which  is  also  in  the  hands  of  the  President.  This 
paper,  called  a  receipt,  will  be  found  to  be  not  only  a  receipt,  but  a  contract 
between  Mrs.  Cobb  and  a  gentleman  therein  named,  under  which  she  under 
takes  to  procure  for  him  a  pardon  for  the  sura  of  three  hundred  dollars — a 
receipt  for  one  hundred  dollars  which  was  paid  being  on  the  back. 

Q.  What  next  happened  ? 

A.  He  sat  there  without  asking  any  questions,  or  saying  any  thing,  until 
the  messenger  reported  that  Mr.  Cobb  had  returned.  I  did  not  see  him.  He 
then  put  a  man  on  guard  to  watch  me,  and  told  him  to  sit  there  until  he 
came  back.  He  went  out,  and  was  gone  some  three  or  four  hours.  When 
he  came  back,  he  said  he  had  been  with  the  President,  and  that  I  should  not 
go  to  the  White  House  or  the  Treasury  any  more ;  and,  furthermore,  that  I 
should  not  live  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  nor  in  the  United  States.  If  I 
did,  he  would  make  trouble  for  me.  I  told  him  that  when  the  President  did 
not  wish  me  to  visit  the  White  House,  he  would  not  make  a  villain  like  him 
his  messenger.  He  then  asked  me  if  I  had  ever  heard  any  thing  bad  about 


TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  COBB.  611 

him.  I  told  him  there  was  not  a  book  large  enough,  nor  could  one  be  printed 
in  the  United  States  large  enough,  to  write  his  crimes  in.  He  then  told  rne 
again  that  I  should  not  put  my  dirty  nose  inside  of  the  White  House.  If  I 
did,  he  would  arrest  me,  for  he  had  his  orders  in  his  pocket  from  the  Presi 
dent  to  do  so.  He  then  abused  me  in  other  language,  such  as  I  would  not 
like  to  repeat  here  in  the  court-room ;  and,  after  keeping  me  until  about 
twenty  minutes  of  12  o'clock,  sent  me  home. 

Q.  At  night? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  went  to  the  White  House  the  next  morning,  but  not  seeing 
the  President,  I  returned  to  the  hotel.  That  evening,  about  six  o'clock,  a 
note  came  to  the  hotel  addressed  to  me,  brought  there  by  a  strange  messen 
ger,  a  colored  man.  The  envelope,  and  the  paper  on  which  the  note  was 
written  were  from  Willard's  Hotel.  The  note  read:  "Mrs.  Cobb,  the  Presi 
dent  will  see  you  this  evening.  L.  0.  BAKER." 

Mr.  Stanton :  We  would  like  to  have  that  paper  produced. 

By  Mr.  Bradly: 

Q.  Have  you  that  paper  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  President  has  it. 

Q.  State  what  occurred. 

A.  I  told  the  messenger  to  tell  Baker  that  the  President  knew  where  I 
was.  About  five  minutes  after  the  note  was  left  with  me,  a  card  was  sent  up. 
I  did  not  know  the  gentleman's  name  that  was  on  the  card.  My  husband  took 
the  card,  and  went  down  stairs.  I  presume  I  will  not  be  allowed  to  state 
what  passed  between  the  man  and  my  husband. 

Counsel:  You  may  state  any  thing  that  happened  to  him  afterward  in 
connection  with  the  arrest  of  the  previous  day. 

I  went  and  saw  the  President  that  night. 

Q.  Did  you  see  him  subsequently  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Frequently  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Mr.  Stanton :  We  must  object  to  all  this  testimony,  unless  there  is  some 
thing  to  connect  it  with  this  case. 

Mr.  Stanton  also  objected  to  the  contents  of  the  note  spoken  of  by  witness 
being  received  in  evidence,  unless  the  original  paper  was  produced. 

The  Court :  Of  course  it  cannot  be  considered  by  the  Jury  unless  brought 
home  in  some  way  to  the  defendant. 

Mr.  Bradly  stated  he  proposed  to  show  by  the  witness  the  action  of  the 
President  in  the  matter,  and  put  the  falsehood  where  it  ought  to  be,  upon  the 
defendant.  We  propose  to  show  that  she  not  only  saw  him  once,  but  many 
times  after  this  alleged  authority  had  been  given  to  Baker  to  restrain  her  from 
ever  visiting  him  again. 

The  Court :  If  such  were  an  indictable  offense,  the  evidence  might  be 
relevant ;  but  I  cannot  see  that  it  is  relevant  on  an  indictment  for  an  arrest 
which  had  previously  taken  place. 

Q.  Mrs.  Cobb,  before  you  were  sent  home  from  General  Baker's  head- 


612  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

quarters  at  the  conclusion  of  your  interview,  did  any  other  conversation  pass 
between  you  than  that  which  you  have  narrated? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  State  it  fully. 

A.  He  was  sitting  in  front  of  his  desk  or  table,  and  I  standing  at  the  end 
of  it.  He  told  me  he  had  better  give  me  a  commission,  and  not  to  say  any 
thing  at  all  about  that  affair. 

Q.  Did  you  make  any  response? 

A.  I  told  him  I  would  not  accept  any  commission  from  him  in  any  way. 
shape,  or  form.  There  was  not  any  thing  further  said  in  regard  to  it  of  any 
importance  that  I  know  of.  Yet  I  would  here  make  one  statement  that  was 
made  then.  I  told  him  that  I  once  heard  it  reported  that  I  was  one  of  his 
detectives,  and  he  said  the  man  that  said  so  had  been  stealing  or  he  never 
would  have  said  it.  I  told  him  that  I  had  not,  nor  would  I  ever,  under  &ny 
circumstances,  act  in  any  shape  or  form  as  a  detective  for  him,  unless  it  was 
to  ruin  him. 

Cross-Examination. 

By  Mr.  Stanton. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  Washington  ? 

A.  I  came  here  in  November,  1861.  I  have  been  here  off  and  on  ever 
since. 

Q.  Were  you  married  when  you  came  here  in  1861  ? 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly.  Objection  overruled.  Witness  directed  to 
answer  the  question. 

A.  No,  sir.  / 

Q.  What  was  your  maiden  name  ? 

A.  Lucy  Livingston. 

Q.  When  were  you  married  ? 

A.  Any  one  can  find  out  by  going  to  the  court  in  Baltimore,  or  asking  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Roberts,  who  married  me  two  years  ago  this  last  first  of  January. 

Q.  In  what  business  had  you  been  engaged  in  from  1861  until  the  present 
time  ? 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly.  Objection  sustained  ;  but  it  was  ruled  by  the 
Court  that  that  question  might  be  asked  of  the  witness  if  it  was  limited  to 
within  two  years  of  the  time  at  which  this  transaction  occurred.  Exception 
reserved  by  the  defendant. 

Q.  State  whether  at  Armory  Hospital,  in  this  city,  you  did  not  pass  under 
the  name  of  Mary  Livingston,  some  time  in  1862  or  1863  ? 

Objected  to  by  the  District  Attorney.  Objection  sustained.  Exception 
reserved  previous  to  the  ruling  of  the  Court.  Mr.  Stanton  stated  his  purpose 
was  to  attack  the  credibility  and  character  of  the  witness  in  every  form  in 
which  it  would  be  allowable  under  the  law  to  do  so.  This  he  should  do 
fairly,  and  by  testimony  which  was  not.  to  be  questioned. 

Q.  I  will  now  ask  you  whether  you  have  passed  by  the  name  of  Mary 
Livingston  within  the  last  two  years  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 


TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  COBB.  613 

Q.  Have  you  passed  by  the  name  of  Mrs.  Mason  within  that  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  I  understand  you  to  say,  then,  that  within  the  last  two  years  you  have 
not  passed  by  any  other  name  whatever  than  your  own  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  have  not. 

Q.  You  say  that  you  were  living  at  the  Avenue  House  at  the  time  of  this 
transaction  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  know  General  Baker  prior  to  that  time  ? 

A.  I  believe  I  had  seen  the  man  twice  only. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  arrest  you  or  your  husband  before  ? 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly.  Mr.  Riddle  stated  the  object  was,  to  show 
that  this  lady  was  familiar  with  General  Baker;  knew  him  perfectly  well ; 
that  these  parties  had  been  arrested  by  him  before,  her  husband  professing  to 
be  a  naval  efficer  when  he  was  not,  and  having  the  straps  taken  off  his 
shoulders  by  General  Baker.  Mr.  Stanton  said  he  proposed  to  prove,  fur 
ther,  that  the  witness  and  her  pretended  husband  were  arrested  cohabiting 
together  in  the  same  bed,  in  the  year  1863,  some  time  before  the  period  of 
her  alleged  marriage.  The  Court  ruled  that  the  counsel  might  ask  the  wit 
ness  whether  any  thing  had  ever  transpired  before  between  her  and  the 
defendant  of  an  ill-nature,  and  what  it  was,  but  that  they  could  not  go  into 
any  circumstances  of  an  arrest.  They  might  go  into  it  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  the  animus  of  the  witness.  Mr.  Stanton:  That  is  what  we  propose  to 
show,  the  animus  of  the  witness.  The  Court  suggested  a  question  in  the  fol 
lowing  form  :  "  Whether  she  ever  met  the  defendant  before  this  arrest,  and 
under  what  circumstances;  whether  she  ever  had  any  difficulty  with  him 
before,  and  if  so  out  of  what  circumstances  did  that  difficulty  arise."  Mr. 
Stanton,  resuming  the  examination,  said  : — 

Q.  I  wish  to  ask  you  whether,  at  the  time  General  Baker  entered  your 
room  at  the  Avenue  House,  any  violence  was  offered  to  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  any  further  than  by  threats.  He  said  he  would  have  the 
money  before  he  went  out  of  the  room,  and  as  he  uttered  that  remark  made 
a  very  significant  movement  of  his  shoulder,  and  winked  to  Mr.  Spear,  as 
much  as  to  say,  "I  have  accomplished  it  this  time." 

Q.  What  was  the  money  General  Baker  demanded  of  you  ? 

A.  He  demanded  of  me  four  fifty-dollar  Treasury  notes.  I  cannot  describe 
the  notes  any  more  closely  than  that. 

Q.  How  did  he  know  you  had  any  such  notes? 

A.  That  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  know  any  thing  about.  He  did  not  get 
the  information  from  me. 

Q.  Were  there  any  marks  on  these  notes  ? 

A.  I  did  not  examine  to  see. 

Q.  From  whom  did  you  receive  these  notes  ? 

A.  From  Clarence  J.  Ho  well. 

Q.  Upon  what  considerations 

A.  Upon  the  consideration  of  obtaining  his  pardon. 

Q.  Then  you  were  in  the  pardon  broker  business  ? 


614  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  I  was  in  the  business  of  earning  an  honest  living ;  that  I  think  any 
woman  has  the  privilege  of  doing. 

Q.  How  long  had  you  been  in  that  business  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  had  been  in  that  business  for  any  definite  period.  I 
had  procured  some  two  or  three  pardons ;  three  I  beMeve  was  all. 

Mr.  Stanton :  If  your  Honor  please,  this  paper  (a  certified  copy  of  what  is 
termed  a  contract,  with  receipt  indorsed  on  the  back)  for  by  the  District 
Attorney,  and  exhibited.  I  now  propose  to  read  the  contract  here,  and  to 
question  the  witness  about  it. 

Mr.  Bradly :  I  object.     Produce  the  original. 

Mr.  Stanton :  We  do  not  propose  to  read  this  paper  in  evidence,  but  simply 
for  the  purpose  of  asking  the  witness  a  few  questions  regarding  it.  Whether 
it  was  upon  this  contract  that  the  two  hundred  dollars,,  of  which  she  has 
spoken,  was  received. 

The  Court :  The  prosecuting  witness  spoke  in  her  examination  in  chief  of 
a  receipt ;  you  may  read  that  receipt  to  her  to  know  whether  that  is  the 
receipt  to  which  she  refers,  and  then  cross-examine  her. 

Objection  withdrawn. 

Q.  Is  this  the  contract  you  made  with  Captain  Howell  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  the  top  part  of  that  was  on  it. 

Q.  Is  the  rest  correct  ? 

A.  I  think  it  is. 

Q.  There  is  an  indorsement :  "  Received  on  the  within,  one  hundred  dol 
lars.  Signed  Mrs.  L.  L.  Cobb."  Was  that  receipt  on  the  back  of  the  paper  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Mr.  Bradly :  In  obedience  to  our  summons,  the  marshal  has  placed  in  my 
hands  a  paper  which  purports  to  be  the  original  contract  between  these  par 
ties,  and  which  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Executive. 

Q.  Now  you  say  that  that  receipt  was  not  on  the  back  of  that  paper  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  was. 

Q.  Are  you  certain  of  that  ? 

A.  It  was  not  on  the  back.  I  think  it  was  written  at  the  bottom  of  the 
paper,  right  along  with  the  contract. 

Mr.  Bradly  stated  he  objected  to  counsel  interrogating  the  witness  as  to 
the  contents  of  a  written  instrument.  He  had  withdrawn  his  objection  to 
their  framing  a  question  upon  the  contract,  but  he  would  not  consent  to  have 
the  contents  referred  to  by  the  witness. 

The  Court :  You  can  read  the  receipt,  and  ask  the  witness  whether  that  is 
the  receipt  to  which  she  alludes ;  and  you  can  then  read  the  other  paper, 
which  was  spoken  of  in  the  testimony  in  chief,  and  ask  if  that  is  the  paper  to 
which  she  alluded. 

Q.  Now  I  will  ask  you  if  this  'is  the  original  contract  (handing  witness 
the  paper  given  to  Mr.  Bradly  by  the  marshal),  and  if  the  receipt  on  the  back 
of  it  is  the  one  to  which  you  referred  in  your  testimony  in  chief? 

A.  It  seems  to  be  the  receipt;  but  as  my  memory  served  me  at  the  time  I 
answered  your  question  it  was,  as  I  supposed,  written  at  the  bottom  of  the 
contract. 


TESTIMONY  OF  MES.  COBB.  615 

Q.  Are  those  signatures  your  signatures  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Mr.  Stanton :  I  will  state  that  these  papers  are  precise  copies  of  the  other. 

Q.  I  will  ask  if  this  one  hundred  dollars  was  paid  on  the  5th  of  Novem 
ber? 

A.  It  was. 

Q.  At  the  time  this  paper  was  written  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  day  was  that  ? 

A.  Sunday. 

Q.  It  was  the  next  day  the  pardon  was  obtained  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  get  that  pardon  the  next  day  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  State  whether  the  two  hundred  dollars  was  paid  in  pursuance  of  the 
supposed  agreement  in  this  contract  ? 

A.  It  was  paid  to  me  when  I  gained  the  pardon  for  him. 

Q.  Did  you  gain  the  pardon  for  him  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  And  was  this  money  paid  to  you  upon  that  ? 

A.  It  was. 

Q.  At  what  time  ? 

A.  Wednesday,  8th  of  November,  1865. 

Q.  Was  that  the  day  when  you  were  arrested  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  before  you  were  arrested  by  General  Baker,  according  to 
your  statement,  had  this  money  been  paid  ? 

A.  About  five  minutes,  I  should  judge. 

Q.  By  whom  was  the  money  handed  to  you  ? 

A.  By  Captain  Clarence  J.  Ho  well. 

Q.  Did  you  deliver  to  him  the  pardon  at  that  time  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  Why  didn't  you  ? 

A.  Because  I  was  obliged  to  file  an  amnesty  oath  with  his  petition. 

Q.  Did  he  trust  you  with  the  money  ? 

A.  He  said  he  was  satisfied,  and  would  come  at  nine  o'clock  and  go  with 
my  husband  and  take  the  amnesty  oath. 

Q.  Did  you  show  him  the  pardon  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  These  identical  notes  that  you  took  from  General  Baker  were  the  ones 
that  you  received  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  voluntarily  surrender  those  notes  to  General  Baker  ? 

A.  I  did  not,  until  he  threatened  to  handcuff  me  and  have  me  searched 
for  them. 

Q.  Did  he  tell  you  any  thing  about  where  those  notes  were  from  ? 

A.  He  did  not. 


616  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Did  he  not  tell  you  that  he  had  sent  those  notes  by  Captain  Ho  well 
himself? 

A.  He  did  not  tell  me  any  such  thing. 

Q.  Did  General  Baker  state  to  you  that  he  had  given  this  money  to  Cap 
tain  Ho  well,  and  it  was  his  money  ?  % 

A.  He  did  not. 

Q.  Did  he  give  you  any  reason  at  all  for  taking  the  money  from  you  ? 

A.  Not  a  particle  further  than  he  said  he  would  break  up  the  pardon  bro 
kerage  business. 

Q.  When  General  Baker  first  entered  your  room,  did  he  not  say  to  you 
something  like  this :  "I  want  the  two  hundred  dollars  just  given  you  by  Cap 
tain  Ho  well  for  obtaining  his  pardon  "? 

A.  No,  sir,  he  did  not.  I  will  repeat  to  you  as  near  as  I  can  the  exact 
words  that  he  used.  Says  he,  "  I  will  have  that  two  hundred  dollars  before 
you  leave  this  room."  He  did  not  say  he  wanted  it — did  not  ask  me  for  it — 
but  said  he  would  have  it. 

Q.  Who  was  present  with  General  Baker  ? 

A.  My  husband. 

Q.  Who  came  in  with  General  Baker  ? 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Spear. 

Q.  Did  he  hear  the  conversation  between  you  and  Baker  ? 

A.  He  was  present  when  the  conversation  took  place.  I  cannot  answer 
for  his  hearing. 

Q.  And  you  say  that  General  Baker  did*  not  say  any  thing  to  you  about 
this  money  having  been  paid  you  by  Captain  Howell? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  at  that  time. 

Q.  Did  he  at  any  time  before  you  gave  up  the  money  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  not  General  Baker  tell  you  that  he  had  been  watching  these  par 
don  brokers  for  a  long  time,  and  he  knew  that  you  were  engaged  in  that 
business? 

A.  He  did  not  before  he  took  the  money  away  from  me. 

Q.  Did  you  not  say  to  him  in  that  conversation  that  you  would  willingly 
give  up  the  two  hundred  dollars,  if  the  transaction  would  not  be  made  known 
so  as  to  make  a  noise. 

A.  I  did  not — nothing  on  the  subject.  He  asked  me  not  to  say  any  thing 
about  it. 

Q.  Was  it  publicly  known  that  you  were  engaged  in  this  pardon  business  ? 

A.  It  was  publicly  known  that  I  was  engaged  in  the  pardon  or  any  other 
business  that  would  procure  or  help  to  procure  for  myself  and  husband  an 
honest  living. 

Q.  When  you  went  to  General  Baker's  office  up  stairs,  who  was  present 
beside  General  Baker  ? 

A.  No  one  present  at  all  when  we  had  our  conversation  until  after  he  came 
back  from  the  President's.  A  gentleman  came  in,  and  said  something  to 
General  Baker,  then  passed  out  again. 

Q.  WTio  was  that  gentleman  ? 


TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  COBB.  617 

A.  I  know  him  not. 

Q.  Was  the  office  door  opened  or  closed  ? 

A.  Closed. 

Q.  All  the  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  "When  he  wished  any  one,  he  would  ring  the  bell,  and  the 
boy  would  come  up  and  answer  it. 

Q.  Was  the  door  locked  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  Did  you  state  during  that  conversation  any  thing  like  this :  That  you 
did  not  know  why  you  should  be  selected  to  be  arrested,  while  there  were  so 
many  other  persons  engaged  in  the  same  business  of  pardon  brokers,  who 
were  making  ten  dollars  where  you  were  making  one  ? 

A.  I  told  General  Baker  that  I  did  not  know  why  he  should  persecute  and 
torment  me  in  that  manner — a  woman  who  was  trying  to  earn  an  honest 
living.  I  did  not  say  any  thing  in  regard  to  anybody  else. 

Q.  Did  you  say  any  thing  about  Mrs.  Washington  getting  pardons  ? 

A.  I  did  not.  He  took  a  receipt,  or  what  purported  to  be  a  receipt,  and 
showed  me  the  name  of  Mrs.  Washington.  I  cannot  say  whether  it  was 
Emma  or  Ella.  I  have  forgotten. 

Q.  Did  you  say  that  lady  was  getting  ten  where  you  was  getting  one  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  state  to  General  Baker  that  you  procured  pardons  in  six  hours, 
while  it  took  others  six  weeks  to  get  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  nothing  of  the  kind. 

Q.  Did  you  say  any  thing  about  your  facilities  for  doing  business? 

A.  I  did  .not  any  thing  further  than  this.  I  told  him  that  he  had  inti 
mated  that  I  got  my  pardons  through  foul  means.  I  told  him  he  could  think 
what  he  chose;  but  it  was  one  thing  to  think,  and  another  thing  to  prove  it  a 
fact. 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  influence  at  the  White  House  to  get  pardons  ? 

A.  My  labor  showed  my  influence. 

Q.  Did  you  not  give  General  Baker  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  persons  for 
whom  you  had  procured  pardons? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  Who  were  they  ? 

Objected  to.     Question  withdrawn. 

Q.  Did  you  explain  to  Captain  Howell  the  reason  why  you  did  not  get 
this  pardon  on  Monday,  instead  of  Wednesday  ? 

Objected  to.  Mr.  Eiddle  said  he  proposed  to  show  exactly  what  did  trans 
pire,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  with  regard  to  the  procuring  of  this 
pardon.  It  was  made  directly  a  legitimate  matter  in  the  case,  and  every  thing 
in  connection  with  it  went  directly  to  the  question  of  intention  on  the  part  of 
General  Baker.  The  Court  ruled  the  testimony  to  be  irrelevant.  At  this 
stage  of  the  proceedings  the  Court  adjourned. 

On  the  opening  of  the  court,  Mr.  Bradly,  Jr.,  said :  I  desire  to  state  to 
the  Court,  in  behalf  of  the  prosecution,  that  although  yesterday,  having  had 
no  conference  no  opportunity  to  confer  with  the  witness  upon  the  stand,  Mrs. 


618  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Cobb,  we  felt  constrained  to  insist  upon  the  rigid  rules  of  law  as  to  the  cross- 
examination  into  her  private  history  and  character  while  she  has  been  a  resi 
dent  in  this  city  of  Washington.  We  now  desire  to  advise  the  other  side  that 
we  extend  to  them  the  largest  latitude  which  your  Honor,  in  your  discretion, 
will  see  fit  to  indulge  them  in.  We  court  the  investigation,  with  no  fear  of 
the  result ;  and  if  the  gentlemen  refuse  to  go  into  the  inquiry  now  that  the 
opportunity  is  offered  them,  we  hope  there  will  be  no  more  slurs  and  insinua 
tions  cast  upon  this  lady's  integrity  and  purity.  We  have  been  advised  by 
counsel  on  the  other  side  that  they  intend  to  attack  the  character  of  this 
witness  for  credibility,  purity,  and  in  every  other  respect  that  the  law  will 
allow.  We  throw  open  the  doors  to  them,  letting  them  have  the  widest 
latitude. 

The  Court:  I  was  going  to  state,  in  regard  to  a  question  which  I  decided 
yesterday  in  the  excitement  of  the  debate  and  the  confused  condition  in  which 
the  case  then  stood,  that  I  restricted  the  counsel  with  reference  to  the  history 
of  this  lady  in  the  matter  of  time.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  I  erred  in  that 
particular.  After  more  mature  reflection,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
any  question  may  be  put  to  a  witness  upon  cross-examination,  without  limita 
tion  of  time,  in  relation  to  any  fact  or  circumstance  connected  with  matters 
that  were  stated  by  her  on  her  examination  in  chief,  even  if  an  answer  to  such 
would  tend  to  degrade  the  witness.  If,  however,  these  matters  are  not  rele 
vant,  but  collateral,  the  fact  must  be  concluded  by  the  answer  of  the  witness. 
If  relevant,  then  the  answer  of  the  witness  may  be  contradicted  by  other 
witnesses. 

Mrs.  L.  L.  COBB. 

Examination  Resumed. 

Q.  When  did  you  first  become  acquainted  with  Captain  Howell? 
A.  On  Saturday,  the  4th  of  November,  1865. 
Q.  Had  you  any  knowledge  of  him  prior  to  that  time  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  you  become  acquainted  with  Captain  Howell? 
A.  I  was  introduced  to  him  by  Samuel  S.  Jones,  an  attorney-at-law  from 
New  York. 
Q.  Where? 

A.  At  Willard's  Hotel. 
Q.  Were  you  living  at  Willard's  Hotel  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  make  an  engagement  to  meet  the  gentleman  at  that  place? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Was  the  meeting  accidental  ? 
A.  It  was. 
Q.  What  was  the  subject  of  conversation  had  between  you  at  that  time? 

A    The  subject  of  the  conversation  was  this 

Objected  to.     Question  withdrawn. 

Q    Did  you  make  any  engagements  to  meet  him  subsequently  ? 


TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  COBB,  619 

A.  I  did  not.  He  agreed  to  come  to  my  house  that  evening,  at  the  Hotel 
where  I  was  boarding. 

Q.  Was  it  then  you  made  the  contract  ? 

A.  Instead  of  his  coming,  he  wrote  me  a  note,  stating  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  him  to  come,  as  he  would  be  detained  on  business  longer  than 
he  expected,  and  he  would  come  the  following  day,  Sunday  afternoon. 

Q.  "Was  it  at  your  house  the  contract  was  made. 

A.  It  was  at  the  Avenue  Hotel,  where  I  was  boarding,  in  my  room. 

Q.  Was  your  husband  present  ? 

A.  He  was. 

Q.  In  that  conversation,  do  you  remember  that  you  denounced  General 
Baker  very  bitterly  ? 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly. 

The  Court  said  that  he  did  not  see  that  such  evidence  related  to  any  fact 
or  circumstance  in  the  examination  in  chief. 

Mr.  Riddle  stated  he  desired  to  have  it  to  show  the  witness's  state  of 
feeling  toward  the  defendant. 

The  Court  stated  they  might  ask  her  what  her  state  of  feeling  was  to  Gen 
eral  Baker,  but  he  did  not  think  it  proper  to  go  into  an  examination  of  all  the 
conversation  held  by  her  with  other  people  in  regard  to  General  Baker.  He 
must  therefore  exclude  evidence  of  that  conversation. 

Defendant  reserves  exception. 

Q.  Did  you  tell  Captain  Howell  at  that  time  what  means  or  facilities  you 
had,  or  what  persons  aided  you  in  obtaining  pardons  from  the  President. 

Objected  to.  Objection  overruled,  and  witness  directed  to  answer  the 
question. 

A.  I  told  Captain  Clarence  J.  Howell  that  he  need  not  ask  me  by  what 
influence,  how,  or  through  whom  I  received  the  pardons,  for  I  would  not  tell 
him  or  any  other  living  soul. 

Q.  You  did  not  then  speak  of  any  gentleman  who  was  at  that  time  absent 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  prevented  from  getting  a  pardon  on  Monday  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  What  did  you  say  to  Captain  Howell  in  reference  to  this  matter  of 
pardon,  as  to  what  you  could  do  if  you  had  money  to  accomplish  your  object? 

A.  Our  conversation  was  with  Captain  Clarence  J.  Howell.  I  simply  told 
him  that  I  could  not  live  without  being  paid  for  my  labor.  I  was  not  going 
to  work,  not  knowing  whether  I  could  get  his  pardon  or  not,  without  receiv 
ing  some  compensation  for  my  labor.  I  told  him,  furthermore,  that  money 
would  accomplish  almost  any  thing. 

Q.  Didn't  you  tell  him  that  you  were  under  the  necessity  of  dividing  what 
you  received  with  other  persons,  but  you  would  not  tell  who  they  were? 

A.  I  never  told  him  or  anybody  else  such  a  thing  in  my  life. 

Q.  Do  you  see  Captain  Howell  present  in  court? 

A.  I  do  not  see  him  now.     He  may  be  here. 

Q.  Is  this  the  gentleman  (Captain  Howell  rising  from  his  seat)? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

C.  Did  you  receive  this  pardon  from  the  President  himself? 


620  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  I  received  that  pardon  from  Major  Long.  I  received  the  order  for  the 
pardon  from  the  President. 

Q.  You  stated  that  it  was  given  to  you  upon  condition  that  it  should  not 
be  delivered  to  Captain  How  ell  until  he  had  taken  the  oath  and  filed  it  in  the 
Secretary's  office  ? 

A.  I  did  not  say  any  such  thing. 

Q.  State  what  you  did  say  ? 

A.  I  said  that  I  was  pledged  to  the  President  not  to  deliver  to  Clarence  J. 
Howell  the  pardon  until  he  had  first  taken  the  amnesty  oath  and  given  it  to 
me,  so  that  I  could  file  it  with  the  petition  then  on  file  at  the  Attorney-Gen 
eral's  office. 

Q.  Were  you  not  required  to  carry  that  pardon  and  deposit  it  in  the  office 
of  the  Attorney-General  ? 

A.  I  was  requested  to  give  my  receipt  at  the  Attorney-General's  office  for 
that  pardon.  When  I  gave  my  receipt  for  the  pardon  at  the  Attorney-Gen 
eral's  office,  I  did. 

Q.  To  whom  did  you  give  that  receipt? 

A.  To  W.  F.  Pleasants,  the  pardon  clerk. 

Q.  Did  you  have  an  order  to  that  effect  from  Mr.  Pleasants? 

Witness:  To  what  effect? 

Counsel :  From  the  President  to  Mr.  Pleasants  to  give  you  the  pardon  f 

Witness:  I  did  not. 

Q.  Did  you  give  an  order  of  any  kind  to  Mr.  Pleasants  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  What  time  in  the  day  was  it  you  went  to  the  Attorney-General's  office, 
at  the  time  you  carried  the  pardon  there  ? 

A.  It  was  from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  to  three  o'clock. 

Q.  Was  not  the  Department  closed  when  you  went  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  anybody  go  your  security  for  the  proper  disposition  of  that  pardon 
and  the  appearance  of  Captain  Howell  to  take  the  oath  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  Mr.  Pleasants  give  it  to  you  upon  your  simple  assurance  that  you 
would  have  it  properly  attended  to  ? 

A.  Mr.  Pleasants  said  nothing  in  regard  to  the  amnesty,  nor  any  thing  of 
the  kind.  The  agreement  was  between  the  President  and  myself. 

Q.  Mr.  Pleasants  gave  you  the  pardon  without  knowing  any  thing 
about  it  ? 

A.  Mr.  Pleasants  gave  me  the  pardon  as  he  gives  others  pardons,  as  he 
has  the  power  to  do.  In  order  to  answer  your  questions  properly,  so  that 
the  court  and  jury  will  understand  it  distinctly,  I  will  have  to  explain  the 
whole  proceeding  from  the  beginning  until  the  time  the  pardon  landed  in  the 
Attorney-General's  office.  I  was  to  have  got  this  pardon  on  Monday,  if  a 
possible  thing.  He  came  to  me  on  Sunday.  I  was  to  get  it  for  him  on  Mon 
day  night,  if  possible.  I  told  him  I  would  let  all  my  other  business  go  and 
try  and  do  it.  I  took  the  petition  on  Monday  morning,  went  to  the  Attorney- 
General's  office  with  it,  and  presented  it  at  first  to  Mr.  Pleasants,  the  pardon 


TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  COBB.  621 

clerk.  He  says,  "I  can  do  nothing  with  this.  It  is  a  military  offense  for 
which  he  is  tried  and  convicted.  It  will  have  to  go  before  Judge  Holt."  I 
asked,  "  Cannot  Attorney-General  Speed  issue  a  warrant  for  it,  or  recom 
mend,  or  order  it  to  be  done  ?"  His  reply  was,  "  He  can  if  he  chooses  to."  I 
inquired,  "  Is  he  in  ?"  He  says,  u  He  is  not."  "Is  his  assistant  in?"  I  fur 
ther  inquired.  "  He  is,"  he  responded.  I  will  state  that  I  knew  Mr.  Ashton, 
the  Assistant  Attorney-General,  very  well  indeed.  I  went  in  to  see  him,  and 
said  to  him,  "  Can  you  do  any  thing  about  this?"  He  says,  "I  cannot;  your 
best  plan  is  to  take  it  to  Judge  Holt."  Instead  of  taking  it  to  Judge  Holt,  I 
took  it  to  the  President,  and  showed  it  to  his  private  secretary,  his  son.  Colo 
nel  Robert  Johnson.  Says  he,  "  Mrs.  Cobb,  you  had  better  go  over  to  Judge 
Holt's,  and  see  what  the  report  is  in  Judge  Holt's  office  against  this  man." 
His  petition  set  forth  that  he  had  been  arrested  by  General  Rosecrans,  and 
thrown  into  prison,  convicted,  and  from  there  escaped,  and  went  into  Canada. 
That  he  had  an  order  in  his  pocket,  from  Secretary  Stanton,  driving  him  from 
the  District  of  Columbia,  and  giving  him  only  twelve  hours  in  which  to  leave 
town,  and  that  Baker's  hounds  were  dogging  him  in  such  a  manner  that  he 
had  to  live  here  under  a  fictitious  name  to  prevent  being  arrested.  He  said 
he  had  saved  General  John  P.  Slough's  life,  and  that  he  was  trying  to  get  his 
pardon  for  him,  that  he  had  paid  him  fifty  dollars,  which  he  could  not  recall. 
I  took  the  petition  to  Colonel  Johnson,  and  he  told  me  I  had  better  go  to 
Judge  Holt  with  it.  I  went  to  Judge  Holt.  Says  he,  "  I  can  find  the  record 
of  no  such  man  as  that  on  my  books,  but  I  think  if  you  go  to  the  President, 
and  state  the  facts  to  him,  i.  e.,  that  he  has  saved  one  of  our  general's  lives, 
and  that  for  that  reason,  because  the  war  is  over,  and  because  he  is  desirous 
of  starting  in  business  in  New  York,  as  he  represented  to  me  he  did,  the 
President  will  pardon  him."  I  went  to  the  President  and  stated  the  facts  to 
him.  The  President  told  me  to  come  back  on  Wednesday  or  Thursday  and  I 
will  give  you  an  answer.  I  went  back  on  Wednesday,  about  twenty  minutes 
to  three  o'clock.  Says  he,  "  I  cannot  pardon  Clarence  J.  Howell."  Says  I, 
"Why  not?"  He  replied,  "He  is  in  Canada."  "No,"  I  responded,  "he  was 
at  my  hotel  last  evening ;  I  expect  him  to  he  there  again  this  evening.  As  long 
as  the  war  is  over,  and  there  is  no  more  spying  to  ~be  done,  and  he  has  saved  the 
General's  life,  cannot  you  pardon  him?"  Says  he,  "  I  think  I  can  on  that 
ground.'1''  He  sat  down  and  wrote  on  the  hack  of  that  petition,  "  The  Attorney- 
General  will  issue  a  warrant  for  the  within  named  person,  as  I  am  informed 
he  is  in  town,"  and  signed  Andrew  Johnson.  He  was  about  to  seal  it  up  and 
send  it  over  to  the  Attorney -General  by  one  of  his  mounted  orderlies,  when  I 
said  to  him,  "Are  you  going  to  send  that  over  ~by  the  orderly?"  "  Yes"  he 
says.  "Let  me  take  it,"  I  said.  Says  he,  "  Well,  take  it  yourself  to  the  At 
torney-General,  and  see  what  he  will  do  for  you."  It  was  twenty  minutes  to 
three  o'clock,  or  thereabouts,  when  I  reached  the  latter  place.  /  went  to  Mr. 
Pleasants,  the  pardon  cleric,  and  handing  him  the  paper  said,  "  Can  you  put 
that  through  for  me  f"  "  Yes"  says  he,  "in  about  TEN  MINUTES.'"  "Very 
well,"  says  I,  "  do  so."  He  wrote  an  order  for  the  warrant,  and  then  called  a 
young  cleric  from  his  desk,  and  told  him  to  take  that  right  in  to  the  Attorney  - 
General  and  get  it  signed,  and  then  go  over  to  the  State  Department  and  have 


622  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

it  attended  to,  and  then  "bring  me  ~back  the  pardon.  He  did  so.  Mr.  Pleasants 
then  put  on  it,  "  W.  F.  Pleasants,  ordered  by  the  President."  He  then  sent 
it  over  to  the  President,  by  the  messenger  of  the  Attorney-General's  office,  to 
have  him  (the  President)  sign  it.  I  went  over  with  the  messenger.  When  I 
got  there  I  says  to  Major  Long,  u  Can  you  take  this  in  to  the  President,  and 
get  it  signed?"  He  says  "I can."  He  took  it  in,  the  President  signed  it,  and 
he  then  brought  it  out  to  me.  I  took  it  over  to  the  State  Department  and  got 
it  sealed  and  signed  by  the  Secretary,  and  sealed  by  Mr.  Bartlett.  The 
messenger  at  the  State  Department  took  it  over  to  Mr.  Pleasants.  /  gave 
my  receipt  to  Mr.  Pleasants,  and  he  gave  me  the  pardon.  That  is  the  whole 
of  it. 

Q.  Did  you  tell  General  Baker,  at  the  time  you  were  at  his  office,  that 
two  members  of  Congress  had  gone  security  for  you  for  the  proper  return  of 
that  amnesty  oath  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  never  told  him  such  a  word. 

Q.  I  understood  you  to  say,  yesterday,  you  were  married  the  1st  of  Janu 
ary,  1864? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  live  at  Mrs.  Smith's  or  Mrs.  Bell's,  on  Twelfth  Street,  in 
1863? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  At  what  time  did  you  live  there  ? 

A.  I  moved  there  the  2d,  3d,  or  4th  of  January,  1864.  It  was  after  I  was 
married. 

Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  made  this  contract  on  Sunday  afternoon,  and 
that  you  received  one  hundred  dollars  at  that  time  ? 
1.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  not,  the  first  thing  the  next  morning,  go  to  see  a  very  promi 
nent  officer  in  one  of  the  departments,  in  reference  to  this  matter? 

A.  I  did  not.     I  took  it  directly  to  the  Attorney-General's  office. 

Q.  You  did  not  stop  at  the  private  house  of  one  of  the  officers  of  the 
Government? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  pay  out  to  anybody  part  of  that  one  hundred  dollars  that  you 
first  received  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  After  you  were  .discharged  by  General  Baker  at  his  office,  did  he  send 
you  home  in  a  carriage  ? 

A.  He  did. 

Q.  Did  you  pay  for  the  carriage  ? 

A.  I  did  not.  That  would  have  been  a  pretty  dear  bargain,  to  have  my 
money  taken  from  me,  and  then  pay  for  the  carriage  beside  to  ride  under 
arrest  in. 

Q.  How  did  you  part  with  General  Baker  that  evening  ? 

A.  I  parted  with  him  with  cool  contempt,  with  a  simple  u  good-night." 

Q.  You  did  not  speak  to  him,  and  bid  him  good-night  very  kindly  ? 

A.  I  said:  "Good-night,  General,"  in  as  insulting  manner  as  I  could. 


TESTIMONY   OF  MRS.  COBB.  623 

Q.  Didn't  your  husband  get  exceedingly  angry,  because  of  your  treating 
him  in  such  a  kind  manner? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  as  he  had  a  right  to  do,  and  as  any  gentleman  would  when  he 
pees  his  wife  insulted  as  I  was.  I  bid  the  General  good-night,  not  because  I 
had  any  respect  for  him,  but  because  I  was  determined  to  prove  myself  a  lady, 
in  spite  of  all  his  mean  insults. 

Q.  That  made  your  husband  very  angry,  did  it? 

A.  Not  that  alone,  sir. 

Q.  He  refused  to  ride  with  you  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  at  first. 

Q.  But  he  did  finally  get  into  the  carriage  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  is  not  ashamed  to  go  anywhere  with  his  wife. 

Q.  Did  you  persuade  him  to  go  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Re- Examination. 
By  Mr.  Bradly : 

Q.  I  desire  to  ask  you  a  few  questions.  What  was  the  reason  assigned  to 
you  by  General  Holt  why  this  man's  name  could  not  be  found  on  record? 

A.  It  could  not  be  found  on  the  record  because  there  was  no  charge  pre 
ferred  against  him  by  that  name,  Clarence  J.  Howell. 

Q.  What  was  his  real  name  ? 

A.  Lt.  Henry  H.  Hine. 

Q.  State  whether,  in  any  of  the  conversations  to  which  you  have  already 
testified,  it  was  stated  to  you  by  any  one  of  the  parties  for  what  he  had  been 
convicted  and  under  what  circumstances  ? 

A.  I  may  perhaps  answer  that  question  in  this  manner.  When  he  told 
me  he  had  put  his  petition  in  the  hands  of  General  John  P.  Slough,  for  Gen 
eral  Slough  to  get  his  pardon  with,  I,  after  being  arrested  on  Thursday,  wont 
to  see  General  Slough.  I  asked  him  about  this  man.  He  told  me  he  was 
charged  with  being  a  spy  for  the  rebels,  while  holding  a  commission  in  the 
Federal  army,  and  had  been  convicted  by  General  Rosecrans.  Furthermore, 
Captain  Clarence  J.  Howell  acknowledged  the  same  to  me  himself. 

Q.  You  have  been  asked  something  with  reference  to  your  husband. 
What  is  his  present  condition,  and  his  occupation? 

A.  He  is  at  present  lying  very  sick  with  erysipelas.  His  occupation  is  that 
of  a  clerk  in  the  Treasury  Department,  under  Mr.  Randall. 

Mr.  Bradly :  Now,  if  your  Honor  pleases,  I  make  an  offer  to  the  gentleman 
on  the  other  side.  It  was  yesterday  said  publicly  by  one  of  the  counsel,  that 
this  Mr.  Cobb  was  sought  after  by  General  Baker  because  he  was  claiming  to 
be  a  naval  officer,  when  in  point  of  fact  he  was  not,  and  that  the  papers  shown 
him,  if  he  had  any  such  papers,  were  forged  papers. 

Mr.  Riddle :  We  said  nothing  about  forged  papers,  or  about  his  having  anj 
papers. 

Mr.  Bradly :  I  may  be  wrong  about  that,  sir.  I  make  the  offer  here  to 
present  to  the  gentlemen  on  the  other  side,  if  they  see  proper  to  have  it  read 
to  the  jury,  the  commission  of  this  gentleman,  signed  by  the  Hon.  Gideon 


624  UNITED   STATES  SECRET   SERVICE. 

"Welles,  as  acting  paymaster  in  the  navy.  I  am  prepared  to  show  that  he  was 
an  officer  in  the  service,  wounded  in  action,  and  is  now  suffering  from  the 
effects  of  that  wound ;  whether  that  these  papers  were  taken  from  him  at 
that  time  by  General  Baker,  and  retained  hy  him  until  he  was  satisfied  of  their 
genuineness,  and  that  Mr.  Cobb  himself  was  placed  finder  arrest. 

Mr.  Stanton :  Do  you  claim  this  is  a  commission  ? 

Mr.  Bradly :  It  is  complete  as  far  as  it  goes.  He  never  qualified,  because 
his  surgeon  told  him  that,  owing  to  the  character  of  the  wound  which  he  had 
received,  an  internal  hemorrhage  continually  existing,  it  would  be  greatly 
prejudicial  to  his  health,  if  it  did  not  endanger  his  life,  for  him  to  undertake 
to  go  to  sea  and  live  upon  salt  food. 

Mr.  Stanton  :  May  it  please  your  Honor,  it  does  not  seem  by  this  paper 
that  this  gentleman  was  offered  an  appointment,  and  required  to  give  bonds  ; 
and  that  upon  the  strength  of  this,  before  giving  bonds,  and  before  being 
actually  appointed  in  the  navy,  he  held  himself  out  as  a  paymaster  in  the 
navy.  For  this  General  Baker  arrested  him,  and  took  his  straps  from  his 
shoulders,  and  took  these  papers  from  him  and  carried  them  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  who  assured  him  there  was  no  such  officer  on  the  lists  of  the 
Department.  That  is  the  whole  state  of  the  transaction. 

Mr.  Bradly  :  He  never  had  any  straps  on  his  shoulders,  or  any  uniform, 
other  than  that  of  an  officer  of  the  army.  I  would  state  further  that  Mrs. 
Cobb  has  the  bond  executed  by  her  husband,  and  is  prepared  to  show  that  the 
reason  why  he  did  not  qualify  was  because  of  this  wound.  She  has  also  here 
her  marriage  certificate,  showing  the  date  of  that  marriage,  and  where  and  by 
whom  it  was  celebrated. 

Mr.  Stanton :  If  the  point  is  considered  material,  we  propose  to  prove  the 
fact  that  was  stated  upon  the  authority  of  General  Baker,  that  he  had  the 
straps  of  a  naval  officer  on  his  shoulders,  and  that  he  (Baker)  took  them  off. 

The  Court :  Was  any  thing  testified  to  by  this  witness  on  the  cross-exami 
nation  in  reference  to  these  shoulder-straps? 

Counsel:  No,  your  Honor;  but  the  offer  was  made  publicly,  and  the 
charges  preferred. 

The  Court :  Whatever  counsel  may  say  on  their  opening,  or  in  the  way  of 
parenthesis  during  the  conduct  of  a  case,  the  jury  will  of  course  understand 
is  mere  bosh,  and  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case  unless  proof  is  introduced. 

Mr.  Riddle :  The  matter  was  referred  to  while  I  was  asking  the  witness 
whether  she  was  previously  acquainted  with  General  Baker,  and  this  reference 
was  made  in  order  to  try  and  refresh  her  recollection,  as  she  answered  in  tho 
negative.  Now,  after  some  hours  of  deliberation,  the  gentlemen  come  in, 
with  their  case  all  fixed  up,  and  beg  that  the  matter  shall  go  forward.  The 
subject  was  disposed  of  at  the  time,  and  we  shall  leave  it  precisely  where  it 
was. 

Q.  Do  you  know  where  it  was  you  first  saw  General  Baker,  to  know 
him? 

A.  The  first  time  I  saw  General  Baker  was  about  the  time  that  Surgeon 
Bliss,  of  Armory  Square  Hospital,  was  under  arrest,  lying  in  the  Old  Capitol 
prison. 


TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  COBB.  625 

Q.  "When  did  you  next  see  him  ? 

A.  Some  three  or  four  days  after  the  20th  of  February,  1864,  at  the  time 
he  arrested  my  husband  on  those  papers,  alleging  them  to  be  false. 

Q.  What  opportunity  had  you  at  that  time  to  see  him,  and  to  know  that 
it  was  the  same  man  ? 

A.  I  was  lying  in  bed.     He  was  in  my  bedroom. 

Q.  How  did  he  get  in  there  ? 

A.  He  threatened  to  burst  open  the  door,  unless  my  husband  let  him  in. 
My  husband  was  partially  dressed,  and  opened  the  door  for  him,  being  dis 
posed  to  do  this,  rather  than  have  some  one  else's  house  broken  down  beside 
his  own. 

Q.  Was  that  before  or  after  your  marriage  ? 

A.  That  was  after.  He  carried  away  with  those  papers  my  marriage 
certificate,  and  took  them  to  his  own  house,  and  showed  them  there  before 
Mr.  Spear,  who  will  come  here  to-day  and  testify  to  it. 

Mr.  Bradly  read  marriage  certificate,  dated  January  1,  1864,  and  offered 
the  paper  in  evidence. 

Q.  You  have  been  asked  by  what  name  you  went  to  Armory  Square  Hos 
pital. 

A.  You  will  find  my  name  on  record  as  a  nurse  in  Armory  Square  Hospi 
tal  as  Mrs.  Lucy  Livingston,  and  no  other. 

Q.  Why  was  it  so  ? 

A.  Because  they  objected  to  having  a  single  girl  as  nurse  in  the  hospital, 
and  I  took  the  name  simply  for  the  sake  of  being  there  near  where  niy  only 
brother  was.  I  came  here  voluntarily  to  take  charge  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  of  our  army,  and  received  an  appointment  from  Surgeon  Bliss  in  his 
hospital  as  nurse.  Surgeon  Bliss  well  understood  the  reason  why  "Mrs." 
was  attached  to  my  name. 

Q.  Who  gave  you  a  letter  of  introduction  to  that  physician  ? 

A.  Surgeon  Wood,  of  Philadelphia. 

Q.  By  what  name  ? 

A.  Mrs.  Lucy  Livingston. 

Q.  Where  was  your  brother? 

A.  In  the  Eleventh  New  York  Regiment.  He  was  at  that  time  in  West 
ern  Virginia. 

Q.  Have  you  at  any  other  time,  in  Washington,  had  any  other  name  than 
that  of  Lucy  Livingston  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  After  the  death  of  my  brother,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg,  I  opened  a  cigar  store  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  for  the  sake 
of  earning,  or  trying  to  earn,  an  honest  living ;  and,  on  account  of  my  people 
living  in  New  York  State,  I  took  the  name  of  Lucy  Randolph. 

Q.  Why  did  you  select  the  name  of  Lucy  Randolph  ? 

A.  Because  at  that  time  I  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  Mr.  Cobb,  and  I 
took  his  middle  name  by  his  own  sanction. 

Q.  How  long  did  you  keep  that  store  ? 

A.  About  two  or  three  months. 

Q.  What  year  was  that  ? 
40 


626  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  That  was  in  1863. 

Q.  What  period  of  the  year? 

A.  I  opened  a  store  there  the  16th  of  July,  I  think,  but  I  am  not  certain. 
I  kept  it  open  until  September,  I  think.  . 

Q.  You  have  been  asked  whether,  on  the  morning  after  receiving  the  one 
hundred  dollars  on  account  of  that  work  you  were  to  do  for  this  Howell,  you 
paid  any  portion  of  that  money  to  any  officer  of  the  Government.  I  will  ask 
vou  if  you  had  any  understanding,  agreement,  contract,  or  arrangement  of 
any  sort  whatever,  by  which  you  gave  compensation  to  any  one,  and  facili 
tated  your  work  at  the  Department  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  none  at  all.  I  can  tell  you  where  every  dollar  of  that  one 
hundred  dollars  went.  In  the  first  place,  I  gave  the  one  hundred  dollars  into 
my  husband's  hands.  I  then  went  with  my  husband  to  Mr.  Lockwood's, 
Pennsylvania  Avenue,  where  I  had  given  an  order  for  him  to  have  half  a 
dozen  fine  shirts  made,  and  took  one  of  these  fifty-dollar  bills,  and  went  to 
Mr.  Lockwood,  the  cashier,  and  paid  for  his  shirts,  and  had  them  sent  home 
to  the  Avenue  House.  The  other  fifty-dollar  bill  he  took  and  went  to  the 
store  under  the  Metropolitan  Hotel,  where  he  had  been  measured  for  a  pair 
of  fine  boots,  and  paid  fifteen  dollars  out  of  that  for  the  boots.  So  you  see 
one  of  the  fifty-dollar  bills  was  in  the  shoe-store,  the  other  in  Mr.  Lockwood's, 
the  rest  of  the  money  went  to  Mr.  King,  the  proprietor  of  the  hotel,  for  our 
board. 

Q.  Where  was  the  petition  filed  ? 

A.  At  the  Attorney-General's  office.  The  President  sent  to  the  Attorney- 
General's  office  and  got  the  petition  the  next  night  after  I  was  arrested. 

By  Mr.  Stanton : 

Q.  How  long  were  you  at  the  Armory  Square  Hospital  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  exact  time  that  I  was  there. 

Q.  Did  you  resign  your  position  there,  or  were  you  discharged  ? 

A.  I  was  discharged  from  there  on  account  of  sickness 

Q.  Was  there  any  other  reason  besides  sickness  given  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  No  charge  made  against  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  have  Surgeon  Bliss's  letter  of  recommendation  of  the  high 
est  kind,  and  his  family  and  I  are  on  an  equal  footing  with  each  other,  and 
visit  each  other  when  we  see  proper — his  wife  and  daughters. 

The  counsel  for  the  prosecution  state  that  they  here  rest  the  case  of  the 
Government. 

Mr.  Riddle  opens  for  defense. 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 

t 

THE    PROGRESS    OP    THE    TRIAL. 

Testimony  of  Alfred  A.  Spear,  an  Officer  in  the  Bureau  of  the  National  Detective 
Police — Interesting  Details  of  his  Interviews  with  Mrs.  Cobb,  and  Matters  con 
nected  with  her. 

THE  next  witness  brought  on  the  stand  was  Mr.  Alfred 
A.  Spear,  an  efficient  officer  in  the  National  police,  whose 
intimate  connection  with  the  disclosures  of  Mrs*  Cobb's 
character  and  business  will  shed  additional  light  upon  both. 

ALFEED  A.  SPEAK,  sworn. 
By  Mr.  Kiddle: 

Question.  State  whether  you  were  in  Washington  about  the  5th,  6th,  7th, 
8th,  or  9th  of  November  last. 

Answer.  I  was. 

Q.  Will  you  state  the  transaction  that  occurred  at  the  Avenue  House  on 
the  evening  of  your  calling  with  General  Baker  ? 

A.  Well,  sir,  on  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  November,  General  Baker  and 
myself  proceeded  from  his  office  to  the  Avenue  House  with  Captain  Howell. 
Captain  Howell  walked  on  one  side  of  the  street  and  we  on  the  other.  Gen 
eral  Baker  and  myself  proceeded  to  Mrs.  Cobb's  room  ;  I  forget  the  number. 
I  knocked  at  the  door,  when  somebody  within  said  "  Come."  I  think  it  was 
General  Baker  who  then  opened  the  door,  but  I  won't  be  positive,  and  we 
walked  in.  I  saw  a  gentleman  and  lady  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  floor, 
she  was  evidently  a  little  confused  about  something.  General  Baker  inquired 
for  Mrs.  Cobb.  The  lady  present  introduced  herself  as  the  one  inquired  for. 
He  then  introduced  himself  as  General  Baker ;  I  do  not  know  whether  he 
said  from  the  War  Department  or  not,  but  I  recollect  distinctly  his  saying 
General  Baker.  Mr.  Cobb  was  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  with  a 
bunch  of  keys  in  his  hands  ;  I  am  not  positive  whether  they  were  on  a  steel 
ring  or  not ;  at  any  rate  they  were  tied  together  ;  he  broke  whatever  confined 
them,  and  the  keys  became  scattered  all  over  the  floor.  In  the  mean  time  I 
sat  down  in  a  chair  ;  the  rest  remained  standing.  There  was  some  little  time 
spent  in  looking  up  the  keys,  during  which  nothing  at  all  was  said.  Finally 
Mr.  Cobb,  I  think  it  was  he,  inquired  General  Baker's  business;  he  informed 
him  that  he  came  there  after  two  hundred  dollars  of  his  money,  which  had 


628  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

been  paid  by  Captain  Howell  for  a  pardon.  She  did  not  deny  having  the 
jfioney,  but  wanted  to  know  by  what  authority  General  Baker  demanded  it. 
He  said  the  money  belonged  to  him,  that  lie  had  furnished  it  for  that  purpose, 
and  that  it  was  marked — four  fifty-dollar  bills,  Treasury  notes.  I  know  they 
were  marked,  because  I  marked  them  myself.  General  Baker  was  walking 
the  floor,  pacing  up  and  down,  and  when  he  got  near  where  I  was  sitting  he 
remarked  to  me,  "  I  think  I  have  seen  this  woman  before." 

Q.  Did  she  hear  that? 

A.  She  did.  She  replied  to  him,  "General  Baker,  I  am  a  lady,  sir.1'  The 
General  said  he  knew  nothing  to  the  contrary,  and  thought  he  had  treated  her 
as  such.  He  then  said  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  "  I  want  you  to  go  to  my  office  or  my 
headquarters.  I  want  to  talk  over  this  pardon  business."  Mr.  Cobb  says  to 
General  Baker,  "Are  we  to  consider  ourselves  under  arrest?"  Says  General 
Baker,  "No,  sir.  I  merely  want  you  to  go  to  my  office  to  talk  over  this 
business.  It  has  been  going  on  long  enough,  and  this  obtaining  of  pardons 
under  false  representations  has  got  to  be  stopped;  and  I  am  going  to  stop  it.'' 
He  then  said,  "Mrs.  Cobb,  are  you  going?"  Says  she,  "I  suppose  I  will  have 
to,"  and  then  added,  "would  there  be  any  objection  to  my  husband  accompa 
nying  me?"  The  General  said,  "No."  They  then  put  on  their  things  and 
left  the  room.  Mr.  Cobb  turned  down  the  gas,  locked  the  door,  put  the  key 
in  his  pocket,  went  down  stairs,  and  got  into  the  carriage. 

Q.  State  whether  the  carriage  was  called  there,  or  you  took  it  there  with 
you. 

A.  It  was  called  there.  We  all  got  into  the  carriage,  and  drove  to  General 
Baker's  office.  We  went  into  the  lower  room,  first  floor.  General  Baker  said 
to  me,  "You  show  Mrs.  Cobb  up  to  my  private  office,"  which  I  did,  Mr.  Cobb 
remaining  down  stairs.  I  believe  General  Baker  went  in  there  immediately 
after  I  came  away.  I  did  not  go  into  the  room,  but  merely  opened  the  door. 
When  I  got  down  stairs,  Mr.  Cobb  was  sitting  on  the  lounge.  I  asked  him  if 
he  had  the  pardon ;  told  him  I  had  a  curiosity  to  see  a  document  of  that  kind, 
as  I  had  never  seen  one.  He  said  he  hadn't  it,  and  had  never  seen  it;  that 
Mrs.  Cobb  had  it.  In  the  mean  time  General  Baker's  bell  rang  for  the  boy. 
The  boy  having  gone  to  the  post-office,  I  went  up  stairs  to  see  what  he 
wanted.  He  told  me  to  do  something,  not  connected  with  this  case  at  all.  I 
forget  now  what  it  was.  Says  I,  "  General,  you  have  got  the  p-ardon  ?"  I 
thought  probably  Mrs.  Cobb  had  brought  the  pardon  with  her. 

Q.  Was  this  in  her  presence? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  He  turns  round  and  says,  "Mrs.  Cobb,  where  is  that  par 
don  ?"  Says  she,  "  It  is  down  in  my  room,  in  a  bureau  drawer,"  specifying  the 
drawer.  "My  husband  knows  where  it  is,  and  he  can  go  down  and  get  it." 
Says  the  General,  "  Very  well ;  Mr.  Spear,  go  down  with  him."  Her  hus 
band  had  the  key  of  the  room,  and  had  locked  it  when  he  went  out,  and  put 
the  key  in  his  pocket.  )Ve  got  into  a  carriage,  went  down,  and  Mr.  Cobb  got 
the  pardon  just  where  she  said  it  was,  in  a  bureau  drawer.  He  handed  it  to 
me.  and  then  looked  around  for  a  letter  which  was  addressed  to  Secretary 
Seward,  which  he  found  in  an  old  valise.  He  placed  them  both  in  my  hands. 
We  then  walked  out  of  the  room.  He  locked  the  door  again,  when  we  got 


EXAMINATION  OF  A.  A.  SPEAR.  629 

into  the  carriage,  and  drove  up  to  General  Baker's  office.  I  laid  the  docu 
ments  down  on  General  Baker's  desk,  and  I  have  never  seen  them  from  that 
day  to  this. 

Q.  His  desk  in  his  private  office,  or  the  one  in  the  room  below  ? 

A.  Below. 

Q.  "What  next  transpired  ? 

A.  Mr.  Cobb,  getting  chilly  from  his  ride  down  in  the  carriage,  says  to 
me,  "Let's  go  and  get  a  drink."  Says  I,  "I  will  go."  We  both  went  out, 
took  a  drink,  got  a  cigar,  and  then  came  back.  I  then  left  him  in  the  office, 
and  was  gone  for  I  suppose  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  In  the  mean  time,  by 
pacing  up  and  down  the  floor  he  made  Collins,  a  watchman,  who  is  now  some 
where,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  who  was  writing  at  the  time,  very  nervous.  Col 
lins  says  to  him,  "Mr.  Cobb,  I  wish  you  would  either  sit  down  or  go  out." 
Mr.  Cobb  said  he  would  not  go  out  until  he  got  ready,  but  would  pace  the 
floor  just  as  must  as  he  chose,  which  he  did. 

Q.  State  whether  he  was  put  under  any  restraint. 

A.  He  was  not.  I  did  not  have,  and  I  don't  believe  any  other  man  about 
the  establishment  had,  any  orders  to  keep  an  eye  on  Mr.  Cobb.  He  went  into 
the  office  with  his  wife  when  we  first  arrived  there,  and  remained  there,  oif 
and  on,  until  his  wife  came  down  stairs.  When  she  came  down  stairs  I  was 
in  the  office.  I  heard  her  bid  General  Baker  a  very  pleasant  good-evening 
indeed,  as  she  possibly  could.  Her  pleasant  manner  of  parting  with  General 
Baker  made  her  husband  very  angry,  and  I  could  hear  him  talking  very 
angrily  to  her  all  the  way  from  the  hall  to  the  carriage.  He  at  first  declared 
he  would  not  ride  with  her,  or  any  one  who  would  act  in  that  way.  She, 
however,  finally  prevailed  on  him  to  get  into  the  carriage,  and  they  went 
away. 

Q.  Do  you  know,  whether,  during  the  time  they  were  there,  General 
Baker  was  himself  absent  from  the  office  at  any  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not.     I  heard  that  he  was. 

Q.  Were  there  any  guards  placed  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  no  guard  about  the  office  at  all. 

Q.  Was  there  anybody  there,  to  your  knowledge,  under  arrest? 

Q.  No,  sir. 

Q.  About  what  time  was  it  you  went  to  the  Avenue  House  that  evening  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  six  o'clock. 

Q.  How  long  did  you  remain,  after  reaching  the  Avenue  House,  before  yon 
went  in  ? 

A.  We  went  into  the  Avenue  House,  and  sat  down  in  an  office  at  the  left 
of  the  hall  as  you  go  in,  which  is  used  as  a  kind  of  a  barber-shop  and  a  sitting- 
room.  We  took  position  there  so  that  we  could  see  anybody  that  came  out. 
There  was  a  signal  agreed  on  by  Captain  Ho  well  and  General  Baker,  by  which 
General  Baker  might  learn  whether  the  pardon  was  or  not  obtained.  We  had 
been  down  there  twice  before. 

Q.  State  what  the  signal  was. 

A.  Raising  the  hat. 

Q.  State  whether  you  got  the  signal  from  him. 


630  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  We  did. 

Q.  You  then  went  immediately  to  the  room  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  the  room  on  the  first  floor,  or  up  stairs  ?     • 

A.  Up  stairs. 

Q.  There  you  found  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  did  you  take  in  the  transaction?     What  did  you  say? 

A.  I  did  not  say  any  thing.  I  merely  knocked  at  the  door,  but  I  am  not 
certain  whether  I  opened  it  or  not,  and  then  went  in  and  sat  down. 

Q.  State  whether  there  was  any  thing  said  to  you  except  what  General 
Baker  remarked. 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  a  word. 

Q.  You  state  in  that  conversation  that  General  Baker  said  to  her  that  that 
money  belonged  to  him,  that  it  was  marked  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  remember  that  the  money  was  marked,  because  you  marked 
it  before  it  went  there,  in  General  Baker's  private  office  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  marked  it  on  Wednesday  evening. 

Q.  Whose  money  was  that? 

A.  General  Baker's.  That  is,  he  took  it  out  of  his  pocket.  I  suppose  it 
was  his. 

A.  Do  you  know  for  what  purpose  it  was  given  to  Captain  Howell  ? 

Mr.  Bradly,  Jr.,  objected,  on  the  ground  that  it  is  not  material  to  this 
inquiry  for  what  purpose  General  Baker  caused  some  money  to  be  given  to 
Hines,  even  this  identical  money. 

The  Court:  Money  is  claimed  to  have  been  extorted  from  this  witness — 
two  hundred  dollars — and  the  evidence  is  therefore  applicable  to  that  part  of 
the  examination. 

Mr.  Stanton :  May  it  please  your  Honor,  it  is  the  very  gist  of  our  defense 
that  General  Baker,  for  the  purpose  of  exposing  this  business  of  pardon-bro 
kerage,  adopted  this  plan  of  employing  this  gentleman,  Captain  Howell,  to 
take  the  $300,  and  go  to  this  woman,  who  was  engaged  in  this  business,  and 
engaged  her  to  procure  this  pardon,  paid  her  the  first  one  hundred  dollars  of 
Baker's  money,  in  the  manner  stated,  and  paid  her  the  second  amount  fur 
nished  by  Baker,  which  was  marked  by  him,  and  subsequently  obtained  from 
her,  the  money  having  upon  it  the  same  marks  it  had  when  Hines  took  and 
paid  it  to  her.  Now,  if  that  constitutes  a  defense,  and  we  think  it  does,  we 
are  entitled  to  show  it. 

Mr.  Bradly,  Sr. 

The  Court :  I  rule  counsel  are  entitled  to  trace  this  money,  from  the  time 
it  is  said  to  have  come  out  of  General  Baker's  pocket,  until  found  in  the  pos 
session  of  Mrs.  Cobb.  I  cannot  see,  however,  what  the  object  can  be  of  having 
that  of  itself  left  alone  unsupported  and  unsnstained  by  other  testimony  before 
the  jury.  But  if  it  should  be  followed  up  by  testimony  showing  that  there 
was  an  amicable  understanding  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Cobb  that  this  money  was 
to  be  returned,  or  any  thing  of  that  kind,  that  would  certainly  tend  to  justify 


EXAMINATION  OF  A.  A.  SPEAR.  631 

a  defense.  Or  suppose  it  to  be  followed  up,  not  by  that,  but  by  testimony 
going  to  show  that  this  pardon  was  obtained  by  indirection,  by  dividing  the 
money  with  certain  public  officers — for  that  is  foreshadowed  by  the  defense — 
then  it  would  also  be  important  and  material.  I  do  not  know,  Mr.  Carring- 
ton,  how  it  may  comport  with  your  views,  but  if  I  were  the  prosecuting 
attorney,  I  should  have  no  hesitation  in  resorting  to  such  means  for  the  pur 
pose  of  detecting  frauds  which  were  constantly  being  practiced  on  the  Govern 
ment.  It  would  be  rather  singular,  to  hold  that  where  the  mail,  for  instance, 
was  robbed,  it  would  not  do  for  a  public  officer  to  put  a  snare  to  catch  a  thief 
with. 

Q.  You  may  relate  what  transpired  at  the  time  that  this  money  was 
marked  and  given  by  General  Baker  to  Captain  Howell — what  was  said  as  to 
what  was  to  be  done  with  it, 

A.  Well,  sir,  I  marked  the  money,  and  handed  it  back  to  General  Baker. 
He  then  handed  the  money  to  Captain  Howell,  for  the  purpose  of  having 
Captain  Howell  pay  it  over  to  Mrs.  Cobb  for  a  pardon,  which  she  was  to 
procure  for  him  by  Monday  night. 

Q.  Now,  for  what  purpose  did  General  Baker  go  there  in  connection  with 
that  transaction  after  the  payment  of  the  money  ? 

A.  To  get  the  money  back. 

Q.  What,  if  any  thing,  was  said  at  the  time  this  money  was  delivered  ? 

A.  There  was  nothing  said  in  my  presence  about  that. 

Q.  But  you  stated  before,  that,  when  you  went,  you  went  with  Captain 
Howell  at  the  same  time. 

A.  Captain  Howell  left  the  office  about  the  same  time,  and  proceeded  to 
the  Avenue  Hotel ;  General  Baker  and  myself  got  there  probably  two  or  three 
minutes  after  he  did. 

Q.  You  state  you  went  there  two  or  three  times. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  on  Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday  evenings. 

Q.  The  actual  transaction  took  place  on  the  Wednesday  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  see  that  money  again  at  any  time  afterward  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Were  there*  any  sentinels  or  guards  about  the  headquarters  of  General 
Baker  on  that  Wednesday  evening  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Had  there  been  any  there  within  three  or  four  months  preceding  that 
time? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  to  my  knowledge. 

Q.  Will  you  state,  Mr.  Spear,  what  menace,  or  force,  if  any,  was  used  to 
induce  Mrs.  Cobb  to  leave  the  Avenue  House  to  go  to  General  Baker's  office  ? 

A.  There  was  none. 

Q.  What  menace,  threat,  or  force,  was  employed  towards  her,  as  far  as 
you  know,  while  at  the  headquarters  ? 

A.  Not  any. 

Q.  What  did  you  see  or  hear  of  any  thing  that  indicated  the  use  of  violence 
or  threats  toward  her  ? 


632  TOTTED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  Nothing 

Q.  How  many  persons  were  about  headquarters  that  evening  belonging  to 
the  office? 

A.  I  should  think  there  were  four  or  five.  I  do.not  know  positively  how 
many. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  names  of  any  of  them  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  There  was  Mr.  Smith,  General  Baker's,  confidential  clerk; 
Mr.  Collins,  the  watchman ;  and  myself.  I  believe  those  are  all. 

Q.  About  what  time  in  the  evening  did  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  leave  head 
quarters  to  go  home? 

A.  I  think  it  was  about  eleven  o'clock.  I  know  I  left  for  home  immediately 
afterward,  and  I  got  home  about  a  quarter  or  twenty  minutes  after  eleven. 

Q.  About  how  long  were  you  in  their  room  in  the  Avenue  House,  on  the 
interview  you  have  related  ? 

A.  Not  to  exceed  ten  minutes,  I  think ;  probably  eight  minutes  would 
cover  the  time. 

Cross-examination. 
By  Mr.  Bradly,  Sr. : 

Q.  You  say  you  reside  in  New  York. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  what  position  there  ? 

A.  Well,  sir,  my  family  reside  in  New  York.  I  am  here,  there,  and  every 
where.  I  have  traveled  a  great  deal. 

Q.  As  what  ? 

A.  As  agent  of  the  "War  Department,  under  General  Baker. 

Q.  Have  you  an  appointment  or  commission  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  does  that  run  ? 

A.  It  reads  that  I  am  an  employee  of  that  Department,  and  that  I  am 
authorized  to  inspect  corrals,  Government  workshops,  or  any  thing  else  that 
I  may  be  told  to  do.  I  do  not  know  that  it  runs  exactly  in  that  way,  "any 
thing  else." 

Q.  By  whom  were  you  to  be  instructed  as  to  what  to  do  ? 

A.  By  General  Baker. 

Q.  You  still  hold  that  commission  under  him  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  receive  it  from  him  or  the  War  Department? 

A.  From  him. 

Q.  Who  signed  it? 

A.  General  Baker. 

Q.  How  long  have  yon  been  employed  in  the  business  of  which  yon  have 
spoken? 

A.  Over  a  year. 

Q.  How  long  had  you  been  in  the  city  before  the  8th  or  9th  of  Novembei 
last,  when  these  incidents  occurred  ? 

A.  I  think  I  got  here  the  day  before,  but  I  am  not  positive. 


EXAMINATION  OF  A.  A.  SPEAK.  633 

Q.  Ware  you  acquainted  with  Captain  Ho  well? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  might  have  seen  him  before,  but  I  do  not  think  I  was  ever 
introduced  to  him  before. 

Q.  Was  he  also  in  the  employ  of  General  Baker  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  Have  you  seen  him  receiving  any  directions  or  instructions  from  Gen 
eral  Baker,  or  reporting  to  him  ? 

A.  General  Baker  did  not  give  instructions  in  the  presence  of  any  of  his 
men. 

Q.  Nor  receive  reports  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  will  state,  however,  I  am  inclined  to  think  he  is  employed 
by  Baker. 

Q.  What  makes  you  think  so  ? 

A.  His  being  around  headquarters  so  much. 

Q.  Does  he  seem  to  do  like  the  Roman  soldiers,  go  when  Baker  tells  him 
to  go,  and  come  when  Baker  tells  him  to  come  ? 

A.  I  see  him  come  and  go,  I  do  not  know  whether  Baker  tells  him  or  not. 

Q.  You  never  saw  him  in  Baker's  office  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have. 

Q.  When  did  you  first  learn  this  arrangement,  about  Mr.  Howell  ? 

A.  On  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  November. 

Q.  Then  you  knew  it  before  the  one  hundred  dollars  was  paid? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  know  when  the  one  hundred  dollars  was  paid,  or 
that  it  ever  was  paid.  I  have  heard  of  it  here  in  court.  The  thing  never  was 
explained  to  me  at  all.  General  Baker  called  me  up  into  his  private  office, 
and  said,  UI  want  you  to  mark  these  bills,"  which  I  did.  He  then  handed 
those  bills  to  Captain  Howell,  and  invited  me  to  go  down  to  the  Avenue 
Hotel,  and  I  went. 

Q.  You  did  not  hear  him  say  any  thing  as  to  what  he  was  going  to  do 
with  these  bills  ? 

A.  N>,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  mark  you  put  on  these  bills  ? 

A.  I  do. 

Q.  Can  you  describe  it? 

A.  I  can. 

Q.  Do  so. 

A.  I  decline  doing  so,  because  there  may  be  a  dozen  marked  just  like  them. 

Mr.  Bradly  insisted  upon  witness  describing  the  marks. 

Mr.  Stanton  said  he  supposed  the  witness  declined  to  describe  the  marks, 
as  they  were  Government  marks.  He  himself  had  no  objection. 

The  Court  stated  that  it  would  be  better  if  the  notes  could  be  produced 
and  shown  the  witness,  in  order  that  he  might  identify  the  marks  as  being  the 
«nes  he  placed  on  the  notes;  but,  as  they  could  not  be  had,  he  did  not  see  the 
impropriety  of  the  witness  describing  them,  and  directed  the  witness  so  to  do. 

Witness:  On  top  of  the  bill  there  is  "U.  S.,"  and  through  both  the  "U" 
and  the  "  S  "  I  made  two  pin  holes.  The  different  numbers  of  the  notes  were 
taken  down  by  Captain  Howell  in  my  presence. 


634  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Did  you  examine  to  see  what  numbers  lie  put  down  ? 

A.  I  saw  him  look  at  the  bills,  and  then  write  a  number  on  the  paper. 
What  it  was,  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  You  did  not  compare  the  number  he  wrote  witk  that  on  the  notes  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  said  by  any  one  of  you  three  at  that  time,  further  than  you 
have  stated  ? 

A.  Well,  I  understood  the  money  was  to  be  paid  to  Mrs.  Cobb  for  the 
pardon.     I  think  that  was  said. 

Q.  By  whom  ? 

A.  I  think  by  General  Baker ;  but  I  cannot  be  positive  about  that. 

Q.  Did  he  say  so  to  you  or  to  Captain  Howell? 

A.  He  did  not  address  his  conversation  to  me  at  all. 

Q.  Did  he  say  to  Captain  Howell,  "  You  will  give  that  money  to  Mrs. 
Cobb"? 

A.  I  do  not  know  how  he  worded  it,  but  it  amounted  to  that. 

Q.  Did  he  tell  him  when  he  was  to  do  that? 

A.  Not  in  my  hearing. 

Q.  What  became  of  Howell  after  this  ? 

A.  Howell  left,  and  went  down  to  the  Avenue  House,  I  suppose. 

Q.  What  time  in  the  evening  was  that? 

A.  It  must  have  been  between  five  and  six  o'clock. 

Q.  How  long  after  that  did  General  Baker  go  down  there  ? 

A.  Almost  immediately. 

Q.  He  did  not  tell  you  what  he  wanted  you  to  go  down  there  for  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     He  just  asked  me  to  go  out  and  walk  down  to  the  Avenue 
House  with  him. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  that  you  were  going  down  to  see  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cobb? 

A.  I  did  not  know  what  part  of  the  duty  I  was  to  perform. 

Q.  Did  you  know  you  were  going  down  to  see  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  I  supposed  I  was. 

Q.  Did  you  understand  that  Ilowell  had  gone  down  to  see  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  From  what  did  you  infer  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  were  at  the  Avenue 
House,  and  that  you  were  to  find  Howell  down  there  ? 

A.  I  knew  Howell  had  gone  there. 

Q.  How  did  you  know  that  he  had  gone  down  there  ? 

A.  I  understood  that  from  the  conversation  between  himself  and  General 
Baker  ? 

Q.  I  understood  you  at  first  to  say  that  General  Baker  told  him  that 
money  was  to  be  given  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  but  you  did  not  know  when  or  where  ? 

A.  I  knew  "where,"  but  not  uwhen." 

Q.  But  you  understood  he  was  to  go  right  down  to  the  Avenue  House 
then? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  understood  Mrs.  Cobb  was  at  the  Avenue  House  ? 


EXAMINATION  OF  A.  A.  SPEAR.  635 

A.  I  supposed  she  was,  or  lie  would  not  go  down  there  to  see  her.  I  un 
derstood  that  he  was  going  to  the  Avenue  House,  and  that  his  business  was 
with  Mrs.  Cobb. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  that  you  were  going  down  there  to  have  any  thing 
to  do  with  this  matter  of  Mrs.  Cobb  and  Mr.  Howell  ? 

A.  I  did  not  know  it  officially,  I  merely  supposed  so. 

Q.  Was  nothing  said  about  it  by  General  Baker,  on  your  way  down  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  After  you  got  to  the  Avenue  House,  was  any  thing  said  there,  between 
you  and  General  Baker,  about  seeing  Mrs.  Oobb  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  nothing  said  about  my  seeing  Mrs.  Cobb. 

Q.  Any  thing  said  about  his  seeing  her? 

A.  That  would  depend  upon  circumstances — if  he  got  the  signal  from 
Captain  Howell. 

Q.  I  ask  you  if  any  thing  was  said  about  his  seeing  her  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  When  were  you  first  enlightened  as  to  the  object  of  your  visit  to  th« 
Avenue  House  ? 

A.  My  instructions  were,  to  sit  in  the  door  and  see  when  Captain  Howell 
came  down,  and  if  he  raised  his  hat  to  tell  General  Baker. 

Q.  When  did  you  receive  these  instructions  ? 

A.  After  we  had  been  sitting  in  the  house  probably  three  minutes. 

Q.  Then  you  did  not  know  what  had  happened  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  room  did  you  go  to  ? 

A.  None  at  that  time. 

Q.  When  did  you  go  down  there  again  ? 

A.  The  next  evening. 

Q.  Did  any  thing  pass  between  you  and  General  Baker  between  that  time 
and  the  next  evening  in  regard  to  the  matter  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  General  Baker  tell  you  the  second  evening  what  you  were  going 
down  there  for  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  On  the  third  evening  what  passed  ? 

A.  On  the  third  evening,  after  he  got  the  sign  from  Captain  Howell,  he 
says,  u  We  will  go  up  stairs.  You  go  on  ahead,"  he  said,  "for  you  have  the 
number  of  the  room,"  which  I  had,  having  obtained  it  from  Captain  Howell. 
I  went  up  and  knocked  at  the  door,  and  then  had  the  interview  of  which  I 
have  spoken.  General  Baker  did  not  say  any  thing  to  me,  other  than  what  I 
have  stated,  from  the  time  I  went  up  stairs  until  the  time  I  knocked. 

Q.  Then  Captain  Howell  came  down  and  spoke  to  General  Baker  in  your 
presence,  before  you  went  up  ? 

A.  I  saw  the  signal  made  by  Howell,  and  told  General  Baker  of  it. 

Q.  When  did  Captain  Howell  give  you  the  number  of  the  room  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect. 

Q.  How  did  General  Baker  know  that  you  knew  the  number  ? 


636  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  I  suppose  that  Captain  Howell  must  have  told  him  that  he  had  given 
it  to  me. 

Q.  As  I  understood  it,  you  went  up  to  the  room  and  knocked  at  the  door, 
without  knowing  who  was  in  there  ?  « 

A.  No,  sir,  I  supposed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  were  in  there? 

Q.  Why  suppose  so  ? 

A.  Because  that  was  given  to  me  as  the  number  of  their  room. 

Q.  When  Howell  gave  you  that  number,  what  did  he  say  ? 

A.  Nothing  more  than  to  give  me  the  number  of  the  room.  I  think  T 
asked  him  the  number  of  the  room  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  had. 

Q.  How  came  you  to  ask  him  that,  when  you  did  not  know  that  you  were 
going  down  to  see  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  that  is  true,  I  asked  to  know.  I  might  have  asked  him,  or  he 
might  have  told  me,  I  do  not  recollect  which. 

Q.  Didn't  General  Baker  know  the  number  of  the  room  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  did. 

Q.  What  did  he  tell  you  ? 

A.  He  simply  told  me  to  go  on  up  to  Mrs.  Cobb's  room,  that  was  all. 

Q.  Can  you  tell  me  why  General  Baker  could  not  have  had  as  private  an 
interview  in  that  room,  with  Mrs.  Cobb,  as  he  could  up  at  his  quarters  ? 

A.  I  cannot 

Q.  In  this  conversation,  between  Mrs.  Cobb  and  General  Baker,  did  her 
husband  interpose  at  that  time  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  did.  He  wished  to  know  General  Baker's  business 
there.  That  was  after  he  had  been  looking  over  the  floor  for  the  keys. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  there  was  any  conversation  going  on  while 
Cobb  was  looking  up  the  keys? 

A.  General  Baker  remarked  to  me,  that  he  thought  he  knew  that  woman. 
That  remark  was  made  about  that  time.  General  Baker  was  walking  up  and 
down  the  floor  with  his  hands  behind  him.  It  was  after  Mr.  Cobb  got  through 
looking  for  his  keys  that  he  inquired  General  Baker's  business.  The  General 
said  that  he  had  come  down  to  get  two  hundred  dollars  of  his  money,  which 
was  marked,  and  which  had  been  paid  by  Captain  Howell  for  a  pardon. 

Q.  Did  he  say  that  to  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  directed  himself  to  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Cobb. 

Q.  Who  answered  ? 

A.  I  think  Mrs.  Cobb,  but  I  am  not  positive. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  she  said? 

A.  She  wanted  to  know  by  what  authority  he  demanded  them.  He  said 
the  money  was  his. 

Q.  Previous  to  that  time  had  he,  or  not,  told  her  that  he  was  General 
Baker,  of  the  War  Department  ? 

A.  He  told  her  he  was  General  Baker  when  he  first  came  in.  I  do  not 
know  whether  he  said  of  the  War  Department  or  not. 

Q.  Have  you  told  us  all  that  General  Baker  said  just  at  that  time — that  it 
was  his  money,  and  he  wanted  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


EXAMINATION  OF  A.  A.  SPEAR.  637 

Q.  Didn't  you  hear  him  distinctly  say  that  he  would  have  it  before  he  left 
the  room  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  When  General  Baker  said  it  was  his  money,  and  demanded  it,  what 
next  followed? 

A.  Well,  sir,  there  was  not  any  thing  said  for  a  little  while.  The  General 
then  said  he  wanted  Mrs.  Cobb  to  go  to  his  headquarters. 

Q.  What  was  her  reply  ? 

A.  Mr.  Cobb  replied,  saying,  "Are  we  to  consider  ourselves  under  arrest  ?" 
Says  General  Baker,  "No." 

Q.  Then  what  followed  ? 

A  Then  he  said  this  pardon  business  had  been  going  on  long  enough,  and 
that  he  was  going  to  stop  it.  Then  followed  what  I  have  already  stated. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  his  saying  that  he  would  give  her  all  the  notoriety 
she  wanted,  or  something  to  that  effect  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  recollect  a  conversation  that  occurred  between  Mr.  Cobb 
and  myself  in  regard  to  notoriety. 

Q.  In  that  room  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  that  was  in  the  carriage,  going  down  after  the  pardon. 

Q.  Did  General  Baker  then  propose  to  enter  into  any  explanations  with 
her,  or  make  any  inquiries  of  her,  in  regard  to  that  money,  in  her  chamber, 
while  her  husband  was  present  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  recollect. 

Q.  Did  he  not  require  her  to  go  to  his  headquarters? 

A.  He  said  he  wanted  her  to  go  to  his  headquarters,  and  explained  to  her 
the  reason  why  ? 

Q.  When  General  Baker  says  to  you,  Mr.  Spear,  I  want  you  to  do  so  and 
so,  is  that  an  order  or  not  ? 

A.  It  is  an  order  from  General  Baker,  because  I  am  in  his  employ. 

Q.  When  General  Baker  says  he  wants  such  and  such  a  man,  is  that  an 
order  for  his  arrest  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  he  gives  me  better  authority  than  that. 

Q.  Authority  in  writing  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Always  ? 

A.  I  think  almost  always ;  I  do  not  think  I  ever  arrested  a  man  unless  I 
had  authority. 

Q.  Written  authority  ? 

A.  Authority  more  than  verbal 

Q.  I  say  any  written  authority  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  ever  having  arrested  a  civilian  without  written 
authority.  In  fact,  I  have  arrested  but  very  few  people,  for  I  am  not  in  that 
line  of  business. 

Q.  When  you  went  up  stairs  with  Mrs.  Cobb,  at  General  Baker's  head 
quarters,  who  did  you  leave  with  him  in  the  room  with  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  General  Baker. 

Q.  When  you  came  down,  where  was  General  Baker  ? 


638  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  I  think  in  the  hall,  or  else  I  met  him  on  the  stairs  going  up. 

Q.  Did  you  see  Captain  Howell  that  night,  after  he  left  the  Avenue 
House  ? 

A.  I  did.  » 

Q.  Where? 

A.  Going  down  to  Willard's  Hotel. 

Q.  Did  you  see  him  at  Baker's  headquarters  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  seeing  him  there.  There  is  a  little  office  occupied 
by  General  Baker's  men,  he  may  have  been  in  there ;  I  did  not  go  in  th£re 
that  evening. 

Q.  The  door  was  not  open  so  that  you  could  see  from  the  main  hall  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  were  you  in  the  room  down  stairs  with  Cobb  before  the  bell 
rang? 

A.  I  should  think,  probably,  half  an  hour. 

Q.  I  understand  you  did  not  go  into  the  room  with  Mrs.  Cobb  at  all  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  just  merely  went  to  the  door. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  whether  you  closed  the  door  or  not  ? 

A.  I  think  I  did. 

Q.  What  is  your  recollection  as  to  whether  you  locked  it  or  not  ? 

A.  I  am  positive  I  did  not.  General  Baker  went  up  immediately  ;  I  think 
I  met  him  at  the  bottom  of  the  stairs. 

Q.  When  that  bell  rang,  and  you  went  up  stairs,  did  you  see  anybody  in 
the  hall  while  General  Baker  was  in  that  room  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  When  you  came  out,  did  you  see  anybody  in  the  hall  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  When  you  came  down  stairs  to  see  Mr.  Cobb,  about  going  down  to  the 
Avenue  House,  who  did  you  find  there  then  ? 

A.  I  think  the  only  man  I  found  there  was  Mr.  Collins. 

Q.  Where  were  these  other  two  men  you  have  spoken  of— Smith,  and  the 
other  man  ? 

A.  There  was  only  one  other  man  I  spoke  of — Smith.  I  think  Smith 
came  in  from  his  supper  just  as  Cobb  and  myself  were  going  out. 

Q.  When  you  returned  with  Mr.  Cobb,  where  was  General  Baker  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say. 

Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  ? 

A.  I  saw  him  down  in  his  office,  probably  an  hour  or  an  hour  and  a  half 
from  that  time. 

Q.  After  you  got  back  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  any  idea  what  time  it  was  you  went  down  to  the  Avenue 
House  with  Mr.  Cobb  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  but  somewhere  between  seven  and  eipht  o'clock,  I  should 
take  it. 

Q.  And  you  were  gone  how  long  ? 

A .  I  cannot  say. 


EXAMINATION  OF  A.  A.  SPEAR.  639 

Q.  Can  you  swear  whether  there  was  not,  all  the  time  you  had  gone  from 
that  house,  and  while  at  that  office,  a  man  in  the  hall  above,  near  the  door  of 
the  room  where  Mrs.  Cobb  was  ? 

A.  I  cannot  swear  positively  there  was  no  man  there,  but  I  do  not  believe 
there  was ;  at  least,  I  did  not  see  any. 

Q.  What  time  was  it  that  you  and  Mr.  Cobb  went  out  to  take  a  drink  ? 

A.  That  was  after  we  came  back  from  the  hotel. 

Q.  With  the  exception  of  the  instances  you  have  mentioned,  did  you 
remain  all  the  time  in  that  office  until  Mrs.  Cobb  went  away  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  went  out  on  the  sidewalk  and  down  a  little  way. 

Q.  And  left  Mr.  Cobb  in  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  not  Mr.  Collins  in  there  with  him  when  you  went  out  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  was. 

Q.  When  you  went  out  on  to  the  pavement,  and  so  on,  did  you  see  Col 
lins  anywhere  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  Mr.  Cobb  go  out  of  the  room  with  Mr.  Collins  or  anybody  else,  or 
go  out  at  all,  except  when  he  went  with  you  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  did  or  not ;  I  do  not  know  of  his  having 
done  so. 

Q.  When  you  went  down  with  Mr.  Cobb  to  get  that  paper,  did  you  come 
at  his  request  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  When  you  went  back  with  him,  was  it  at  his  request  ? 

A.  There  was  no  request  about  it;  we  went  down  together  and  came 
back  together.  I  told  Mr.  Cobb  what  Mrs.  Cobb  said  to  General  Baker  with 
regard  to  the  pardon. 

Q.  I  suppose  he  would  have  gone  down  in  that  carriage  as  well  without 
you  as  with  you  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  suppose  so. 

Q.  And  you  went  along  merely  for  company  ? 

A.  That  is  all. 

Q.  Nothing  was  said  to  you  by  General  Baker  about  going  down  with 
Mm? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  told  me  to  go  down  with  him. 

Q.  Then  it  was  by  General  Baker's  direction,  and  not  by  Mr.  Cobb's  invi 
tation,  you  went  down  with  him  to  the  Avenue  House  ? 

A.  No't  at  all ;  I  went  down  because  General  Baker  told  me  to  go,  and 
also  for  company's  sake. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  whether  any  thing  was  said  about  Mr.  Wilson,  the 
Third  Auditor,  during  your  drive  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  from  the  Avenue 
House  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

Q.  If  it  had  been  said  while  you  were  all  in  the  carriage  together,  I  pre 
sume  you  would  have  heard  it  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  should  think  I  would  have. 


640  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  You  say  Mrs.  Cobb  parted  with  General  Baker  in  a  very  pleasant  man 
ner.  Did  they  shake  hands  ? 

A.  I  did  not  see  them  shake  hands. 

Q.  You  Say  Mr.  Cobb  was  very  angry.  What  did  he  say  to  indicate  that 
he  was  angry  ? 

A.  I  did  not  hear  distinctly  what  he  said,  but  I  could  tell  by  the  tone  of 
his  voice  that  he  was  very  angry.  I  did  hear  him  say  that  if  she  was  his  wife 
he  would  not  go  down  with  her,  because  she  had  treated  General  Baker  so 
well  under  the  circumstances. 

Q.  How  far  off  from  him  were  you  ? 

A.  Probably  four  or  five  yards. 

Q.  Were  you  not  all  four  standing  in  a  group  together  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  were  walking  out  at  the  time. 

Q.  Did  you  hear  Cobb  say  any  thing  about  being  arrested,  and  about  be 
ing  kept  there  for  such  a  length  of  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Is  there  an  indictment  pending  against  you  about  this  same  trans 
action  ?  . 

A.  I  heard  there  was  an  indictment  up  here. 

Q.  You  have  never  been  arrested  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Have  never  given  bail  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  came  up  here  the  day  General  Baker  did. 

Q.  Did  you  join  in  the  bail  given  by  Mr.  Baker  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.  I  was  in  the  court-room,  and 
somebody  called  out  Mr.  Spear,  and  I  came  forward  right  there  to  that  desk ; 
they  then  said  there  were  two  indictments  against  me,  that  was  the  first  I 
knew  of  it. 

The  clerk  was  directed  to  read  the  official  entry  in  the  case,  which  showed 
bail  had  been  given  by  the  witness. 


CHAPTER    XLIY. 

+ 

PROGRESS    OF    THE    TRIAL. 

Mr.  Jacob  Smith  Testifies — A  Clerk  in  the  Detective  Bureau — His  Account  of  tho 
Interview  at  Headquarters  with  the  Cobbs. 

MR.  JACOB  SMITH,  who  was  a  clerk  in  my  office  at  the 
time  of  the  arrest  or  examination  of  Mrs.  Cobb,  was  called 
upon  to  give  his  knowledge  of  the  transaction,  which  he  did 
very  explicitly  and  clearly,  from  his  own  personal  recollec 
tions. 

JACOB  SMITH  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Riddle : 

Question.  In  what  business  were  you  during  the  month  of  November  last? 

Answer.  Clerk  for  General  Baker. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  transactions  of  the  evening  of  the  8th  or  9th  of 
November,  in  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  were  at  the  office  ? 

A.  I  recollect  a  portion  of  those  transactions. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  evening? 

A.  I  do. 

Q.  Will  you  relate  to  the  jury  your  recollection  of  what  transpired  that 
evening  in  reference  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb? 

A.  They  were  there  but  one  evening,  to  my  knowledge.  On  the  evening 
in  question,  after  coming  from  supper,  which  I  presume  was  in  the  neighbor 
hood  of  half-past  six  o'clock,  I  found  Mr.  Cobb  in  the  room  down  stairs.  I 
remained  there  some  time,  when,  finally,  the  bell  rang  up  stairs.  The  boy 
whose  business  it  is  to  attend  to  that  being  at  the  post-office  at  that  time,  I 
ran  up  stairs  to  see  what  was  wanted.  General  Baker  and  Mrs.  Cobb  were  in 
a  private  room  up  stairs.  The  General  requested  me  to  take  a  seat.  I  did  so, 
and  he  left  the  room.  I  remained  there,  I  presume,  some  two  or  three  hours, 
when  the  General  returned.  I  think  I  was  in  there  some  little  time  after  his 
return,  and  heard  a  portion  of  the  conversation  between  them.  I  then  went 
down  stairs  for  some  purpose  or  other,  and  did  not  go  up,  to  my  knowledge, 
until  they  went  away. 

Q.  When  you  came  there  that  evening,  you  found  Cobb  below? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Who  else,  if  anybody,  did  you  find  there? 
41 


642  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  One  of  our  men,  by  the  name  of  Collins,  who  was  detailed  as  a  watch 
man  that  night. 

Q.  Were  there  any  soldiers  on  duty  there — guards,  or  sentinels? 

A.  We  have  none  such. 

Q.  There  were  none  that  evening  for  any  purpose? 

A.  None  at  all. 

Q.  What  was  Cobb  doing  there  that  evening? 

A.  When  I  was  there  he  was  part  of  the  time  sitting  on  the  lounge ;  at 
other  times  walking  about. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  went  out  during  the  evening? 

A.  I  do  not,  because  I  was  up  stairs  during  a  good  part  of  the  evening. 

Q.  State  whether  he  was  under  a  guard,  or  in  any  other  way  restrained  of 
his  liberty. 

A.  He  was  not. 

Q.  And  about  what  time  was  it  you  went  to  answer  the  bell  in  the  private 
room  ? 

A.  I  presume  about  seven  o'clock. 

Q.  General  Baker  requested  you  to  take  a  seat  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  else  did  he  say  about  that? 

A.  Nothing. 

Q.  Did  he  state  why  he  was  leaving,  or  where  he  was  going? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  where  he  did  go? 

A.  Well,  I  found  out  afterward. 

Q.  When  he  returned,  did  he  go  into  the  room  where  you  were? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  he  state  where  he  had  been,  on  his  return  ? 

A.  He  did,  in  her  presence  and  mine. 

Q.  What  did  he  say  ? 

A.  He  said  he  had  been  to  the  Executive  mansion.  I  cannot  detail  to  you 
the  conversation. 

Q.  Did  he  state  for  what  purpose  he  had  been  there? 

A.  I  cannot  say  as  to  that.  The  conversation  turned  upon  the  pardons, 
and  I  presume  she  was  aware  what  his  business  was  there  that  evening. 

Q.  Did  you  hear  any  conversation  between  Mrs.  Cobb  and  General  Baker 
in  reference  to  what  the  business  was  that  he  had  been  to  see  the  President 
in  regard  to  ? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect  as  to  the  exact  conversation.  I  presume  the  conver 
sation  was  upon  that  point,  that  he  had  been  to  the  President's  house,  and 
had  been  in  conversation  with  the  President  on  that  point. 

Q.  Was  there  any  thing  said  in  your  presence  there  that  showed  that  he 
had  been  to  the  President  then  upon  business  that  brought  Mrs.  Cobb  there? 

A.  I  think  there  was.  I  cannot  relate  the  conversation  just  as  it  occurred, 
but  the  tenor  of  the  conversation  was  such.  The  substance  of  the  conversa 
tion  was,  that  the  General  had  been  to  the  President,  and  laid  the  case  before 
him.  The  President  was  much  surprised  at  the  way  in  which  pardons  were 


JACOB   SMITH'S  TESTIMONY.  643 

procured,  also  th.it  the  General  concluded  that  the  thing  should  be  broken  up. 
The  time  had  coine  to  break  that  thing  up,  and  he  told  Mrs.  Cobb  to  that 
effect.  She,  from  the  tenor  of  her  conversation,  I  should  judge,  was  very 
intimate  with  parties  connected  with  the  Executive  mansion.  She  was  very 
independent  indeed  in  her  manner,  and  seemed  to  intimate  that  she  could  do 
as  she  pleased. 

Q.  Have  you  related  all  that  you  remember  of  that  conversation  ? 

A.  I  cannot  think  of  any  thing  just  now  other  than  I  have  stated. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  to  from  there? 

A.  I  went  down  stairs  in  the  office. 

Q.  Where  did  Mrs.  Cobb  go  ? 

A.  When  she  came  down  stairs,  I  came  out  of  the  office  in  the  hall  to  pay 
the  hackman. 

Q.  How  long  did  she  remain  up  stairs  after  you  went  down,  before  she 
came  down? 

A.  I  presume  she  was  up  stairs  from  half  an  hour  to  an  hour ;  then  she 
came  down. 

Q.  You  went  out  and  paid  the  hackman  as  she  was  about  to  retire  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  occurred  at  the  time  of  her  leaving,  between  herself  and  General 
Baker,  or  between  herself  and  husband  ? 

A.  Well,  she  bid  the  General  a  very  pleasant  good-night,  and  when  she 
got  out  on  the  sidewalk,  and  was  about  to  enter  the  carriage,  her  husband 
refused  to  enter,  upon  the  ground  that  as  she  had  been  so  polite,  I  presume, 
to  General  Baker,  although  her  husband,  he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with 
her,  and  would  not  enter  the  carriage.  She,  however,  finally  prevailed  upon 
him  to  enter  the  carriage,  and  they  drove  off  together. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  she  said  to  him  ? 

A.  Oh,  well,  she  told  him  there  was  no  use  in  going  on  in  that  way,  &c. 
I  cannot  remember  the  exact  words. 

Q.  What  means,  if  any,  or  force,  or  coercion,  did  you  see  exercised  toward 
Mrs.  Cobb,  while  there  ? 

A.  None  whatever. 

Q.  What  complaint  did  she  make  to  you,  while  you  were  in  the  room,  of 
ill-treatment  ? 

A.  She  made  no  complaint.  She  and  I  entered  into  very  pleasant  conver 
sation  upon  general  topics. 

Q.  Did  she  that  night,  at  the  time  of  leaving,  or  at  any  other  time,  in  your 
presence,  complain  of  any  ill-treatment  on  the  part  of  General  Baker  toward 
her? 

A.  Not  at  all. 

Q.  Did  Mr.  Cobb  complain  of  any  ill-treatment  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  heard  Mr.  Cobb  say  any  thing.  If  he  did,  it  was 
very  trifling. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  person,  or  know  if  there  was  any  person,  on  the  same 
floor,  or  in  the  hall  near  this  private  room,  while  Mrs.  Cobb  was  there? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  know  there  was  not,  and  I  can  relate  a  little  incident  which 


644  HOTTED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Mrs.  Cobb  herself  will  recollect.  She  was  very  dry,  and  wished  a  drink  of 
water,  and  I  was  very  anxious  to  find  some  one  to  go  and  get  a  drink  of 
water  for  her,  as  it  was  some  little  distance  off  from  the  place.  I  had  to  look 
some  time  before  I  found  any  one.  Finally  I  found  one  of  our  men,  and 
requested  him  to  do  so. 

Q.  In  what  capacity  were  you  acting,  then ;  as  a  guard  to  keep  her  there 
in  that  room? 

A.  I  cannot  say  as  to  the  purpose  exactly.  It  being  a  private  room,  and 
there  being  a  great  many  private  documents  lying  around,  I  presume  I  was 
called  to  take  a  seat  there  to  see  that  nothing  was  removed  or  touched. 

Q.  Did  she  say  any  thing  about  wanting  to  go  down? 

A.  She  did  not  mention  the  subject  at  all.  I  presumed  at  the  time  she 
was  waiting  for  the  General  to  come  back. 

Cross- Examination. 

By  Mr.  Bradly,  Sr. : 

Q.  She  could  have  gone  out  any  time  she  pleased  and  you  would  not  have 
stopped  her  ? 

A.  I  do  not  suppose  I  would. 

Q.  Why  didn't  you  go  and  get.  the  water? 

A.  I  felt  as  if  I  had  something  else  to  do. 

Q.  What  else? 

A.  To  remain  in  the  office. 

Q.  And  if  you  went  out  she  might  get  these  valuable  papers? 

A.  I  had  no  business  to  think  otherwise. 

Q.  And  you  say  she  might  have  gone  out  without  your  preventing  her? 

A.  If  she  had  felt  inclined  to  go,  I  do  not  think  I  should  have  prevented 
her.  I  had  no  authority  to  do  so,  at  any  rate. 

Q.  You  have  no  authority,  then,  when  General  Baker  goes  out,  and  leaves 
you  with  a  person  sitting  in  his  room,  to  keep  that  person  there? 

A.  I  do  not  suppose  I  have,  unless  I  have  orders  to  that  effect. 

By  Mr.  Stanton : 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  orders  ? 

A.  None  at  all. 

Q.  What  were  your  instructions? 

A.  To  take  a  seat. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  been  required  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  a  guard  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  never  told  any  person  in  that  office,  "You  cannot  go  yet"?     » 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  "You  cannot  go  until  General  Baker  comes?" 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  might  have  done  so.  I  do  not  know  to  whom  you 
have  reference. 

Mr.  Bradly :  Never  mind  to  whom  I  have  reference ;  I  understood  you  to 
say  you  never  told  any  body  so. 


JACOB  SMITH'S  TESTIMONY. 


645 


Mr.  Riddle :  I  will  inquiry  whether,  when  there  was  occasion  to  have 
guards,  General  Baker  was  not  supplied  with  them? 

A.  There  were  men  that  he  used  to  detail  for  that  purpose. 

By  Mr.  Bradly :  Were  not  the  officers  and  detectives  employed  by  him, 
not  such  guards,  military  guards  over  the  prisoners  when  they  came  there? 

A.  Sometimes  I  have  known  them  to  he  called  upon  to  take  charge  of  a 
man.  We  have  no  prisoners  kept  at  the  office.  Some  one  may  be  directed  to 
take  charge  of  a  prisoner  for  a  while,  but  for  a  while  only. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

PROGRESS    OF    THE    TRIAL. 

Mr.  Stanton  examines  Lieutenant  Henry  H.  Hines — By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  "War, 
is  connected  with  the  Secret  Service — His  Story  of  what  he  saw  of  Mrs.  Cobb. 

THE  facts  already  narrated  in  various  forms  will  have  a 
decided  confirmation  in  the  plain  statement  of  Lieutenant 
H.  H.  Hines,  who  was  for  some  time  connected  with  army 
service. 

HEXKT  H.  HINBS,  sworn. 
By  Mr.  Stanton  : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  ? 

Answer.  First  lieutenant  of  cavalry  in  the  volunteer  service,  United  States 
Army. 

Q.  You  still  hold  that  commission? 

A.  I  believe  I  do. 

Q.  Are  you  at  present  on  duty  in  that  capacity  ? 

A.  Well,  sir,  in  order  to  answer  that  question,  an  explanation  is  necessary. 

Counsel :  Very  well.     Give  it. 

Witness :  Last  July,  I  was  directed  by  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  to 
place  myself  at  the  disposal  of  General  Baker,  to  act  under  his  directions. 
I  have  done  so  ever  since. 

Q.  Now  state,  if  you  please,  what  you  know  of  this  transaction  with  Mrs. 
Cobb,  relative  to  obtaining  this  pretended  pardon,  the  payment  of  any  money 
to  her,  and  so  on. 

A.  On  the  4th  of  November,  in  company  with  Mr.  Jones,  I  called  at  the 
Avenue  Hotel  to  see  Mrs.  Cobb.  She  was  not  in.  Her  husband  came  down 
in  answer  to  the  card  of  Mr.  Jones,  and  I  was  introduced  to  him.  He  made 
known  the  business  which  I  came  on.  I  was  introduced  to  him  as  a  Confed 
erate  officer  seeking  to  obtain  a  pardon.  He  said  that  he  had  placed  his  wife 
in  a  carriage,  and  she  had  gone  to  one  of  the  Departments,  and  would  be  back 
at  three  o'clock.  We  concluded  not  to  wait,  but  requested  him  to  send  her  to 
Willard's  Hotel,  where  I  was  stopping.  We  went  to  Willard's  Hotel.  Ho 
went  up  stairs,  and  came  down,  and  said  Mrs.  Cobb  was  in  the  parlor.  If  I 
would  walk  up,  he  would  introduce  me.  I  walked  up,  and  he  introduced  me 
us  Captain  Howell,  the  only  name  under  which  he  knew  me  at  all. 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  647 

Q.  Was  that  on  Saturday  or  Sunday? 

.4.  On  Saturday.  After  stating  to  me  why  he  had  introduced  me,  he  said 
as  lie  had  no  further  business  he  would  leave,  we  could  make  our  own  arrange 
ments. 

Q.  Who  introduced  you,  Mr.  Jones  or  Mr.  Cobb  ? 

A.  Mr.  Jones.  He  retired  from  the  parlor,  and  Mrs.  Cobb,  I  think,  was 
sitting  in  the  middle  parlor,  but  of  that  I  am  not  positive.  She  took  a  seat  at 
the  further  window  toward  the  Treasury  building,  and  invited  me  to  take  a 
seat  there  near  her,  as  there  were  other  people  in  the  parlor,  and  she  did  not 
wish  the  conversation  heard.  The  first  thing  that  she  said  to  me,  putting  her 
linger  very  significantly  to  her  mouth,  was,  "  Mum  is  the  word.  If  I  under 
take  to  obtain  a  pardon  for  you,  it  is  necessary  that  the  utmost  secrecy  and 
caution  should  be  observed."  She  then  went  on  to  state  to  me  the  facilities 
with  which  she  was  enabled  to  obtain  these  things. 

The  District  Attorney  :  If  your  Honor  pleases,  I  do  not  think  this  is 
proper  testimony.  I  think  it  is  my  duty  to  object,  unless  the  able  counsel  who 
are  assisting  in  the  prosecution  see  proper  to  let  it  go  on  without  objection. 

Mr.  Stanton:  We  insist  upon  this  testimony,  because  it  is  the  very  transac 
tion  itself. 

The  Court :  This  is  a  part  of  the  res  gestce.     The  testimony  is  admissible. 

Witness,  resuming:  In  saying  to  me  that  she  possessed  these  facilities  for 
obtaining  pardons,  she  said  she  had  obtained  as  many  as  seventy-five  in  one 
day,  which  was  a  great  stretch  for  my  credulity  to  believe.  I,  however,  did 
not  make  any  objection  to  her  statement.  She  says:  "You  need  not  ask  me 
how  I  do  it,  through  what  influence  I  do  it,  for  I  will  not  tell  you  or  anybody 
else."  I  says,  "It  does  not  matter  to  me  what  influence  you  bring  to  bear  so  that 
you  do  it."  After  a  great  deal  of  talk,  perhaps  lasting  an  hour,  perhaps  longer, 
I  agreed  to  meet  her  that  evening;  and  my  recollection  is  that  in  consequence 
of  my  not  being  able  to  see  General  Baker,  as  I  desired  to  do,  I  wrote  her  a 
note,  stating  that  other  business  would  prevent  my  meeting  her  that  evening, 
but  the  following  day  I  would  see  her.  I  stated  to  General  Baker  the  conver 
sation,  and  stated  to  him  my  belief  was  that  the  Executive  was  being  imposed 
upon,  by  outside  influences  being  used  to  obtain  this  pardon,  and  it  was  a 
disgrace  to  the  country  and  the  nation  that  such  things  existed.  I  had  then 
deposited  no  papers,  paid  no  money,  and  General  Baker  had  taken  no  action. 
He  said  to  me,  "I  do  not  believe  that  this  woman  can  do  these  things." 
"Well,"  says  I,  "I  do  not  know."  I  had  only  just  arrived  in  Washington — 
got  here  the  last  day  of  October — and  did  not  know  her,  or  anybody  else 
scarcely.  He  said  to  me,  "  I  do  not  believe  that  this  woman  can  do  these 
things."  I  says,  "  You  have  her  statement  to  me  just  as  she  made  it.  The 
only  way  you  can  tell  whether  she  can  do  these  things  or  not,  is  to  test  it." 
He  then  says,  "  Can  you  get  up  a  petition  in  a  proper  shape  to  test  it."  I 
replied,  "  I  will  endeavor  to  do  so."  I  sat  down  at  the  desk  in  General  Baker's 
office,  and  drew  up  a  statement,  not  true.  I  do  not  deny  that  it  is  not  true, 
but  I  drew  up  a  statement,  and  in  that  statement  I  affixed  the  certificate  of  a 
magistrate.  I  then  turned  to  General  Baker's  clerk,  and  said,  "Will  you, 
under  any  name  you  please,  sign  that  jurat  .*"  He  signed  it,  but  I  do  not 


648  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

recollect  by  A  iiat  name.  With  that  paper,  I  called  upon  Mrs.  Cobb  at  the 
Avenue  Hotel,  gave  it  to  her,  and  made  a  memorandum  of  a  contract  which 
has  been  exhibited  here.  She  signed  it. 

Q.  State  what  conversation  about  compensation  occurred  before  that  time? 

A.  She  says  to  me  at  the  Hotel,  "Any  thing  can  be  done  with  money." 
She  said  she  didn't  care  what  crime  I  had  committed,  or  what  position  I  had 
held  in  the  Confederacy;  whether  I  had  been  guilty  of  incendiarism,  been  a 
rebel  spy,  or  any  thing  else — with  a  sufficient  amount  of  money  she  would 
guaranty  to  me  an  unconditional  pardon.  Well,  the  idea  struck  me  very  for 
cibly  that  if  that  state  of  things  existed  here,  there  must  be  outside  influences 
at  work  to  obtain  these  things,  and  I  asked  her  what  she  would  charge  to  get 
my  pardon.  She  said  six  hundred  dollars.  I  replied  that  I  did  not  think  my 
matter  was  worth  six  hundred  dollars.  That  I  was  in  the  States,  and  nobody 
had  meddled  with  me,  and  did  not  feel  like  paying  that,  but  would  give  her 
three  hundred  dollars,  which  she  agreed  to  take — one  hundred  dollars  when 
she  took  the  papers,  and  the  balance  Avhen  the  pardon  was  obtained. 

Q.  Did  she  state  what  it  was  necessary  to  do  with  any  part  of  that  money? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  she  said  that  if  she  got  all  the  money,  she  could  work  cheaper ; 
but  she  had  to  divide  it;  money  had  to  be  used  outside  to  do  these  things. 

Q.  Did  she  say  with  whom? 

A.  She  did  not. 

Q.  Did  she  say  what  character  of  persons? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  with  men  connected  with  the  Departments.  She  informed 
me  in  the  first  place  that  she  would  not  tell  me  who  she  did  these  things 
through,  or  anybody  else.  On  Sunday  afternoon,  I  called  at  the  Avenue 
House,  with  this  contract,  and  this  statement  which  I  had  drawn  up.  She 
signed  the  contract.  I  wrote  the  receipt  on  the  back  of  it  for  one  hundred 
dollars,  which  she  also  signed,  and  gave  her  the  papers,  when  some  conversa 
tion  took  place.  I  do  not  recollect  what  it  was,  but  I  do  not  think  it  was 
any  tiling  very  important.  Her  husband  remarked  to  her,  before  I  went  away, 
that  it  was  necessary  for  her  to  call  upon  Mr.  Wilson  early  in  the  morning  the 
first  thing. 

Q.  What  Wilson? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  did  not  know  Mr.  Wilson,  what  his  position  was,  or 
any  thing  about  him.  That  pardon  was  to  have  been  handed  to  me  at  six 
o'clock  on  Monday  evening.  These  facts  I  reported  to  General  Baker  as  they 
occurred.  On  Monday  evening,  General  Baker,  Mr.  Spear,  and  myself  went 
to  the  Avenue  House.  Mrs.  Cobb  stated  to  me,  that  owing  to  the  fact  that  I 
was  a  rebel  spy,  had  been  convicted,  and  been  sentenced  to  be  hung  or  shot — 
I  forget  which — it  would  require  a  great  deal  more  time  to  get  that  par 
don  through,  and  she  would  have  to  have  another  day.  I  could  say  nothing 
against  that,  and  so  retired. 

Q.  At  that  time  did  she  say  any  thing  about  any  gentleman  being  absent 
from  town? 

A.  No,  sir.  She  said  she  would  certainly  have  it  by  five  o'clock  the  fol 
lowing  day.  I  told  her  I  wished  to  leave  the  city  as  soon  as  possible,  and  go 
to  New  York.  The  following  day,  I  called  to  see  Mrs.  Cobb,  in  the  parlor. 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  649 

That  was  on  Tuesday.  She  said  the  pardon  was  all  ready,  with  the  exception 
of  attaching  the  seal  of  State  to  it,  and,  it  being  cabinet  day,  she  was  unable 
to  obtain  it.  I  left  again.  On  Wednesday  evening  I  called,  and  she  showed 
me  the  pardon.  I  took  it,  and  read  it  over.  She  named  three  gentlemen, 
and  I  gave  their  names  to  General  Baker — I  did  not  take  their  names  down, 
but  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  they  were  prominent  gentlemen — who  she 
told  me  had  gone  her  security ;  that  the  pardon  should  not  leave  her  hands 
until  I  had  taken  the  amnesty  oath,  which  I  told  her  I  would  come  the  follow 
ing  morning  and  take,  and  receive  the  pardon.  I  gave  her  four  fifty-dollar 
compound-interest  Treasury  notes,  the  numbers  of  which  I  have  forgotten,  and 
passed  down  stairs,  she  retaining  the  pardon.  I  also  wrote  a  letter  of  accept 
ance  of  the  pardon,  on  the  conditions  named  in  it,  to  the  Secretary  of  State. 
Leaving  the  letter  with  her  to  deliver,  I  passed  down  stairs,  and  upon  giving 
the  signal  agreed  upon  between  General  Baker  and  myself,  I  left  the  house, 
and  walked  immediately  to  General  Baker's  office.  I  found  him  there  when  I 
arrived. 

Q.  Will  you  state  where  the  money  that  you  speak  of  came  from,  and  what 
transaction  took  place  in  connection  with  that? 

A.  Well,  the  four  fifty-dollar  bills  were  new  bills.  General  Baker  took 
them  from  his  pocket,  and  gave  them  to  Mr.  Spear,  with  directions  to  mark 
them.  On  this  being  done,  he  handed  them  to  me,  and  asked  me  to  take  the 
numbers  of  them.  He  gave  them  to  me  for  the  specific  purpose  of  having  me 
hand  them  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  according  to  what  I  had  agreed  to  do  on  obtaining 
this  pardon. 

Q.  Was  it  his  intention — 

Objected  to. 

Mr.  Stanton :  I  want  to  show,  may  it  please  your  Honor,  that  this  money 
was  not  intended  to  be  absolutely  given  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  but  that  it  was  a  part 
of  this  plan,  and  that  the  money  was  to  be  returned. 

Mr.  Hughes :  Put  your  question  to  the  witness,  and  then  we  will  state  our 
objection. 

Mr.  Stanton  (to  the  witness)  :  I  want  to  know  what  instructions  or  under 
standing  there  was  in  reference  to  that  money. 

Mr.  Hughes :  We  object  to  that,  unless  Mrs.  Cobb  was  a  party  to  it.  "We 
object  to  any  private  arrangement  between  Mr.  Baker  and  this  man. 

Mr.  Stanton:  It  is  a  part  of  the  res  gesta. 

Mr.  Hughes :  It  is  part  of  the  res  gestce  of  what  the  defendant  did  in  laying 
this  trap  for  the  woman.  It  is  no  part  of  the  res  yestm  of  the  imprisonment, 
and  the  illegal  acts,  for  which  he  is  being  prosecuted.  Counsel  on  the  other 
side  have  a  very  happy  faculty  of  getting  off  their  case,  when  trying  Mrs. 
Cobb,  but  it  must  be  recollected  Mrs.  Cobb  is  not  on  trial.  The  Court  has 
extended  the  rule  quite  as  far  as  necessary  to  do  justice ;  but  the  Court  has 
not  yet  said  that  the  secret  consultations,  the  dark,  designing  plans  and  cabals 
of  this  clique  of  midnight  assassins,  in  which  they  plotted  the  destruction  of 
this  woman,  can  be  given  in  evidence. 

Mr.  Stanton :  May  it  please  yonr  Honor,  the  object  of  this  scheme,  trap,  or 
whatever  you  choose  to  call  it,  was  to  trace  out  the  infamy  of  the  parties  who 


650  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

are  engaged  in  this  infamous  business  ;  and  it  is  our  purpose  to  show,  as  we 
have  a  right  to,  precisely  the  means  adopted  for  that  purpose,  and  precisely 
the  intention  with  which  these  means  were  adopted,  in  so  far  as  we  can.  We 
have  a  right  to  show  that  General  Baker  did  not  intend  to  halt  with  the 
ownership  of  this  money.  He  is  charged  with  extortion.  Our  purpose  is  to 
show  that  this  money  was  not  intended  to  be  passed  to  Mrs.  Cobb.  It  is  true 
she  was  not  the  party  to  that  arrangement.  That  fact  will  of  course  appear  ; 
and  if  the  gentlemen  can  make  it  out  that  that  gives  her  a  good  title  to  the 
money,  well  and  good.  That  is  a  question  which  we  will  argue  with  them 
when  the  proper  time  comes ;  but  we  want  to  show  the  true  nature  of  this 
transaction.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  am  not  responsible  for  it  in  any  way, 
shape,  or  form.  I  am  not  under  the  necessity  of  saying  that  it  was  a  proper 
affair,  a  legitimate  transaction,  such  a  one  as  I  would  have  engaged  in;  but  I 
do  say  that  no  man  can  properly  declare  that  this  was  a  fraudulent  transac 
tion,  that  these  things  were  forgeries  in  the  technical  sense  of  the  term, 
because  there  was  no  intention  to  do  wrong.  The  intention  was,  whether 
properly  made  out,  or  disguised,  or  not,  to  expose  a  public  wrong.  Our 
object  is  to  bring  out  the  whole  character  of  the  transaction,  all  the  negotia 
tions,  all  the  statements  made  by  General  Baker  at  the  time  he  gave  this 
testimony  to  this  witness  for  the  purpose  already  stated. 

Mr.  Hughes  :  We  understand  very  well  what  they  want  to  show  ;  but  the 
question  is,  can  they  show  it  by  the  conversation  of  the  defendant  himself 
with  his  confederates. 

Mr.  Stanton :  Undoubtedly,  when  in  the  very  act  himself. 
Mr.  Hughes:  Then  the  defendant  can  manufacture  all  the  testimony  neces 
sary  for  this  case.  Why,  the  gentleman  a  few  minutes  ago  offered  a  written, 
paper  here,  made  by  the  defendant,  which  he  wanted  to  get  in  as  a  report  to 
the  President,  but  he  did  not  even  seriously  urge  the  admissibility.  Now, 
how  much  more  admissible  are  the  oral  conversations  of  the  defendant  with 
these  tools  and  co-conspirators  ? 

Witness  :  I  beg  your  pardon,  I  am  not  a  tool. 
Mr.  Hughes:  You  keep  still;  we  will  show  what  you  are. 
Witness :  I   appeal  to  the  Court  for  protection. 

The  Court :  Mr.  Hughes,  witnesses  coining  here  and  testifying,  are  entitled 
to  the  protection  of  the  Court. 

Mr.  Hughes  :  Your  Honor,  I  simply  called  these  men  co-conspirators  with 
the  defendant.  He  is  proposing  to  prove  here  by  his  counsel  a  conspiracy, 
and  has  proved  it,  and  I  say  he  cannot  make  out  his  defense  by  the  conversa 
tions  between  him  and  his  co-conspirators.  Now,  what  does  it  all  amount  to, 
if  true,  that  in  order  to  break  up  something  which  these  self-constituted 
guardians  of  the  community  desired  to  break  up,  as  they  would  have  us  be 
lieve,  they  were  going  to  induce  the  commission  of  the  very  offense  which 
they  propose  to  prevent.  The  gentleman  is  too  good  a  lawyer  not  to  know, 
that  even  if  a  thief  is  entrapped  into  the  commission  of  larceny,  by  having 
money  put  in  his  way,  and  induced  to  steal  it,  he  cannot  be  convicted  for  that 
offense.  It  is  not  an  offense,  procured  in  that  way ;  but  the  offense  rests  at 
the  door  of  those  who  designed  and  executed  the  plot.  Then  the  very  propo- 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  651 

sition  of  the  gentleman  is  to  prove  that,  if  the  obtaining  of  pardons  was  a 
statutory  offense,  and  this  woman  had  been  induced  to  obtain  it  in  that  way, 
lie  would  be  guiltless,  while  his  client  would  be  guilty.  That  is,  the  proposi 
tion  and  the  mode  of  proof  is  to  be  out  of  the  mouth  of  General  Baker  him 
self  and  his  co-conspirators ;  but  no  man  who  comes  into  a  court  of  justice, 
and  states  upon  his  oath  that  he  drew  out  a  paper,  and  had  the  magistrate's 
certificate  forged  to  it,  and  the  facts  stated  in  it  were  false,  need  talk  to  me 
when  I  am  commenting  upon  his  testimony  in  direct  connection  with  the 
question  before  the  Court.  The  days  of  bullying  men  have  passed  away.  The 
courts  of  justice  are  open,  and  these  oppressors  and  robbers  must  come  under 
the  law,  and  lower  their  crest  a  little  when  their  deeds  are  being  properly 
spoken  of.  (Applause  among  the  spectators.) 

The  Court :  Mr.  Marshal,  clear  the  court  of  all  who  are  not  connected 
with  this  case. 

Mr.  Riddle :  This  case  is  being  tried  by  a  mob,  your  Honor.  (This  order 
the  Judge  afterward  withdrew,  but  ordered  the  marshal  to  take  into  custody 
all  persons  who  might  exhibit  either  approbation  or  disapprobation  concern 
ing  the  case  before  the  Court,  and  commit  them  to  jail  for  contempt  of 
Court.) 

Mr.  Stanton  :  May  it  please  your  Honor — 

Mr.  Hughes :  I  do  not  wish  to  deprive  Mr.  Stanton  of  the  privilege  of  any 
thing  he  desires  to  say,  but  I  believe  in  the  present  instance  we  are  the 
objecting  party,  and  unless  he  has  something — 

Mr.  Stanton :  I  merely  want  to  read  an  authority. 

The  Court:  You  need  not  read  me  any  authority  on  the  subject — I  am 
satisfied.  If  we  go  back  to  the  polar  star  of  this  investigation,  we  will  ob 
serve  that  there  is  a  clause  in  that  indictment  charging  the  defendant  with 
being  guilty  of  extortion,  and  these  two  hundred  dollars  have  been  spoken  of 
as  the  subject-matter  of  that  extortion.  I  have  held  before,  and  still  continue 
to  hold,  that  any  thing  in  reference  to  that  two  hundred  dollars,  as  to  its  his 
tory,  from  the  time  it  left  Colonel  Baker's  pocket  until  it  came  into  the  pocket 
of  Mrs.  Cobb,  is  evidence. 

Mr.  Bradly.  Sr. :  Your  Honor  will  observe  that  that  is  not  the  precise 
point  of  the  objection.  The  precise  point  is  this:  That  the  witness  shall  not 
tell  what  instructions  he  received  from  General  Baker,  but  in  point  of  fact 
did  pay  that  money  delivered  to  him  by  General  Baker  to  Mrs.  Cobb. 

The  Court:  If  the  purpose  for  which  General  Baker  parted  with  this 
money  is  a  fact  within  his  knowledge,  whether  he  intended  to  part  with  the 
proprietorship  of  the  money  or  not,  he  can  ^o  state  it. 

Mr.  Stanton :  I  was  about  to  read  an  authority  to  that  very  effect.  That 
the  declaration  of  the  party,  made  at  the  time,  is  evidence  of  such  trans 
action. 

Mr.  Bradly,  Sr. :  The  declaration  made  at  the  time  of  the  res  gestw  would 
be,  What  is  the  res  gestce  here  as  to  this  particular  thing?  It  is  the  delivery 
of  the  money  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  pursuant  to  a  written  contract  with  her  for  her 
services. 

The  Court:  I  have  decided  the  point.    You  might  just  as  well  tell  me  that 


652  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

a  man  who  had  lost  his  money,  and  it  had  been  found  by  some  party,  could 
not  go  into  evidence  to  show  that  he  had  lost  it. 

Mr.  Bradly:  I  am  not  objecting  to  that.  But  the  question  is,  What  in 
structions  he  received  when  he  received  this  money  ? 

The  Court :  That  is  with  a  view  of  knowing  whether  or  not  General  Baker 
parted  with  the  ownership  of  this  money,  or  whether  he  received  it  as  the 
custodian  for  General  Baker,  or  whether  he  received  it  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  it  out  for  any  purpose. 

Mr.  Hughes:  I  will  ask  the  Court  to  direct  the  witness  to  state  the  actual 
conversation,  and  not  inferences. 

The  Court :  Yes,  he  must  state  only  what  he  knows — what  actually  did 
take  place. 

Witness  :  The  instructions  I  received  when  I  got  that  two  hundred  dollars 
were  these :  That  he  would  accompany  me  to  the  Avenue  Hotel.  He  in 
structed  me  to  pay  the  money  to  Mrs.  Cobb,  as  I  had  agreed  to  do,  and  he 
would  be  there  to  take  his  money  back.  There  is  one  thing  I  omitted  to 
state,  which,  perhaps,  is  relevant  to  the  issue.  When  I  was  shown  the  par 
don,  on  Wednesday  evening,  I  stood  up  by  the  center  table.  When  in  the 
act  of  leaving,  Mrs.  Cobb  said  to  me  that  she  would  not  make  any  thing  at  all 
out  of  this  transaction,  as  she  would  have  to  pay  out  about  all  the  money  she 
had  received,  and  said  if  I  had  any  more  business,  or  any  of  my  friends,  she 
would  be  glad  to  have  me  recommend  them  to  her. 

The  examination  in  chief  was  here  concluded. 

Witness  concluded. 

Court  adjourns  until  to-morrow  morning  at  ten  o'clock. 

Cross- Examination. 
By  Mr.  Bradly,  Sr. : 

Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  were  a  lieutenant  in  some  regiment ;  up  to 
what  time  ? 

A.  I  believe  I  am  now.     I  think  so. 

Q.  You  are  now,  if  I  understand  you,  holding  a  commission  in  the  army, 
and  employed  by  and  report  to  Mr.  Baker? 

A.  That  is  my  understanding  of  the  order;  I  have  not  seen  it.  I  was 
tried  once  by  a  military  commission  as  a  spy. 

Q.  When  did  you  report  to  General  Baker  ? 

A.  Last  July. 

Q.  By  written  or  verbal  orders  ? 

A.  Verbal  orders. 

Q.  From  whom  ? 

A.  The  Assistant  Secretary  of  War,  General  Eckert.  He  directed  me  to 
place  myself  at  the  disposal  of  General  Baker,  and  to  act  under  his  direc 
tions. 

Q.  Are  you  receiving  pay  as  lieutenant  in  the  army  ? 

A.  I  am  not  receiving  any  pay. 

Q.  What  pay  have  you  received  since  you  reported  to  General  Baker? 

A.  I  have  not  received  any. 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  653 

Q.  When  did  you  last  receive  any  pay  from  the  Government  ? 

A.  In  St.  Louis. 

Q.  When? 

A.  On  the  2d  day  of  May,  1864. 

Q.  You  have  been  in  the  army  ever  since,  and  have  received  no  pay  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  have  not  been  in  the  army  ever  since. 

Q.  Didn't  you  say  you  were  there  yet  ? 

A.  I  said  I  believed  I  was  there  yet. 

Q.  Under  any  other  commission  than  that  of  lieutenant  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  When  and  where  were  you  tried  by  this  military  commission,  of  which 
you  speak  ? 

A.  In  St.  Louis,  in  July,  1864. 

Q,  Were  you  under  arrest  from  May,  1864,  until  that  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  the  charges  were  that  were  preferred  against  you  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  they  are  so  long  I  could  not  repeat  them. 

Q.  One  of  them,  being  a  rebel  spy  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  do  not  recollect  any  of  them  ? 

A.  One  of  them  was  for  false  imprisonment  of  parties. 

Q.  Is  that  the  only  one  you  recollect? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  result  of  that  trial  ? 

A.  It  was  not  published  at  the  time  I  left  there. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  had  any  information  in  regard  to  it? 

A.  No  official  information. 

Q.  Have  you  upon  inquiry  ascertained  ? 

A.  I  never  have  inquired. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  then  whether  they  found  you  guilty  or  not  ? 

A.  I  understood  they  found  me  guilty;  but  mere  finding  of  mo  guilty  is 
not  the  result  of  it. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  the  sentence  was  ? 

A.  I  have  heard  what  it  was ;  but  I  have  no  official  information. 

Q.  In  the  same  way  that  you  discovered  they  found  you  guilty,  did  you 
learn  what  the  sentence  was  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  it? 

A.  Two  years  hard  labor  in  the  Alton  military  prison. 

Q.  You  are  an  American  by  birth  ? 

A.  I  am. 

Q.  Where  did  you  form  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  S.  S.  Jones  ? 

A.  At  Willard's  Hotel. 

Q.  Was  he  at  that  time  also  in  the  employment  of  Baker  ? 

A.  I  supposed  he  was.  I  had  seen  him  around  the  office,  but  he  did  not 
know  me. 

Q.  You  were  introduced  by  him,  I  understand  you,  to  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 


654  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  state  why  you  wanted  to  be  introduced  to  her  ? 

A.  I  think  that  the  reason  why  he  introduced  me  to  her  was  because  of 
his  overhearing  a  conversation  between  Mr.  Janney,  01  Columbia,  South  Caro 
lina,  and  myself.  Mr.  Janney  arrived  hero  the  same  day  I  did,  and  told  me 
he  had  obtained  a  pardon.  I  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  gray.  He  approached 
and  I  entered  into  conversation,  stating  to  him  that  I  also  came  here  for  a 
pardon. 

Q,  Did  Jones  then  know  that  you  were  employed  by  Baker  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  did. 

Q.  You  knew  he  was  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  I  will  ask  you  to  tell  me  what  you  stated  to  him  when  you  asked  him 
to  introduce  you  to  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  what  I  stated  to  him ;  I  suppose,  however,  I  stated 
to  him  that  I  wanted  a  pardon. 

Q.  He  did  not  know  you  then  in  any  way,  except  that  you  were  a  rebel, 
here  seeking  for  a  pardon  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  did.     He  had  no  means  of  knowing. 

Q.  How  long  had  you  then  been  in  Baker's  employment  ? 

A.  I  told  you  I  reported  to  Baker  in  July. 

Q.  Had  you  been  at  his  office  during  that  time,  or  elsewhere  ? 

A.  At  his  office  occasionally. 

Q.  Did  you  see  Jones  ? 

A.  I  saw  him  there  in  July.  I  left  here  in  July  on  business,  and  was  ab 
sent,  I  think,  about  two  months.  On  my  return  I  remained  here  but  two 
days,  when  I  was  sent  away  again,  and  was  gone  a  month. 

Q.  You  do  not  know,  then,  that  Jones  had  ever  seen  you  about  that 
office? 

A.  I  do  not  think  lie  had  any  knowledge  as  to  who  I  was,  or  that  I  was 
in  any  way  connected  with  the  office. 

Q.  Were  you  at  that  time  dressed  in  gray  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  From  July  down  did  you  dress  in  gray? 

A.  No,  sir;  sometimes  in  white  and  sometimes  in  black. 

Q.  When  did  you  first  see  Jones  at  Baker's  office  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say. 

Q.  How  long  after  you  first  began  to  go  there  ? 

A.  I  might  have  seen  him  the  first  day  I  went  there ;  I  do  not  recollect, 
however,  about  that. 

Q.  So  that  although  he  had  seen  you  at  Baker's  office  more  than  once, 
from  July  down  to  November,  you  think  that  on  the  middle  of  November  he 
did  not  know  that  you  were  in  Baker's  employ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  knew  I  was  in  Baker's  employ  until  after  the  trans 
action.  I  do  not  think  any  of  Baker's  men  knew  I  was  in  his  employ,  or  had 
any  thing  to  do  with  the  office. 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  655 

Q.  Then  it  was  a  genuine  movement  on  his  part  to  introduce  you  to  Mrs. 

Cobb,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  plan  you  had  in  view  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that. 

Q.  Didn't  you  state  you  thought  he  overheard  you  talking  to  Mr.  Janney, 
and  in  consequence  of  that  introduced  you  ? 

A.  That  may  have  been  his  reason  ;  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  Where  did  you  form  Jones's  acquaintance  ? 

A.  At  Willard's  Hotel. 

Q.  How  long  before  this  ? 

A.  "Well,  sir,  I  could  not  tell  you  how  long  before.  I  boarded  at  Willard's 

Hotel  when  I  was  here. 

Q.  In  July  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  Jones  boarding  there  then  ? 

A.  I  think  not. 

Q.  When  did  you  first  find  him  there  ? 

A.  I  think  I  met  him  there  when  I  came  here  the  last  of  October. 

Q.  In  what  part  of  Willard's  Hotel  was  your  first  conversation  ? 

A.  In  the  parlor. 

Q.  She  did  not  go  up  to  Mr.  Jones's  private  room  with  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  are  sure  of  that  ? 

A.  I  think  I  am. 

Q.  Can  you  fix  the  precise  date  when  this  conversation  occurred  ? 

A.  It  was  on  Saturday,  I  think,  the  4th  day  of  November. 

Q.  When  did  you  first  give  her  that  petition  ? 

A.  On  Sunday,  the  5th  of  November. 

Q.  You  had  the  next  interview  with  her  on  Monday  afternoon? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tuesday  you  did  not  see  her? 

A.  Yes,  I  did. 

Q.  Wednesday? 

A.  Yes,  sir: 

Q.  Wednesday  was  the  day  of  the  arrest  ? 

A.  I  did  not  know  that  she  was  arrested.     I  was  not  present  then. 

Q.  The  day  you  and  General  Baker  went  there  to  pay  her  that  friendly 
visit  in  the  evening  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  seen  that  pardon  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  date  of  it  ? 

A.  I  do  not.    Mrs.  Cobb  showed  it  to  me  on  Wednesday  evening. 

Q.  Nor  ever  saw  it  afterward  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Was  it  not  dated  the  same  day,  Wednesday,  8th. 

A.  It  might  have  been. 


656  UNITED  STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Didn't  it  strike  you  at  the  time  that  it  was  the  same  day  you  went 
down  to  pay  the  money? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  it  struck  me  at  all;  I  was  thinking  of  something 
else. 

Q.  Be  good  enough  to  look  at  this  paper  (handing  witness  a  written  docu 
ment),  and  tell  me  if  that  is  the  original  paper  prepared  by  you,  with  the 
attestation  or  certificate  of  the  justice  of  the  peace  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  that  is  it. 

The  paper  was  read  by  Mr.  Bradly  as  follows : — 

To  his  Excellency  ANDREW  JOHNSON,  President  of  the  United  States : 

Your  petitioner  would  respectfully  represent  that  he  comes  to  the  City  of 
Washington  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  pardon  of  your  Excellency  for 
past  offenses ;  and  in  making  this  application  your  petitioner  would  respect 
fully  set  forth  the  facts  in  his  case.  Your  petitioner  held  a  captain's  commis 
sion  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Trans-Missis 
sippi  Department,  under  General  Libbey,  and  accompanied  his  command  into 
New  Mexico;  returned  with  him  after  his  defeat  by  General  Canby  at  Apache 
Cafion,  Pidgeon  Ranche,  and  Peralto;  was  then  detailed  in  the  Secret  Service 
Bureau,  and  came  north  into  the  State  of  Missouri ;  remained  there  in  accord 
ance  with  instructions  until  the  date  of  my  arrest,  in  March,  1864,  by  order  of 
Major-General  Rosecrans,  and  incarcerated  in  the  military  prison  in  the  City 
of  St.  Louis.  In  the  month  of  July,  was  called  out  and  examined  at  different 
times,  and  remanded  to  prison;  and  about  the  middle  of  September,  1864, 
made  my  escape  from  prison,  and  succeeded  in  getting  into  Canada,  where  I 
have  remained  ever  since,  and  lived  in  strict  accordance  with  the  English 
neutrality  laws,  taking  no  part  in  any  plot  or  conspiracy  against  the  Federal 
Government.  Having  in  all  things  acted  under  the  orders  of  my  superior  offi 
cers,  and  committed  no  act  not  recognized  by  the  laws  and  usages  of  war, 
would  respectfully  beg  that  you  extend  to  me  your  executive  clemency,  and 
restore  me  to  the  rights  of  citizenship,  of  which  I  am  now  deprived.  My  resi 
dence  is  in  the  State  of  Missouri ;  age  thirty-five.  Respectfully  asking  your 
early  attention  to  the  within  petition, 

•    I  remain  your  obedient  servant, 

CLARENCE  J.  HOWELL. 

SUSPENSION  BRIDGE.  COUNTY  OF  NIAGARA  AND  I 
BTATK  or  NEW  YORK,  October  24,  1865.         f 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  J.  W.  Moss,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and 
for  said  county,  Clarence  J.  Howell,  and  solemnly  affirms  that  the  within 
statement  is  true,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief;  and  I  hereby  cer 
tify  that  he  did,  in  my  presence,  affix  hia  signature. 

J.  W.  Moss,  J.  P. 

Q.  You  put  this  paper  into  her  hands  for  the  purpose  of  having  her  obtain 
a  pardon  for  Clarence  J.  Howell,  without  any  information  on  your  part  that  it 
was  a  false  or  fabricated  paper? 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  657 

A.  Well,  sir,  I  placed  it  in  her  handa  for  the  purpose  which  has  heen 
stated  and  reiterated  by  the  counsel. 

Q.  Can  you  not  answer  the  question? 

A.  Allow  me  to  answer  it  in  my  own  way.  I  put  it  in  her  hands  for  the 
purpose  of  testing  the  question  whether  she  possessed  the  influence  in  obtain 
ing  pardons  which  she  stated  to  me  she  did.  I  made  no  such  intimation  to 
her  as  you  have  spoken  of. 

Q.  Did  you  not  put  it  into  her  hands  for  the  purpose  of  having  it  laid 
before  the  President  of  the  United  States? 

A.  I  put  it  into  her  hands  for  a  purpose.  The  purpose  was  to  show  that 
the  obtaining  of  pardons  by  these  parties  was  a  fraud  upon  the  people.  It 
was  for  the  purpose  of  detecting  that  fraud  that  that  paper  was  drawn  and 
presented  to  her ;  to  see  if,  without  any  knowledge  on  the  part  of  any 
bureau  of  the  United  States,  such  a  man  as  Clarence  J.  Ho  well  could  receive 
a  pardon. 

Mr.  Bradly  insisting  upon  a  more  direct  answer,  the  witness  said — 

A.  Well,  sir,  I  had  no  purpose  in  the  matter  at  all,  except  to  accomplish 
the  object  for  which. I  started  out. 

Q.  Did  you  expect  to  accomplish  that  object  unless  that  pardon  was  pro 
cured  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  the  pardon  could  not  be  procured  without  the 
petition  being  laid  before  the  President  ? 

A.  I  didn't  know  any  thing  about  tha4. 

Q.  Did  you  understand  the  pardon  could  be  procured  without  the  Presi 
dent  having  the  petition  ? 

A.  I  did  not  understand  any  thing  about  it.  I  did  not  know  whether  I 
could  or  not. 

Q.  You  did  not  understand  that  the  President  would  have  to  grant  the 
pardon  ? 

A.  I  understood  that  the  President  would  have  to  grant  the  pardon. 

Q.  And  you  did  not  understand  that  petitions  for  pardon  had  not  to  go 
before  the  President  ? 

A.  I  had  no  thought  about  that  at  all. 

Q.  You  expected,  then,  by  means  of  this  paper,  if  I  understand  you,  a  par 
don  would  be  procured  and  signed  by  the  President? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  did  expect  it  in  that  way  either. 

Q.  You  did  not  expect  that  through  these  instrumentalities  a  pardon 
would  be  signed  by  the  President  ? 

A.  I  think  Mrs.  Cobb  said  to  me  that  I  would  have  to  make  a  statement 
on  which  to  found  her  application  for  a  pardon.  I  think  she  stated  that  to 
me  on  Saturday. 

Q.  Suppose  she  did  after  you  made  that  statement? 

A.  I  had  not  made  any  statement  then. 

Q.  After  you  made  the  statement  in  writing,  and  put  it  in  her  hands,  did 
you,  or  not,  put  it  into  her  hands  in  the  expectation  and  belief  that  a  pardon 
from  the  President  would  be  obtained  upon  that  petition  ? 
42 


658  UNITED   STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

A.  I  did  not  believe  any  pardon  would  be  obtained. 

Q.  Then  why  did  you  go  there,  day  after  day,  to  see  if  she  had  got  it  ? 
A.  I  explained  that  some  time  ago — because  she  told  me  she  could  get  it. 

Q.  And  you  did  not  believe  she  could  ?  "    • 

A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

Q.  Why  did  you  take  the  money  that  evening  and  put  it  into  her  hands, 
if  you  did  not  think  she  could  get  the  pardon  ? 

A.  Because  she  assured  me  she  would  get  it.  The  thing  would  have 
failed  if  she  had  not  procured  it. 

Q.  Then  you  expected  it  would  not  fail,  and  you  would  expose  her  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  expected  it  would  fail.  I  did  not  believe  that  it  was  possible 
for  her  to  do  these  things. 

Q.  And  yet,  not  believing  she  could  succeed,  you  resorted  to  all  these  in 
strumentalities  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  did.     I  acted  under  instructions. 

Q.  Didn't  you  suggest  it  yourself? 

A.  I  suggested  that  if  such  things  existed  they  should  be  exposed. 

Q.  Didn't  you  suggest  to  Colonel  Baker  that  you  could  prepare  a  formal 
petition  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  asked  me  if  I  could  do  it.  I  said  to  him  one  would  have  to 
be  prepared  for  a  foundation.  He  then  asked  me  if  I  could  prepare  it.  I  told 
him  yes,  and  did  so. 

Q.  Didn't  yon  understand  all  this  was  to  be  done  for  the  purpose  of  dis 
closing  Mrs.  Cobb's  management  of  such  cases  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  had  no  faith  in  it  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  paid  her  one  hundred  dollars,  and  got  bit  out  of  it. 

Q.  And  yet  you  did  not  at  that  time  believe  that  any  thing  would  come 
of  it? 

A.  I  did  not  believe  there  would. 

Q.  You  have  said  you  had  no  means  of  knowing  that  this  petition  had 
to  be  laid  before  the  President  of  the  United  States.  I  will  ask  you  why  you 
addressed  it  to  the  President  ? 

A.  Because  he  was  the  highest  authority. 

Q.  Was  not  he  the  only  one  who  had  the  pardoning  power,  and  didn't 
you  know  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  you  expect  to  discover  Mrs.  Cobb's  agency  in  this  matter  un 
less  she  succeeded  ? 

A.  No  response. 

Q.  Do  I  understand  you  rightly  to  say,  that  when  you  put  that  paper  into 
the  hands  of  Mrs.  Cobb  you  did  not  expect  it  to  go  to  the  President  ? 

A.  I  did  not  say  any  such  thing. 

Q.  Did  you  expect  it  to  go  there  ? 

A.  I  had  no  expectations  about  it  either  one  way  or  the  other. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  of  mentioning,  in  the  course  of  any  conversation  witli 
her,  the  name  of  General  John  P.  Slough  ? 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  659 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  mentioned  his  name  on  Saturday.  Mrs.  Cobb  repeated 
some  of  the  conversation  here  in  her  testimony. 

Q.  I  want  you  to  state  it. 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  it.  I  think  I  told  her  that  on  one  occasion  I  saved 
his  life. 

Q.  Was  that  so? 

A.  No,  sir.     General  Slough  was  the  colonel  of  my  regiment  at  the  time? 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  saying  any  thing  about  his  making  efforts  to  obtain 
your  pardon. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  did  state  to  her  that  the  papers  were  in  his  hands. 

Q.  And  that  you  had  paid  him  fifty  dollars. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  "When  you  paid  her  the  one  hundred  dollars,  you  did  not  say  any  thing 
about  General  Slough? 

A.  I  think  not. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  of  your  saying  that  General  Slough  had  gone  with 
you  to  the  banking  house  of  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.,  and  become  security  for  your 
borrowing  some  money  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  are  positive  of  that  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  When  you  went  up  into  the  room  on  the  evening  that  you  three  gen 
tlemen  visited  Mrs.  Oobb,  what  passed  between  you  and  Mrs.  Cobb  in  the 
room  before  you  saw  these  other  two  gentlemen  down  stairs  ? 

A.  Well,  Mrs.  Cobb  bantered  me  about  the  pardon,  and  said  she  had  not 
obtained  it,  &c.  I  did  not  know.  There  was  quite  a  little  conversation 
before  she  went  to  the  bureau  and  got  a  pardon.  On  her  giving  it  to  me,  I 
read  it  over,  and  she  told  me  the  names  of  the  gentlemen  who  had  gone  her 
security,  that  the  pardon  should  not  be  delivered  to  me  until  I  had  taken  the 
amnesty  oath.  I  have  forgotten  the  names  of  those  gentlemen.  I  gave  them 
to  General  Baker  the  same  night.  She  asked  me  to  write  a  letter  of  accept 
ance,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  pardon,  to  the  Secretary  of  State, 
and  address  it  to  him.  I  did  so,  and  gave  her  four  fifty-dollar  compound- 
interest  notes,  and  took  her  receipt  for  them. 

Q.  Why  didn't  she  give  you  the  pardon? 

A.  The  reason  I  have  stated. 

Q.  Then  what  did  you  do  ? 

A.  I  got  up  and  went  out. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  ? 

A.  Down  stairs. 

Q.  Who  did  you  see  there  that  you  knew? 

A.  I  saw  in  the  sitting-room  or  barber-shop  of  the  Avenue  Hotel,  to  the 
right  as  I  went  out  of  the  door,  General  Baker  and  Mr.  Spear. 

Q.  Did  you  stop  there  with  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  say  any  thing  to  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 


660  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  You  walked  right  out? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  they  walked  up  stairs  ? 

A.  I  suppose  they  did.  >;  % 

Q.  How  long  did  you  stay  at  General  Baker's  office  after  you  went  there 
from  the  Avenue  House  ? 

A.  Until  after  ten  o'clock. 

Q.  At  what  period  of  that  time  did  you  have  that  conversation  with 
him. 

A.  Very  soon  after  I  got  to  the  office.     He  was  there  when  I  got  there. 

Q,  Who  else  was  there  while  you  were  there  ? 

A.  Mr.  Roberts  and  Mr.  Jones.  That  is,  in  the  small  office  attached  to 
the  main  office  of  the  building.  My  recollection  is  that  Mrs.  Cobb  was  in  his 
private  office  up  stairs,  sitting  by  the  window. 

Q.  "Where  was  Mr.  Cobb  ? 

A.  I  did  not  see  him.     I  was  told  he  was  in  the  General's  lower  office. 

Q.  How  near  to  the  office  were  you  ? 

A.  There  was  a  brick  wall  between. 

Q.  How  near  the  door  communicating  ? 

A.  About  ten  feet,  I  should  judge. 

Q.  You  did  not  go  into  the  room  to  see  Mr.  Cobb  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  think  you  stayed  there  until  after  ten  o'clock  ? 

A.  I  think  so. 

Q.  Did  you  see  Mr.  Smith  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     He  was  up  stairs  at  the  time,  I  think. 

Q.  Did  you  stay  there  until  Mrs.  Cobb  came  away  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  When  did  you  see  General  Baker  after  you  went  back  to  headquar 
ters? 

A.  He  came  down  stairs,  and  I  met  him  right  in  the  vestibule  between  the 
lower  office  and  the  office  I  was  in  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

Q.  Was  anybody  with  him  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  became  of  those  four  notes  which  were  taken  from  her  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  what  became  of  them. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  them  ? 

A.  Think  I  have. 

Q.  When  and  where  ? 

A.  I  think  I  saw  them  the  day  following. 

Q.  In  whose  possession  ? 

A.  General  Baker's. 

Q.  Have  you  the  number  of  those  notes? 

A.  I  have. 

Q.  Can  you  give  them  to  us  now  ? 

A.  I  can. 

Mr.  Bradly :  Let's  have  them. 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT.  661 

Witness:  They  are  as  follows:  October  16,  1865,  289,234,  letter  B;  Octo 
ber  16,  1865,  289,235,  letter  B ;  October  16,  1865,  289,227,  letter  B;  August 
J,  1865,  265,039,  letter  D. 

Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  that  you  have  not  been  in  the  public  service, 
receiving  any  pay,  since  the  spring  of  1864.  I  wish  to  know  if  you  have  sup 
ported  yourself  during  that  time,  or  whether  you  have  received  pay  from  the 
Government  for  any  service  ? 

A.  I  have  not  received  any  pay  from  the  Government  since  the  2d  day  of 
May,  1864. 

•   Q.  Since  you  have  been  in  Washington,  since  July  last,  and  reported  to 
General  Baker,  have  you  not  received  any  compensation  ? 

A.  My  expenses  have  been  paid  by  the  Government,  I  suppose.  When 
ever  I  am  sent  away,  on  my  return  I  render  my  bill  of  expenses,  and  that  bill 
is  paid. 

Q.  Who  furnishes  you  with  the  money  when  you  go  away  ? 

A.  The  cashier  of  General  Baker. 

Q.  Who  pays  your  board  bill  and  expenses  while  here  ? 

A.  The  cashier  of  General  Baker. 

Q.  You  have  had  nothing  for  clothing  during  all  that  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  money  from  other  sources. 

Q.  Nothing  from  General  Baker's  office  ?  Do  you  not  receive  extra  com 
pensation  for  making  arrests? 

A.  I  have  never  made  an  arrest  since  February,  1864. 

Q.  Have  you  made  any  arrests  since  you  have  been  in  Baker's  employ 
ment. 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  immediately  after  this  transaction  of  Mrs.  Cobb's 
arrest  ? 

A.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

Q.  Did  you  leave  the  city  ? 

A.  When  I  got  ready. 

Witness  stated  that  the  reason  he  declined  to  answer  the  question  put  to 
him,  a  minute  ago,  was  because  of  his  being  in  the  secret  service  of  the  Gov 
ernment,  and  being  sent  away  on  official  business. 

Q.  I  want  to  know  whether  you  were  sent  out  of  the  city  of  Washington 
shortly  after  this  transaction,  and  sent  by  Baker. 

A.  I  was  sent  away  on  business.  I  left  here  on  the  evening  of  Novem 
ber  9th. 

Mr.  Bradly :  The  pardon,  I  think,  is  dated  the  8th. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Before  you  left,  were  you  or  not  aware  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  were 
taking  steps  to  seek  redress  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  knew  any  thing  of  it,  until  I  saw  it  published  in  the 
papers  where  I  was. 

Q.  And  that  you  are  perfectly  clear  about  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q,  Do  you  recollect  meeting  any  acquaintance  at  the  depot  as  you  were 


UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

going  away,  and  having  any  conversation  with  him  on  the  subject  of  this 
transaction  with  Mrs.  Cohb? 

A.  Well,  I  do  not  know  ;  I  might  have  met  some  one  there  that  I  knew. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  of  meeting  General  Slough  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  you  said  to  him,  or  he  said  to  you,  about  this 
matter  ? 

A.  He  said  something  about  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  coming  to  his  office,  when 
Major  Wyncoop  was  there,  and  asking  him  if  he  knew  Captain  Howell ;  and 
after  describing  me,  and  the  way  in  which  I  was  dressed,  he  said  it  must  be 
me,  naming  me. 

Q.  Is  that  all? 

A.  He  says,  "What  are  you  up  to  ?"  I  says,  "  Not  much  of  any  thing  ;  I 
reckon  you  will  find  out."  Says  he,  "I  am  waiting  for  the  baggage  for  my 
wife,  that  should  have  come  this  morning,"  and  says,  "  Where  are  you  going." 
I  told  him  I  was  going  West  on  business,  and  I  think  I  said  something  in 
regard  to  this  transaction. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  you  said  in  regard  to  it,  and  what  he  said  to 
you? 

A.  I  do  not. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  of  his  making  in  reply  to  what  you  said,  any  sugges 
tion,  by  the  way  of  advice,  that  you  had  better  get  out  of  town  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not  remember  any  thing  of  the  kind. 

Q.  Not  in  precise  words  or  substance  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Was  there  any  thing  said  at  the  time  about  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cobb  making 
any  disturbance  about  the  matter? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  there  was.  Even  if  there  had  been  any  advice 
given  to  me  to  go  out  of  town,  it  would  not  have  made  me  go,  because  I  was 
acting  under  orders. 

Q.  Then,  if  I  understand  you  right,  before  you  left  town  that  evening  you 
had  heard  something  about  this  business  ? 

A.  Not  that  there  was  to  be  any  thing  of  this  kind  going  on,  or  that  Gen 
eral  Baker  was  to  be  arrested,  or  any  thing  of  that  kind. 

Q.  Or  any  thing  against  you  in  the  matter  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  I  understand  you  to  say,  that  you  prepared  that  petition,  and  asked 
Mr.  Smith  if  he  could  not  prepare  the  affidavit  for  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  you  will  find  it  all  in  my  own  handwriting.  Mr.  Smith  put 
on  the  name  of  some  magistrate;  not  the  name  of  any  magistrate  that  I 
knew  of. 

Q.  How  came  you  to  write  the  name  of  the  magistrate  in  the  body  of  the 
certificate  ? 

A.  I  wrote  the  first  name  that  came  into  my  mind. 

Q.  You  did  not  ask  him  to  think  of  some  name  to  sign,  but  you  had  writ 
ten  it  yourself? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


LIEUTENANT  HINES'S  STATEMENT. 


By  Mr.  Stanton  : 

Q.  "What  position  was  it  you  occupied  at  St.  Louis,  before  you  left  there  ? 

A.  That  of  Assistant  Provost-Marshal  General  of  the  Department  of  Mis 
souri. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  whether  the  name  of  J.  W.  Moss  was  suggested  by 
yourself  or  by  Mr.  Smith  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect. 

Q.  You  say  that  you  are  an  American  citizen.     Where  were  you  born  ? 

A.  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

Q.  Where  have  you  resided  mostly  ? 

A.  In  almost  all  of  the  Southern  States,  and  some  of  the  Territories. 

Q.  Any  time  in  Ohio  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  a  boy  in  the  same  town  in  which  Judge  Carter  prac 
ticed  law.  He  has  known  rne  from  boyhood  up.  Mr.  Riddle  knew  my  father 
very  well  in  his  lifetime. 

Q.  Have  you  applied  to  the  War  Department  for  any  hearing  upon  this 
affair  ? 

A.  By  permission  of  the  Court,  I  would  like  to  say  something  in  regard 
to  what  has  been  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Bradly,  in  regard  to  my  case. 

Q.  In  regard  to  the  conviction  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Court  :  You  can  state  any  facts. 

Witness:  What  has  been  said  may  leave,  an  erroneous  impression  on  the 
mind  of  the  jury  in  regard  to  my  case.  The  fact  that  I  was  arrested  and 
tried  by  an  arbitrary  order  of  General  Rosecrans  did  not  make  guilty  of  the 
offenses  with  which  I  was  charged.  I  have  in  my  possession  an  affidavit 
showing  a  conspiracy,  and  the  amount  of  money  that  was  paid  by  the  con 
spirators  to  place  me  in  the  position  in  which  I  was  placed  by  the  arbitrary 
order  of  General  Rosecrans.  I  was  dismissed  the  service,  incarcerated  in 
prison,  and  kept  there  six  months,  until  I  made  my  escape,  because  General 
Rosecrans  swore  I  should  lay  there  and  rot.  On  making  my  escape,  as  soon 
as  I  had  time,  I  made  my  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War  —  stating  where  I 
was,  and  the  circumstances.  Upon  the  examination  of  my  papers,  the  Judge, 
Advocate  decided  that  the  proceedings  against  me  were  illegal  and  void,  and 
consequently  of  no  effect  ;  but  the  great  number  of  the  affidavits  which  had 
been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Government,  in  regard  to  the  matter  with 
which  I  was  charged,  although  most  of  them  were  perjured  statements,  which 
I  am  able  to  show  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt,  induced  the  Government 
to  order  a  trial  before  the  court  of  which  Colonel  Burnham  is  the  Judge-  Ad 
vocate.  I  have  always  courted  a  complete  and  thorough  investigation  into 
every  charge  that  has  ever  been  brought  against  me  as  a  public  officer.  I  en 
tered  the  service  of  the  United  States  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  Gen 
eral  Slough,  and  every  officer  with  whom  I  have  served,  will  certify  that  the 
only  thing  the  Government  ever  had  against  me  was  because  I  reported  the 
frauds  and  corruption  of  superior  officers,  and  the  stealing  and  robbing  of  the 
Government.  That  is  the  fact  in  regard  to  my  case,  and  I  would  as  soon  ex- 


664  HOTTED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

pose  the  man  who  stood  at  the  highest  pinnacle,  if  he  was  defrauding  the 
Government,  as  an  ordinary  soldier  in  the  army.  I  never  aspired  to  position  ; 
I  would  as  soon  have  entered  the  service  as  a  private  as  any  other  way.  I 
was  tendered  a  commission  by  the  Governor  of  the  Territory  in  which  I  lived, 
and  solicited  to  take  it.  I  did  so,  and  to  the  best  of  my  ability  I  have  ever 
since  discharged  my  duty  as  an  officer  of  the  army,  as  I  had  always  previously 
done  as  an  American  citizen. 

By  Mr.  Bradly : 

Q.  You  say  you  lived  in  Ohio  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  in  1845  or  1846,  I  think. 

Q.  Have  you  known  Mr.  Riddle  or  Judge  Carter  since  that  time  ? 

A.  I  have  met  Judge  Carter  several  times;  I  have  met  him  but  once  since 
I  have  been  here,  that  was  yesterday  morning.  I  was  not  acquainted  with 
Mr.  feiddle ;  it  was  my  father  who  was. 

Q.  The  only  charge  you  can  recollect  of  is  that  for  malicious  arrest  and 
false  imprisonment  ? 

A.  That  constituted  a  part  of  the  malfeasance  in  office ;  I  believe  that  is 
the  charge. 

Q.  At  what  time  was  it  you  reported  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  after  you 
got  out  of  prison  ? 

A.  Two  years  ago,  in  the  month  of  November,  1864. 

Q.  When  did  you  get  orders  to  report  to  General  Baker  ? 

A.  In  July. 

Q.  Oral  or  written  ? 

A.  Oral. 

Q.  You  came  here,  then,  in  July,  and  went  to  the  War  Department,  where 
you  were  directed  to  report  to  the  chief  of  the  detective  force  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  they  directed  me  to  place  myself  at  the  disposal  of  General 
Baker. 

Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  he  was  the  chief  of  the  detective  force  ? 

A.  I  had  seen  his  name  in  print  as  the  special  agent  of  the  War  Depart 
ment. 

Q.  Didn't  you  know  that  he  was  the  chief  of  the  detective  force  of  the 
War  Department  ? 

A.  I  must  say  that  I  do  not  consider  that  he  is  the  chief  of  the  detective 
force.  He  is  the  special  agent  of  the  War  Department,  and  so  signs  himself, 
and  did  in  his  letters  to  me  eighteen  months  ago. 

Q.  Who  is  chief  of  the  detective  force  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  there  is  any  detective  force. 

Q.  Who  gives  directions  to  the  detectives  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  any  detectives. 

By  Mr.  Riddle : 

Q.  You  state  that  you  met  Judge  Carter  yesterday ;  let  me  inquire  whether 
Judge  Carter  did  not  give  you  permission  to  refer  to  him  ? 


EVIDENCE   OF  DE.  BLISS.  665 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly :  on  the  ground  that  the  testimony  of  the  Chief- 
Justice  himself  was  the  best  evidence. 
Objection  sustained. 

Dr.  D.  W.  BLISS  sworn. 
By  Mr.  Stanton : 

Q.  Please  state  your  rank  and  position  ?  « 

A.  I  am  a  physician  and  surgeon  in  the  army. 

Q.  Were  you  at  any  time  in  command  of  a  hospital  in  tiiis  city? 

A.  I  was — Armory  Square  Hospital. 

Q.  Did  you  know  Mrs.  Cobb  ? 

A.  Not  as  Mrs.  Cobb. 

Q.  By  any  other  name  ? 

A.  I  recognize  a  lady  here  whom  I  knew  as  Mrs.  Livingston. 

Q.  "Will  you  state  the  reason  she  took  the  name  of  Mrs.  Livingston  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  any  thing  about  any  reason — I  supposed  it  was  her 
name. 

Q.  Was  it  Miss  or  Mrs.  Livingston  ? 

A.  Mrs.,  I  think. 

Q.  Was  there  any  rule  that  excluded  single  ladies  from  acting  as  nurses  in 
the  hospital  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of. 

Q.  Was  Mrs.  Livingston  discharged  from  the  hospital  ? 

A.  I  believe  she  was. 

Q.  For  what  reason  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  recollect  what  reason.  I  have  had  a  large 
number  of  female  nurses  in  the  hospital  at  different  times,  and  these  things  I 
would  not  charge  my  mind  with. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  she  said  about  her  husband  at  any  time — 
where  he  was  ? 

Objected  to  as  not  at  all  responsive.     Objection  sustained. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  give  Mrs.  Cobb  a  letter  of  recommendation? 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly. 

Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  the  character  of  this  woman  for  truth  and 
veracity  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  heard  her  truth  called  in  question. 

Q.  Do  you  consider  Mrs.  Cobb  a  fit  associate  for  the  members  of  your 
family. 

Objected  to  by  Mr.  Bradly.     Objection  sustained. 

Cross-Examination. 
By  Mr.  Bradly : 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  of  her  bringing  you  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Dr. 
Haywood  ? 

A.  I  recollect  of  her  bringing  me  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Dr.  Wood 
ward,  Assistant  Surgeon  in  Philadelphia.  It  was  on  his  recommendation  that 
she  was  appointed. 


666  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  of  her  being  sick  before  she  received  her  discharge  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  about  it. 

Q.  Sick  with  neuralgia,  and  attended  by  yourself? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  it. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  shortly  before  of  her  face  being  very  much  swollen 
with  neuralgia,  and  being  in  the  hospital  sick? 

A.  *L  clo  not. 

Q.  Will  your  books  show  whether  she  was  sick  or  not  at  that  time  ? 

A.  I  think  not.  I  do  not  think  our  records  of  that  date  were  kept  so 
close. 

Q.  What  is  your  recollection  as  to  admitting  into  the  hospital  unmarried 
ladies  under  a  certain  age.  Was  there  not  objection  to  admitting  them  under 
thirty -five  years  of  age  ? 

A.  There  were  objections  by  some  of  the  physicians  in  the  early  part  of 
the  establishment.  I  have  heard  different  opinions  expressed.  I  heard  Mrs. 
Dix  wanted  them  to  be  fifty  years  old. 

Q.  Mrs.  Dix  did  make  objections? 

A.  I  believe  so,  but  I  did  not  see  it;  I  can  state  what  orders  I  had. 

Q.  Had  you  any  orders  to  keep  women  out  ? 

Objected  to. 

Cross- Examination. 
By  Mr.  Stanton : 

Q.  Did  you  ever  talk  to  Mr.  Jones  about  the  reputation  of  this  woman  ? 

A.  I  never  did.  Mr.  Jones  asked  me  one  day  what  she  was  on,  and  I  told 
him  I  did  not  know.  I  think  that  is  the  only  conversation  Mr.  Jones  and 
myself  ever  had. 

Q.  I  want  to  know  whether  you  ever  introduced  persons  to  this  Mrs.  Cobb 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  her  to  procure  pardons  from  the  President? 

A.  I  think  I  introduced  one  gentleman  to  Mrs.  Cobb. 

Q.  Tor  that  purpose? 

A,  I  cannot  say  whether  for  that  purpose  or  not. 

Q.  Did  you  know  she  was  engaged  in  that  business  ? 

Mr.  Bradly :  I  desire  to  show,  may  it  please  your  Honor,  by  the  witness 
that  he  had  received  orders  not  to  let  Mr.  Jones  come  there  to  interfere  with 
any  person  going  into  the  Executive  mansion,  Mr.  Jones  being  in  the  employ 
of  General  Baker,  and  claiming  to  be  there  under  his  (Baker's)  authority. 
Objected  to.     Objection  sustained. 

Thereupon  the  Court  adjourned  until  Monday  morning,  at  ten  o'clock. 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 

CLOSING    SCENES    IN    COURT. 

Eloquent  Plea  of  Mr.  Riddle — His  able  Resume  of  the  whole  affair — Scenes  in  the 
Court  House — Verdict  of  the  Jury,  and  Decisions  of  the  Court — Spicy  Bitterness 
of  certain  Papers — List  of  Pardons — Abuse  of  Executive  Clemency  and  Power. 

I  TURN  with  unfeigned  pleasure  to  the  closing  plea  of 
Mr.  Riddle,  whose  able  argument  held  the  attention  of  all 
present,  and  whose  history  of  the  guilty  parties,  including 
some  in  highest  positions,  will  be  confirmed  by  the  revelations 
of  time,  and  the  future  records  of  the  great  crisis  through 
which  the  nation  is  passing. 

Mr.  Riddle:  May  it  please  your  Honor  and  you  gentlemen  of  the  Jury, 
two  or  three  evenings  since,  as  I  was  passing  up  Fourteenth  Street  to  my 
residence,  an  elderly  gentleman,  well  known  in  the  city,  connected  socially 
and  otherwise  with  some  of  the  highest  circles  in  the  city,  having  occasion  to 
speak  of  the  trial  in  progress,  and  of  the  troublesome  times  through  which  we 
had  passed,  some  of  the  unfortunate  incidents,  some  of  the  great  outrages  that 
people  have  suffered,  spoke  of  a  matter  which  fell  under  his  personal  observa 
tion,  and  with  which  he  was  connected.  He  is  my  sole  authority  for  the 
incident.  During  one  of  these  periods  in  the  year  1863,  when  there  was 
about  as  little  regard  paid  to  the  rights  of  individuals,  whether  rightfully  or 
wrongfully,  as  at  any  time,  his  attention  was  called  to  an  aged  and  infirm  man, 
who  was  in  prison,  a  resident  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Potomac,  a  bereaved 
man,  the  father  of  an  only  daughter — which  daughter,  it  seems,  had  been 
induced  by  an  officer,  through  his  professions  of  love,  to  submit  her  person  to 
the  gratification  of  his  vile  lusts,  without  the  ceremony  of  marriage.  In  those 
days,  it  took  very  little  to  incarcerate  and  imprison ;  and,  I  have  no  doubt, 
many  a  man  was  imprisoned  solely  to  gratify  private  spleen  or  personal 
dislike ;  and  when  this  old  man  interfered  for  the  protection,  and,  if  possible, 
the  restitution  of  his  daughter,  in  order  that  the  seducer  might  the  more 
readily  secure  access  to  the  victim  of  his  lusts,  complaint  was  lodged  against 
this  blameless  old  man,  and  he  was  lodged  in  one  of  the  prisons  of  this  city. 
With  no  friends  to  inquire,  no  one  to  care  for  him,  there  he  lay,  suffering  all 
the  tortures  of  a  living  death.  The  facts  were  brought  to  the  notice  of  my 
informant,  who  immediately  became  interested  in  the  case.  This  feeble, 


668  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

broken-hearted  old  man  had  already  lain  there  nearly  two  months,  nearly 
eaten  up  with  vermin,  the  victim  of  outrage,  oppression,  and  wrong.  My 
informant  went  at  once  to  a  gentleman  then  occupying  a  somewhat  responsi 
ble  position  in  public  affairs,  and  made  known  to  him  the  circumstances  of  the 
case.  The  gentleman  to  whom  he  applied  promised  him  that  he  would  go 
the  next  morning,  and  give  personal  attention  to  the  case,  his  position  being 
such  that  he  had  access  to  whoever  was  in  prison.  He  went,  and,  hearing 
the  old  man's  statement,  finding  there  was  no  person  to  complain  against  him, 
having  the  power,  he  opened  the  prison  door.  He  took  him  out,  caused  him 
to  be  thoroughly  cleansed,  burnt  every  rag  of  his  worn  and  soiled  clothing, 
and  from  his  own  means  furnished  him  with  such  a  dress  as  a  respectable 
gentleman  might  appear  in,  lodged  him  at  a  respectable  hotel,  supplied  him 
with  a  horse,  saddle,  and  bridle,  together  with  a  safe  conduct  back  to  his  place 
of  residence,  and  all  this  without  taxing  either  the  public  or  the  individual 
characters  of  any  person. 

That  man,  capable  at  least  of  these  Christian  charities  in  such  uncharitable 
times,  was  Lafayette  C.  Baker,  then  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department, 
and  now  on  trial  for  an  alleged  outrage  upon  the  personal  rights  of  the  com 
plainant  in  this  case.  He  may  be,  perhaps  is,  exactly  what  is  said  of  him ; 
but  it  is  barely  more  than  possible  that  there  is,  within  the  limits,  at  least  at 
the  present  time  of  these  United  States,  a  man  upon  whom  more  unmitigated, 
steady,  strong,  vituperative  invective,  sarcasm,  and  epithet,  have  been  cast, 
with  or  without  cause.  I  am  not  speaking  of  that  charged  upon  him.  You 
have  been  regaled  from  the  public  prints,  gentlemen — poetry  has  been  quoted 
to  you  as  marking  exactly  what  I  have  said.  I  beg  leave  to  read  from  the 
"Intelligencer"  of  last  Saturday,  as  embodying,  by  expressing  in  a  condensed 
and  convenient  form,  the  public  feeling  which  has  been  invoked,  in  your  pres 
ence,  to  take  this  case  from  your  hands,  and  try  it  by  outside  influence.  I 
know  it  has  been  the  custom  in  this  District,  when  public  opinion  has  run 
any  one  way,  and  the  justice,  the  law  of  the  case  has  run  another,  to  open  the 
doors  and  invite  the  mob  to  try  the  case ;  and  nothing  but  the  steady,  strong, 
inflexible  bearing  of  the  person  of  the  Court  would  have  grappled,  crushed, 
and  annihilated  that  spirit  that  found  open  voice  during  this  present  trial. 
The  extract  to  which  I  refer  is  as  follows: — 

"The  self-respect  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  has  in  nothing,  among 
all  the  exactions  and  oppressions  of  the  times,  been  so  much  insulted  as  by 
the  existence,  with  secret  and  unknown  powers,  of  a  vast  ramification  oi 
detectives  throughout  the  country  in  time  of  peace.  But  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  where  the  central  bureau  was  located,  under  the  unconscionable 
presidency  of  the  once  fearful  and  now  despicable  Baker,  the  remembrance  on 
the  part  of  our  citizens  of  the  numberless  oppressions  and  indignities  inflicted 
upon  them  by  this  person  is  peculiarly  poignant.  The  patron  and  employer 
of  this  man,  having  no  longer  power  to  protect  him  from  the  responsibility 
which  other  malefactors  incur  to  the  law  of  the  land,  he  is  now  on  trial  in  the 
Criminal  Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia." 

Oh,  yes,  gentlemen ;  his  patrons  and  employers,  being  without  power,  you 
are  kindly  informed  that  if  you  will  have  the  goodness,  with  or  without  law, 


MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  669 

in  the  absence  of  proof  to  convict  General  Baker — as  this  is  a  sort  of  experi 
ment,  to  test  the  question  upon  the  capacity  to  secure  conviction — that  they 
will  then  place  before  you  a  man  who  is  a  little  higher,  and  a  little  more 
responsible.  "  This  trial  is  a  trial  of  the  public  sense  of  liberty,  and  personal 
sanctity."  It  is,  is  it?  What  of  personal  sanctity,  when  the  leading  journals 
in  the  land,  published  in  your  midst,  and  thrust  into  your  hands  while  you  are 
trying  a  person,  thus  undertake  to  assail  him.  Oh,  we,  too,  venerate  and  love 
the  law.  It  was  precisely  that  which  protected  this  unfortunate  (for  unfortu 
nate  she  is)  woman,  who  has  appeared  before  you.  It  asks  no  questions  as 
to  her  position,  none  as  to  her  habits,  none  as  to  her  associates ;  but  it  comes 
as  the  sunlight  comes,  it  comes  as  night  comes  with  brooding  rest  to  protect 
her,  wherever  she  may  have  been,  engaged  in  whatever  she  may  have  been ; 
and  it  is  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  same  law  that  adjusts  and  ascertains  the 
character  of  the  transactions  for  which  this  man  is  upon  trial,  and  metes  to 
him  rewards  of  his  deeds,  whether  it  shall  be  to  go  to  prison,  or  be  allowed 
to  go  free.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  congratulation  that  the  fearful  paroxysms 
which  shook  the  very  soil  upon  which  we  trod  have  passed  away,  and  we  may 
now  return  to  the  old  healthful,  well-ascertained  law  of  the  land. 

"  It  is  gratifying  to  find  that  the  able  District  Attorney  is  aided  by  a  gen 
tleman  of  the  ability  and  the  dignity  of  character  of  Judge  Hughes,  who,  in 
the  progress  of  this  prosecution,  has  exhibited  a  becoming  zeal  for  the  vindi 
cation  of  the  law,  and  the  American  disgust  of  professional  treachery." 

He  says  to  you  that  he  is  not  troubled  with  any  of  those  nice,  conscientious 
acquirements  and  scruples  in  reference  to  the  use  of  all  necessary  means.  I 
presume,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  that  you  might  go  through  the  broad  extent 
of  this  land,  from  here  northward,  westward,  and  eastward,  and  you  can 
scarcely  find  a  man  who  would  stand  up  here  now,  and  say  that  he  was  not 
always  in  favor  of  all  the  necessary  means  for  carrying  on  the  war  and  bring 
ing  it  to  a  successful  issue.  The  misfortune  of  these  gentlemen  is  that  no 
measure  proposed  was  by  them  deemed  necessary ;  and  it  was  the  misfortune 
during  the  last  two  Congresses  that  these  gentlemen,  with  their  conspirators, 
found  no  measure  that  was  constitutional,  but  opposed  every  thing  and  any 
thing.  Oh!  it  was  the  fashion  of  these  gentlemen  then  to  denounce  him 
whose  name  can  scarcely  be  mentioned  now ;  who  passed  away  in  your  midst 
— denounced  him — 

Mr.  Bradly:  If  your  Honor  please,  Judge  Hughes  has  been  called  out  of 
town,  and  requested  me  yesterday  afternoon,  if  any  allusions  were  made,  such 
as  the  gentleman  is  now  making,  with  reference  to  his  political  affiliations 
upon  the  questions  of  the  day,  at  that  time,  to  state  for  him,  that  he  was,  and 
always  has  been,  from  the  inception  of  the  political  troubles  up  to  this  day,  a 
friend  of  the  same  men  who  sustained  the  now  President  of  the  United  States. 

The  Court :  Judge  Hughes  stated  the  same  thing  yesterday  himself. 

Mr.  Riddle :  I  do  not  know  that  his  absence  shall  protect  him  or  the  case 
from  the  fitting  remarks  upon  what  he  found  occasion  to  say  to  them,  and  I 
will  be  abundantly  responsible  to  Judge  Hughes,  dignified  as  he  may  be. 

Mr.  Bradly  :  It  is  not  a  question  of  personal  responsibility,  but  one  of  per 
sonal  courtesy. 


670  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

Mr.  Riddle  :  I  have  not  a  word  to  say,  personally,  of  the  excellent  gentle 
man  ;  but  it  is  a  little  remarkable,  from  his  high  political  association  and  high 
character  for  personal  bearing  and  intelligence,  that  it  is  left  for  him  to 
declare  now,  after  the  war  is  over,  what  his  views  were.  A  man  that  has  to 
make  affidavits,  or  make  statements,  six  months  after  a  danger,  as  to  the 
position  that  he  occupied  in  reference  to  it,  seems  to  call  for  an  explanation. 

Ah,  yes,  you  can  laudate  the  President  now  !  How  I  remember  those 
fearful  times,  in  1861,  when  those  gentlemen  that  represented  those  Southern 
States  dashed  off  the  cahracter  of  representatives,  threw  away  the  senatorial 
toga,  and  rushed  headlong  to  organize  that  army,  for  the  consummation  of 
the  frightful  and  bloody  era  in  your  midst.  It  is  curious  how  these  gentle 
men  laudated  those  gentlemen  then;  and  it  is  a  little  marvelous,  that  we  find 
those  same  men  that  rushed  out  of  the  Congress,  out  of  the  Government, 
rushing  back,  and  demanding  entrance  precisely  as  they  broke  out.  I  am  not 
discussing  that  political  question,  but  I  remember  that  Senator,  standing 
alone,  a  dark,  thoughtful,  taciturn  man ;  I  remember  him,  as  he  walked 
silently  and  alone  through  the  streets  of  Washington,  and  that  the  common 
men,  and  women  too,  made  a  little  twirl,  and  got  out  of  his  way  as  he  passed 
along.  I  remember  him  well,  personally;  I  remember,  it  did  not  require 
that  the  gentleman  should  eulogize  him  here,  to  remind  us  what  we  owed 
him  when  he  took  upon  himself  the  responsibility  of  a  position  HI  one  of  the 
border  States,  then  in  rebellion,  and  confronted,  with  the  same  inflexible  face 
and  the  same  heaving  breast,  the  rebel  foe,  personally  meeting  the  danger. 
Ah,  yes,  and  denounced  them — I  do  not  say  by  this  gentleman,  but  by  these 
gentlemen  generally — denounced  them  as  exercising  usurped  powers.  There 
was*no  epithet  or  expression  that  they  apply  now  to  Baker,  that  they  did  not 
then  apply  to  the  gentleman  to  whom  I  refer.  They  come  in  here  now, 
when  his  onward  steps  have  borne  him  to  the  heavenly  spheres,  the  most 
obsequious — sycophantic.  There  is  a  purpose,  an  object  for  all  this — some 
thing  to  be  made  in  some  quarter.  I  will  pass  all  that  with  a  simple  refer 
ence  to  it.  I  am  backed  by  nobody ;  I  have  nobody  to  cheer  any  thing  I  may 
say.  It  won't  be  necessary  to  admonish  the  officers  having  charge  of  the 
police  of  this  court  room  to  repress  any  outburst  of  enthusiasm. 

Why,  gentlemen,  it  was  marvelous!  If  you  will  go  back  to  those  dark 
and  fearful  days,  when  this  great  rebellion  rose,  and  even  broke  against  the 
very  walls  of  this  capital,  then  the  President  was  the  great  tyrant,  the  great 
oppressor,  the  great  outrager  of  the  rights  of  the  people.  As  the  waves  of 
that  rebellion  receded,  and  its  colors  paled,  and  the  President  seemed  to 
emerge  a  little,  it  was  not  quite  so  popular,  perhaps  not  quite  so  profitable 
and  expedient,  to  traduce  and  denounce  the  President,  and  undertake  to  assail 
the  next  earnest  and  good  man,  the  Secretary  of  War;  and  they  visited  upon 
him,  from  that  time,  precisely  the  same  invectives,  precisely  the  same  charges, 
made  by  precisely  the  same  men,  for  the  same  purpose,  and  exactly  for  the 
same  causes.  As  the  war  died  away,  and  its  thunder  subsided,  and  the  cloud 
rolled  below  the  horizon,  it  was  not  quite  so  fashionable  and  popular  to  assail 
the  Secretary  of  War,  but  still  there  must  be  somewhere  somebody  found  to 
vent  the  spleen  and  spite  of  gentlemen  upon,  and  then  they  selected  his 


ME.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  671 

subordinate,  Baker.  "Why,  in  those  troublesome  times,  when  the  President  was 
the  great  center  of  the  shafts  of  these  men,  Baker  was  not  even  named.  He 
scarcely  came  into  notice  when  the  Secretary  of  War  was  the  recipient  of  all  the 
favors  of  those  gentlemen ;  and  since  he  has  risen  quite  beyond  their  reach, 
and  can  no  longer  be  affected  by  their  shafts,  the  same  men  sent  the  same 
invectives  upon  the  then  Colonel,  now  General,  Baker,  for  precisely  the  same 
causes.  He  is  now  the  epitomized  center  of  all  the  shafts  left  for  the  sore 
and  yet  disappointed  and  broken  down  rebellion,  wherever  it  may  be  found 
or  wherever  it  speaks. 

Gentlemen,  I  did  not  bring  this  discussion  here;  I  would  have  said  noth 
ing  about  General  Baker,  personally,  if  it  had  not  been  provoked  by  what 
has  been  said  by  gentlemen  on  the  other  side.  Now  let  me  say  a  word  or 
two  in  regard  to  him.  Some  men,  who  have  supposed  him  too  monstrous  to 
have  had  his  birth  in  this  country,  have  charged  over  the  offense  to  a  foreign 
nation.  I  will  state  that  General  Baker  was  a  native  of  Western  New  York, 
of  a  stock  that  fought  the  first  wars  with  Britain ;  born  of  a  father  who  was 
a  soldier,  under  General  Scott,  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  may  be  a  spy,  he  may 
be  the  epitome  of  all  treachery  ;  if  so,  let  the  land  that  bore  him  bear  all  the 
disgrace.  It  has  been  said  that  he  was  the  subject  of  a  supervision  of  the 
Vigilance  Committee  in  the  City  of  San  Francisco,  and  departed  the  country. 
I  would  state,  in  refutation  of  the  base  calumny,  that  he  was  one  of  the  most 
active  and  efficient  agents  and  parties  of  that  Vigilance  Committee;  and 
when  they  surrendered  back  the  government  of  the  city  to  the  civil  hands,  it 
was  one  of  the  conditions,  that  the  now  detested  Baker  should  have  a  high 
position  upon  the  police  force  of  the  city.  That  he  occupied  until  he  came  to 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  the  beginning  of  these  troubles. 
This  man,  too,  who  is  not  to  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  military 
positions,  organized  one  of  the  first  companies  of  returned  Californians,  that 
fought  so  gallantly  under  the  lamented  Colonel  E.  D.  Baker.  Being  ambi 
tious,  however,  and  finding  the  process  of  getting  into  the  service  through 
that  organization  a  little  too  slow,  he  sought  for  service,  and  found  it  under 
General  Butler,  who  led  the  first  thoroughly  organized  force  from  the  North. 
He  was  General  Butler's  bearer  of  dispatches,  from  some  place  in  that  neigh 
borhood  around  the  City  of  Baltimore,  to  Washington.  He  carried  back  the 
orders  which  led  that  General  to  take  position  at  Annapolis.  He  passed  from 
that  service ;  General  Scott  wanted  a  man  of  personal  bravery,  of  good  ad 
dress,  of  courage,  of  devotion  and  fidelity,  to  send  upon  a  desperate  mission. 
General  Hiram  Walbridge,  of  New  York,  personally  introduced  to  him  L.  0. 
Baker  as  a  fit  man  for  that  service.  He  sent  him  on  a  mission  to  Richmond ; 
twice  captured  by  our  own  pickets  and  returned  back  to  the  city,  the  third 
attempt,  from  Port  Tobacco,  landed  him  across  the  river  in  the  hands  of  the 
rebels ;  landed  him  in  the  presence  of  General  Beauregard,  at  Manassas.  He 
was  charged  as  a  Yankee  spy,  and  threatened  with  the  gallows.  He  was 
placed  on  board  of  a  train  of  cars,  and  transferred  to  Richmond.  The  latter 
part  of  May  found  him  relieved.  In  Richmond  he  was  placed  in  the  upper 
loft  of  an  engine-house,  the  most  convenient  and  serviceable  for  his  purpose, 
as  it  overlooked  the  fortifications  of  the  city,  which,  together  with  the  posi- 


672  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

tion  of  things  at  Manassas,  he  carefully  traced  on  a  piece  of  paper,  which  he 
secreted  about  his  person.  Twenty-seven  days  was  he  in  Richmond.  But  I 
suppose  he  was  capable  then  of  insinuating  himself  into  the  good  graces  and 
confidence  of  others.  He  practiced  great  treachery.  He  got  into  the  confi 
dence  of  the  leaders  of  the  Confederacy.  Three  timef  honored  with  personal 
interviews  with  Jeff.  Davis;  was  appointed  by  him  the  secret  purveyor  and 
purchaser  of  goods  and  arms  for  that  Southern  Confederacy,  and,  armed  with 
a  mission  from  Howell  Cobb  for  this  purpose,  and  with  safe  conduct  from 
Jeff.  Davis,  that  carried  him  to  Fredericksburg,  he  was  arrested  making  his 
way  in  this  direction.  Making  his  escape,  he  met  with  vicissitudes.  Pursued 
by  cavalry,  he  found  a  resting-place  in  a  hay-field,  under  the  new-mown  hay, 
and  going  to  a  house  the  next  morning  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  some 
refreshment,  he  was  there  set  upon  and  captured  by  eleven  rebel  soldiers, 
tried  by  a  drum-head  court-martial  as  a  spy,  and  sentenced  to  be  hung. 
Finding  it  impossible  to  escape  until  near  daylight,  he  crept  away,  and  got 
into  a  skiff,  and  made  off.  He  was  fired  upon,  first  by  the  two  men,  and  then 
by  the  whole  garrison.  Upon  the  city  becoming  alarmed,  the  men  sprang 
down  after  him  with  their  weapons.  Showers  of  shell  and  musketry  literally 
hailed  around  him.  One  of  the  shells  carried  away  the  bow  of  his  skiff,  and 
he  worked  his  way  across  by  floating  down  the  river  twelve  miles,  and  re 
ported  himself  at  Washington,  where  he  had  to  identify  himself  to  General 
Walbridge,  who  returned  him  to  General  Scott,  with  the  plans  of  the  fortifi 
cations  that  he  had  obtained. 

Oh,  he  is  a  spy  !  He  deserves  the  execration  of  every  American  citizen ; 
deserves  that  the  leading  journals  should  open  upon  him,  while  he  is  upon 
trial,  and  anticipate,  if  possible,  the  verdict  of  a  jury.  But  he  was  guilty  of 
more  treachery  than  that.  You  have  heard  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle.  There  was  a  prominent  circle  over  at  Baltimore.  Lafayette  C.  Baker 
became  a  Knight  of  the  Golden  Circle  ;  of  course  practicing  fraud,  and  all  the 
known  crimes,  according  to  these  gentlemen's  ideas.  For  three  weeks  he 
remained  in  that  order.  The  result  of  it,  for  he  is  a  great  betrayer  of  wrong 
doers,  was  the  suppression  and  capture  of  the  Secesh  Maryland  Legislature, 
which  was  charged  upon  McClellan  and  Scott.  The  Bureau,  connected  at  that 
time  with  the  State  Department,  was  soon  after,  in  January,  1862,  transferred 
to  the  War  Department.  General  Baker  was  transferred  with  it,  with  this 
missive  from  the  head  of  the  State  Department. 

I  needn't  stop,  I  must  hastily  glance  at  two  or  three  prominent  points. 
The  mode  and  manner  in  which  he  discharged  the  duties  of  that  place  are 
matters  of  history.  He  was  the  first  gentleman  that  explored  and  took  pos 
session  of  the  ruined  works  abandoned  by  the  rebels  at  Manassas,  and  the 
honorable  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War  did  him  the  honor,  and 
themselves  the  credit,  ofi  ncorporating  verbatim  into  their  report,  not  quite 
giving  him  the  credit,  but  incorporating  entire  his  report  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  of  his  mission  on  that  occasion.  He  was  authorized  (and  I  think 
it  is  the  only  instance  in  the  history  of  this  war)  to  appoint  all  the  officers 
of  his  regiment.  That  was  not  a  mere  sham.  The  regiment  was  raised, 
equipped,  and  armed,  and  portions  of  its  battalions  have  been  led  by  this 


MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  673 

hated  man  with  as  much  courage  and  chivalrous  bravery,  in  the  heavy  fights, 
as  were  ever  seen  by  "Miles  O'Reilly,"  who  is  now  dogging  him  with  his 
doggerels.    You  may  leap  from  that  to  his  appointment  as  brigadier-general — • 
not  a  brevet.     That  appointment  has  been  read  to  you,  and  marks  upon  its' 
face  the  services  for  which  it  was  a  reward. 

While  a  year  or  more  ago  it  was  found  that  the  great  State  of  New  York 
was  furnishing  but  phantoms  and  figures,  while  her  quotas  were  filled  on 
paper,  her  soldiers  never  reached  the  rendezvous,  and  were  never  armed, 
General  Dix  and  his  detectives,  and  the  great  detective  force  of  the  city  of 
New  York,  were  utterly  at  fault,  until  General  Fry  asked  that  Colonel  Baker, 
who  wins  the  confidence  and  betrays  everybody,  should  be  detailed  for  that 
special  purpose,  and  he  was.  He  took  his  men,  and  they  went  to  the  differ 
ent  rendezvous,  and  were  recruited,  and  thereby  he  learned  the  secrets, 
which  resulted  in  the  parties  being  arrested.  As  an  evidence  of  the  value  of 
the  service  thus  rendered  by  General  Baker,  I  will  state  that  General  Grant 
said  that  the  moral  effect  of  that  exposure  was  equal  to  placing  under  his 
command,  about  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  forty  thousand  troops.  And  that 
other  incident  referred  to  in  that  conversation,  when  the  grand,  great  explo 
sion,  the  general  blowing  up  of  the  last  of  this  great  rebellion  took  place, 
when  men  were  wild  and  jubilant,  when  the  city  was  ablaze,  there  fell  that 
mysterious  blow,  that  smote  the  great  head  of  the  nation,  and  left  the  whol- 
body  politic  to  quiver  in  the  balance.  The  assassins  fleeing,  the  united  detec 
tive  force  was  summoned  to  Washington,  and  were  placed,  as  it  was  supposed, 
upon  their  track.  On  the  Sunday  following,  Colonel  Baker  returned  from  his 
duties  in  New  York,  reported  for  service  in  Washington,  and  was  referred 
to  the  detective  force  that  had  this  thing  in  charge.  They  had  never  con 
ferred  with  him,  and  he  had  to  take  up  the  case  anew,  search  it  out  for  him 
self  from  the  beginning,  and,  going  over  the  ground  over  which  they  had 
gone,  discovered  the  trail  which  they  had  missed.  There  was  placed  Captain 
Dougherty  with  his  twenty-five.  A  whole  week  had  elapsed.  If  you  recol 
lect  the  sickening,  deadening  feeling  that  came  over  the  public  heart,  and 
caused  the  general  pulse  to  stand  still  with  indignant  grief,  at  the  thought 
that  the  murderers  had  escaped,  and  would  not  be  captured — and  they  never 
would  have  been  had  it  not  been  for  General  Baker.  His  hounds  that  they 
speak  of  here — the  hounds  of  General  Baker — were  laying  along  the  bloody 
track  of  the  murderers,  and  the  universe  could  not  have  hidden  the  assassins 
from  the  eye  of  General  Baker,  unless  they  had  skulked  away  into  some  dark 
crevice  or  cavern,  and  their  dishonored  bodies  would  have  been  dragged  forth 
even  thence.  By  Baker  they  were  captured  and  given  up  to  punishment — 
the  dishonest  Baker,  the  traitor,  the  man  who  stands  before  you,  who  looms 
up  as  one  of  the  extraordinary  men  of  these  extraordinary  times,  and  educated 
by  the  times  for  the  services  which  he  has  performed. 

Pardon  me,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  for  glancing  thus  hastily  at  some  of 
the  prominent  points  in  the  career  of  this  man.  All  this  may  be  true,  as  it 
is,  but  still,  according  to  the  gentlemen,  he  may  be  entitled  to  your  verdict 
of  condemnation.  I  stand  here,  gentlemen,  as  his  humble  advocate;  I  know 
nobody  in  this  defense  but  General  Baker ;  I  represent  nobody  but  him ;  I 
43 


674  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

ivas  retained  by  liim,  I  expect  to  be  compensated  by  him  ;  I  know  of  no  pur 
pose  beyond  that  of  making  for  him  a  fair  and  legitimate  defense ;  I  know 
nobody  that  is  standing  behind  him  stimulating  this  defense,  or  who  is  in  any 
way  responsible  for  it.  I  may  know  one  or  two  things  connected  with  this 
transaction,  which  we  have  not  thought  proper  to  spread  before  you,  for  it 
would  not  change  materially  the  character  of  the  defense,  and  for  which  no 
outsider  is  responsible  in  any  manner  or  shape.  Don't  let  anybody  give  a 
wrong  construction  to  this  remark  ;  and  that  brings  me  to  discuss,  briefly,  the 
matters  pertaining  directly  to  the  charge. 

I  may  feel  obliged,  possibly,  in  referring  again  to  some  matters  which 
have  been  brought  there  by  others,  to  say  a  word  or  two,  lest  they  are 
brought  here.  You  recollect  we  have  been  charged  with  an  attempt,  per 
haps,  to  trap  the  President  to  do  a  great  variety  of  things.  That  this  is  a 
great  grand  crusade  of  somebody  against  someoody  else,  for  something  to  be 
done  somewhere,  at  some  time,  for  some  purpose,  to  which  nobody  has  given 
ns  any  clue,  and  in  comparison  with  which  this  little  painted  girl,  this  Gen 
eral  Baker,  are  but  little  trivial  incidents ;  that  this  is  a  great  contest  between 
somebody  else,  fought  out  one  way  and  another  in  their  names,  through  the 
medium  of  this  trial.  But  I  know  of  no  such  thing — I  believe  no  such  thing; 
and  I  will  deal  with  the  balance  of  this  case,  referring  possibly  to  a  remark 
or  two  which  has  been  made,  simply  as  a  case  brought  before  you  to  be  tried 
upon  the  ordinary  rules  of  evidence ;  nor  do  we  complain  of  the  learned  array 
of  counsel  which  surrounds  this  woman,  for  it  is  not  the  candid  thing  to  speak 
of  her  as  the  defenseless,  the  lonely,  the  solitary,  the  drooping  outlaw — to  be 
simply  the  subject  of  charity — when  with  one  wave  of  that  little  hand  of 
hers,  one  glance  of  her  eye,  as  it  rolled  around,  falling  upon  these  outsiders, 
you  know  what  kind  of  chivalry  it  created  along  the  male  electric  chords. 
It  needed  only  one  glance,  one  wave,  for  this  defenseless  woman  to  summon 
to  her  assistance  the  powerful  array  of  talent  which  has  stood  about  her  case. 
Business  calling  Judge  Hughes  (the  first  in  point  of  place)  away,  the  head  of 
the  bar,  the  distinguished  Mr.  Bradly,  receives  the  fainting  form  of  this 
bruised  and  crushed  woman  into  his  hands,  and,  when  the  rheumatism  lays 
him  low,  why  the  younger,  the  gallant,  handsome  young  gentleman,  more 
fitting  by  his  years,  as  one  would  suppose — possibly  less  so  from  some  other 
reasons — conducts  her  along,  until  all  three  together  unite  to  bring  her  into 
the  embrace  of  the  district  attorney.  And  ah  !  gentlemen,  it  is  the  glory  and 
pride,  that -none  are  found  so  humble,  and  so  lowly,  be  they  b§autiful  or 
plain,  be  they  innocent  or  guilty,  that  at  the  bar  they  do  not  find  ready  and 
willing  advocates  to  see  that  their  rights  are  protected.  We  do  not  complain 
of  this.  The  gentleman  made  it  the  subject  of  his  own  remark.  It  makes 
no  difference  to  us,  as  it  makes  none  to  you.  We  simply  are  to  perform  our 
duty,  and  as  far  as  I  am  concerned  I  do  not  wish  to  provoke  any  comparison 
between  myself  and  more  learned  gentlemen,  knowing  I  can  but  suffer  in  that 
comparison,  and  I  do  not  speak  of  her  for  the  purpose  of  making  any  such 
invidious  comparisons.  I  simply  deal  with  these  gentlemen  as  advocates  and 
gentlemen — I  say  nothing  of  them  personally.  I  speak  of  them  simply,  and 
of  the  sentiments  they  declare  on  this  floor,  as  they  have  found  occasion  to 


MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  675 

titter  them  here.  Now,  then,  what  have  yon  ?  "Why,  it  was  announced  here, 
in  grave  and  solemn  terms,  that  these  gentlemen  would  put  Mr.  Baker  upon 
trial  here  upon  the  several  charges — assault  and  battery,  false  imprisonment, 
and  extortion.  The  books  were  ready  to  show  what  extortion  was.  We 
were  tried  here  four  or  five  days  for  extortion,  assault  and  battery,  and  I  do 
not  know  what  else  beside,  until  the  thing  fell  under  the  judicial  eye,  and 
the  law  pertaining  to  the  case  was  examined  and  applied  to  the  text  of  that 
indictment,  and  these  gentlemen  at  once  conceded  that  there  was  not  any  ex 
tortion.  We  did  not  mean  any  such  thing  at  all.  There  is  not  an  assault 
and  battery.  The  fact  is,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  there  is  not  any  thing,  that 
is  the  trouble  about  the  case ;  because,  don't  you  recollect  the  learned  and 
ingenious  analysis  of  the  gentleman  who  so  ably  opened  this  case  yesterday, 
in  which  he  took  up  and  discussed  the  rules  of  law,  advancing  the  doctrine 
that  you  could  imprison  without  the  •exercise  of  any  force.  There  need  be  no 
walls  of  a  prison — oh,  no!  We  have  ordinarily  associated  prison — we  have 
associated  it  in  these  dark  and  troublesome  times — with  being  sent  up  by 
somebody  for  something  or  nothing;  but  we  have  come  to  learn,  finally,  that 
it  is  not  necessary  for  imprisonment  that  there  should  be  a  prison,  or  that  it 
should  have  walls,  but  it  may  be  the  broad,  free  atmosphere.  You  must  sur 
round  them  with  some  moral,  intellectual,  or  some  other  restraint  that  we 
cannot  see,  and  do  not  feel  as  if  anybody  knew  any  thing  about,  but  which  is 
nevertheless  an  imprisonment — a  thing  in  the  constitution  of  which  force  does 
not  enter,  and  thus  are  we  guilty  of  false  imprisonment.  It  is  conceded  that 
there  is  not  any  thing  in  the  case  of  a  vindication  of  the  rights  of  the  subject, 
and  the  experiment*  whether  this  shall  be  an  entering  wedge  to  some  other 
transaction  which  may  amount  to  nothing.  But  this  is  not  to  be  disposed  of 
quite  in  this  summary  way.  There  are  several  things  yet  to  be  said  about 
this.  Now,  it  is  charged  and  sworn,  that  there  can  be  no  difficulty  as  to 
understanding  the  meaning  of  the  words  employed  by  the  principal  witness, 
that  General  Baker  entered  her  apartment  at  a  given  time,  and,  as  she  says, 
arrested  herself  and  husband,  took  them  up  to  his  office,  had  a  private  inter 
view  with  one  of  the  parties,  and  induced  her  to  restore  to  him  a  portion  of 
the  money,  and  went  away.  There  is  no  actual  detention  of  the  person,  and 
there  is  the  imprisonment.  Then  very  much  is  made  of  what  is  said  to  have 
been  the  opening  of  the  defense,  that  he  was  about  the  White  House  disclo 
sing  the  fact  that  he  was  Provost-Marshal  of  the  War  Department,  and  that 
he  took  notice  of  such  occurrences  as  demanded  attention  of  a  detective,  as 
of  course  he  did,  being  the  agent  of  the  War  Department.  Whether  I  made 
the  remark  exactly  as  published,  or  not,  is  immaterial.  It  is  well  known, 
however,  that  there  was  an  incipient  conspiracy  to  assassinate  the  present 
President.  The  regular  Metropolitan  Police  of  this  city  contributed  its  quota 
to  the  protection  of  his  person.  One  of  the  detectives,  under  General  Baker, 
was  detailed  for  the  same  purpose ;  not  for  the  purpose  of  watching  the  dis 
tinguished  citizen  that  is  at  the  head  of  the  Republic,  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duty;  not  for  the  purpose  of  casting  any  infamy  upon  him  ;  but  men  of  large 
experience  were  placed  in  the  neighborhood,  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  that 
the  great  catastrophe  that  so  nearly  struck  down  the  Government  in  the 


676  UNITED   STATES   SECRET  SERVICE. 

spring  should  not  attempt  to  repeat  the  blow,  or,  if  attempted,  that  it  should 
not  be  with  impunity.  I  need  not  repeat  the  further  part  of  that  opening. 
It  was  claimed  therein  that  he  went  to  the  Avenue  House,  not  for  the  pur 
pose  of  making  an  arrest;  that  he  did  not  make  any^  arrest,  but  that  he  acted 
upon  information  which  he  had  received  from  others,  to  wit:  that  this  young 
woman  was  engaged  in  a  business  supposed  to  be  reprehensible,  whether  it 
was  or  not.  Acting  upon  it,  he  must  rise  or  fall,  sink  or  swim,  by  the  merits 
of  the  act  itself.  The  purpose  for  which  he  went  there  is  made  perfectly 
known.  It  was  simply  for  the  purpose  of  exposing  what  there  was  bad,  if 
there  was  any  thing  bad,  in  the  process  by  which  the  pardoning  power  was 
made  to  dispense  its  favors.  "Why,  gentlemen,  not  that  anybody  suspected 
the  President,  not  that  anybody  sought  to  assail  him,  not  for  any  such  con 
temptible  purpose  as  to  seek  to  entrap  the  President,  nor  that  any  person 
could  have  had  any  purpose  to  gain  by  such  a  process  as  that.  If  they  had, 
of  all  conceivable  methods  for  realizing  the  purpose  they  had  in  view,  they 
would  not  have  resorted  to  such  an  efficient  method  as  this.  Now,  it  was 
simply  to  test  the  business  itself,  and  to  know  and  determine  what  it  was. 
If  right  and  proper,  by  calling  the  attention  of  the  President  to  it  was  the  end 
of  it ;  if  improper,  the  attention  of  the  President  would  also  be  called  to  it, 
and  in  his  hands  would  it  be  left. 

Mr.  Riddle,  at  this  point,  paid  a  glowing  and  eloquent  tribute  to  President 
Johnson,  and,  after  referring  to  his  exalted  position,  his  multifarious  duties, 
and  his  power,  argued,  that  in  the  midst  of  his  duties  he  might  be  imposed 
upon  by  this  woman.  Now,  what  was  Baker's  object?  That  has  been  made 
known.  Let  me  follow  this  right  along,  'just  here.  They  say  he  arrested  her. 
Why,  gentlemen,  Baker  is  not  a  fool.  He  may  be  criminal,  which  they  claim 
him  to  be,  but  he  is  not  quite  to  be  charged  with  being  demented.  Now, 
why  arrest  her?  Of  what  service  would  that  be?  What  object  had  he  to 
gain  by  the  arrest?  Why,  say  the  learned  gentleman,  he  had  just  taken  his 
lessons  as  to  the  law  of  arrest  under  the  act  of  Congress,  upon  judicial 
authority  announced  to  him  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  District — a  court 
of  original  jurisdiction,  whose  acts  are  subject  only  to  be  reviewed  by  the 
highest  Court  known  to  the  Constitution.  They  had  advised  Baker,  that  if 
he  acted  under  the  order  of  the  President,  and  he  received  that  from  the  Sec 
retary,  or  even  from  the  messenger  bf  the  Secretary,  and  by  parol,  that  that 
was  his  warrant.  Gentlemen,  if  he  had  had  a  purpose,  as  he  could  have  had 
none  in  the  arrest  of  Mrs.  Cobb ;  but  if  he  did  purpose  to  arrest  her,  if  he  is 
really  the  minion  of  that  other  man  (and  we  all  know  who  is  referred  to), 
that  compact,  vigorous  man,  that  man  of  intense  energy,  who  planned  so 
many  campaigns,  from  whose  almighty  brain  went  forth  so  many  great 
projects,  whose  hands  conjured  from  the  earth  the  material  with  which  to 
light  the  great  battles,  who  stood  by  and  sustained  the  great  generals,  and 
who  received  them  back  to  the  capital,  when  they  returned,  after  the  con 
summation  of  his  projects — the  man  who,  in  the  dark  hours  of  the  assassina 
tion,  ere  the  present  President  had  reached  the  position  or  power  to  mako 
himself  felt,  when  the  whole  fabric  was  shaken,  he  who  sustained  it  by  his 
simple  arm — now,  I  repeat,  if  Baker  had  had  a  purpose  to  arrest,  and  it 


MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  677 

Baker  was  but  his  minion,  all  he  had  to  do  was  to  say  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  "I  want  an  order  for  the  arrest  of  Mrs.  Cobb,"  and  it  would  have  been 
made,  and  you  never  could  have  touched  Baker ;  so  say  the  gentlemen  them 
selves.  In  the  first  place,  then,  I  say  he  had  nothing  to  achieve  by  her 
arrest;  and,  in  the  second  place — with  the  judicial  lesson  which  had  just  been 
inculcated  upon  him,  by  which  he  might  profit — if  he  had  intended  to  arrest 
her,  he  would,  at  least,  have  armed  himself  with  that  which  could  be  no  more 
punctured  than  the  shield  of  Achilles.  The  fact  that  he  did  not,  is  con 
clusive  that  he  never  intended  to  arrest  her.  If  he  had  intended  to  arrest 
her,  not  only  would  he  have  gotten  the  order  referred  to,  but  he  would  have 
whistled  to  some  one  of  those  whom  gentlemen  characterize  as  his  hounds, 
for  General  Baker  seldom,  in  ordinary  cases,  himself  undertakes  an  arrest. 
If  in  this  case  he  desired  the  arrest  of  this  party,  he  would  have  gone  and 
accomplished  it,  and  brought  Mrs.  Cobb  to  his  office.  But,  in  the  first  place, 
no  arrest  was  intended — none  was  necessary,  in  the  nature  of  the  case.  But 
we  come  here,  now,  directly  to  the  collision  of  these  witnesses.  It  is  said 
we  labor  under  that  disadvantage.  Here  is  a  woman,  I  have  nothing  to  say 
about  her  reputation,  I  have  had  nothing  to  say,  any  further  than  I  under 
stood,  myself,  the  arrest  to  have  been  challenged  by  the  gentlemen. 

We  know  perfectly  well,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  that  in  attempting  to 
impeach  the  character  of  a  female  for  truth  and  veracity  (but  nobody  can  see 
the  force  of  the  reasoning),  we  are  strictly  confined  to  her  reputation  for 
truth.  The  theory  is  a  sort  of  solecism  in  the  law,  that  the  quality  which 
alone  marks  a  woman  as  truthful  may  be  wanting,  and  yet  you  are  not  per 
mitted  to  say  by  that  that  she  is  untrue.  What  makes  a  woman  ?  Why, 
gentlemen,  her  purity — with  females,  a  thing  so  sacred  that  it  is  scarcely  to 
be  named  ;  in  illustration  of  which  there  can  be  found  no  material  type  in  the 
universe,  among  the  most  delicate  and  the  most  beautiful  things,  that  can  be 
the  object  of  sense  and  touch.  We  know  perfectly  well  that  it  is  but  the 
band,  the  ligament  which  surrounds  and  binds  up  all  the  beautiful  and  lovely, 
qualities  which  go  to  make  up  the  sum  total  of  the  woman,  and  ordinarily 
we  would  suppose  that  to  prove  that  that  band  was  annihilated,  that  ligature 
thrown  away,  all  these  qualities  blackened  by  unchastity,  would  be  sufficient 
in  order  to  raise  a  question  of  doubt.  The  law  is  different ;  of  that  we  have 
nothing  to  say,  but  accept  it  as  it  is.  But,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  you  will 
remember  that  you  are  asked  to  convict  this  man  upon  the  unaided  testimony 
of  this  woman.  I  do  not  speak  of  her  save  as  she  appeared — something  that 
you  know  she  has  lost,  as  something  you  know  she  has  gained.  Why,  the 
two  days  that  she  occupied  that  chair  were  to  her  field-days.  The  audience 
to  whom  she  spoke  were  over  here ;  she  did  not  vouchsafe  scarcely  a  turn  of 
her  eye  upon  you,  gentlemen  of  the  jury. 

A  word  just  here,  gentlemen,  with  regard  to  the  city  and  its  citizens. 
Let  me  say  that  the  citizens  are  not  quite  responsible  for  quite  all  that  goes 
on  here.  I  took  occasion  the  other  day,  on  commenting  on  a  matter  here  in 
court,  to  say  that  I  thought  this  was  as  badly  a  governed  ten  miles  square  as 
could  be  found  anywhere.  In  saying  that,  I  did  not  mean  to  charge  this 
unpleasant  state  of  affairs  upon  the  local  authorities  of  this  District — not  by 


678  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

any  manner  of  means.  Everybody  and  every  thing  floats  in  here,  the  good 
and  the  bad.  It  is  charged  improperly  and  wrongfully  upon  the  character  of 
the  resident  population,  when  it  simply  belongs  to  the  character  of  the  city  as 
a  metropolitan  city,  to  which  all  portions  of  the  country  contribute  alike  their 
good  and  their  bad  elements.  Sometimes  the  bad  predominates  a  little. 

I  only  make  this  remark,  as  these  parties  are  not  your  citizens,  and  to  show 
to  you,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  that  under  no  blind  excitement  or  heat  of  argu 
ment  will  I  do  injustice  intentionally.  If  I  am  thoughtlessly  led  into  it,  I  am 
always  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  make  reparation,  and  no  one  will  ever  do  it 
more  cheerfully  than  myself  to  man  or  woman.  But  I  said  that  the  witness, 
Mrs.  Cobb,  stood  there  upon  that  stand,  and  that  there  was  an  apparent  loss 
of  which  she  was  not  conscious.  She  had  lost  the  outside  manner  and  bear 
ing  of  chastity.  She  was  not  quite  conscious  of  it,  but  it  was  gone.  No 
power,  no  art  could  simulate  it ;  and  she  had  gained  what  perhaps  she  was 
not  conscious  of,  that  which  women  gain  alone  by  association  and  by  fast 
men.  Little  suppers  with  one  woman  and  half  dozen  gentlemen.  I  do  not 
say  she  is  this,  that,  or  the  other.  I  only  apeak  of  it  as  she  spoke,  not  only 
by  her  voice  and  countenance,  but  by  her  bearing  and  her  manner.  And 
does  she  occupy  an  unprejudiced  position?  Did  not  she  repeat,  with  empha 
sis,  a  threat  which  she  made  to  General  Baker,  that  she  would  be  engaged  in 
his  office  in  no  shape,  save  for  the  purpose  of  ruining  him.  That  is  the  pur 
pose  for  which  she  is  upon  that  stand.  And  she  is  met  in  her  statement  by  a 
witness  that  contradicts  her.  When  may  a  thing  be  taken  to  be  proven, 
gentlemen  of  the  jury — when  one  veracious  witness  testifies  to  it,  and  he  tells 
a  probable  story,  and  is  not  contradicted  by  another  witness?  When  may 
a  theory  be  said  to  have  been  disproven — when  another  equally  credible 
witness,  having  no  greater  motive  to  state  the  opposite,  appears  upon  the 
stand,  and  swears  to  having  had  the  same  opportunities,  and  positively 
declares  that  the  things  testified  to  did  not  happen?  That  leaves  it  as  it  was 
before.  Remember  that  the  prosecution  here  has  the  affirmative.  They  take 
upon  themselves  the  labor  of  this  case.  They  are  to  prove  to  your  satisfaction 
of  reason,  to  the  exclusion  of  reasonable  doubt,  that  the  allegations  in  this 
indictment,  as  they  apply  to  the  case  under  consideration,  are  all  true.  But 
when  one  witness  swears  to  them,  and  other  witnesses,  with  equal  means  of 
knowledge,  and  no  more  compromised  by  their  connection  with  the  case  than 
is  the  witness  swearing  in  the  affirmative,  swear  that  they  were  present,  and 
the  things  sworn  to  did  not  happen,  the  testimony  of  the  one  neutralizes  the 
other.  But  it  is  said  that  Spear  is  an  informer,  and  ought  not  to  be  believed 
for  that  reason.  Again,  he  has  been  indicted  for  participation  in  this  same 
offense,  and  for  that  reason  ought  not  to  be  believed.  Then,  by  the  same 
mode  of  reasoning,  this  woman,  who  it  is  said  is  the  subject  of  this  outrage,  is 
unworthy  of  belief.  There  can  be  nothing  said  of  the  one  that  cannot  be  said 

of  the  other.     If  it  is  said  Spear  is  an  informer,  she  is  a  .     You  may  fill 

up  the  blank  with  any  thing  you  see  proper,  and  you  will  do  no  injustice. 
Now,  then,  which  probably  tells  the  truth.  There  was  no  motive  to  arrest 
this  woman.  There  could  not  be  any  arrest,  because  there  were  no  means* 
employed  to  arrest  her,  such  as  would  protect  the  man  making  the  arrest. 


MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  679 

She  swears  there  was  an  arrest.  Spear  swears  positively  there  was  not.  She 
does  not  say  exactly  by  what  means  he  arrested  her,  but  that  he  so  said  in  a 
reply  to  a  question  from  her  husband,  when  he  inquires,  u  Are  we  to  consider 
ourselves  under  arrest?"  Already  arrested,  and  did  not  know  it!  Just  here 
she  is  met  by  Spear,  who  says,  when  the  inquiry  was  made  as  to  whether  they 
were  to  consider  themselves  as  under  arrest,  Baker  replied,  "No,  you  are 
not  under  arrest."  He  makes  that  emphatic  denial  right  on  the  face  of  this 
witness.  His  manner  on  the  stand  must  have  convinced  you,  gentlemen,  that 
he  was  telling  the  truth.  Calm,  intelligent,  and  collected,'  and  answering 
readily,  having  no  hand  in  the  transaction  save  as  by  his  personal  presence, 
and  without  knowing  in  advance  what  was  to  transpire,  can  you,  I  say,  in  the 
face  of  this  negation,  take  the  statement  of  this  woman  to  be  true.  "  Why," 
says  the  learned  gentleman,  "  if  he  wanted  to  converse  with  her,  why  not  do 
it  there."  Down  there  in  the  hotel  in  a  private  room,  liable  to  interruption 
from  anybody  and  everybody !  If  Baker  had  sought  to  take  her  away  to 
some  place  of  confinement,  some  other  means  would  have  been  employed  than 
those  used  by  him.  But  the  gentleman  dwells  upon  the  language  of  the  wit 
ness,  Mrs.  Cobb.  Mr.  Baker  desires  her  to  go,  perhaps  making  a  pressing 
invitation.  He  asks  her  if  she  will  go.  She  says,  UI  suppose  I  must."  What 
does  that  mean?  Persons  a  thousand  times  say  they  must  do  a  thing,  when 
they  are  constrained  by  no  physical  force.  "  I  must  go  to  see  my  wife,"  "  I 
must  go  and  call  on  my  neighbor,"  "I  must  go  to  balls;"  but  in  no  instance 
does  the  expression,  "I  must  do  a  thing,"  imply  that  I  am  in  any  way  coerced 
by  force,  or  by  the  exercise  of  force.  Not  at  all.  The  carriage,  too,  is  called  ; 
no  carriage  is  brought  there.  Both  she  and  her  husband  are  invited  to  enter, 
and  they  did  enter.  Did  she  protest  against  it ;  did  she  say  to  anybody  that 
she  would  not  go ;  did  she  ring  her  bell,  and  summons  the  landlord,  call  in 
friends,  burst  into  tears  ?  No !  Although  in  the  presence  of  this  dreaded 
man,  this  awful  Baker,  whose  very  presence  is  a  living  prison,  so  that  wherever 
he  walks  he  carries  false  imprisonment  with  him — this  terrible  man,  taking 
this  woman  at  night-fall  away  from  the  protection  of  her  lodgings,  from  the 
surroundings  of  her  acquaintances,  to  incarcerate  her,  perhaps,  in  the  Old 
Capitol — not  a  murmur,  not  an  objection,  not  even  a  woman's  tear ;  but 
quietly  and  gracefully  she  places  her  outside  garments  around  her,  gets  into 
the  carriage,  and  is  driven  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Baker.  Then  what 
happens  ?  Her  husband  accompanies  her— they  say  he  was  arrested  and  taken. 
I  wish  you  to  keep  that  in  mind.  We  say  she  inquired  whether  her  husband 
might  be  permitted  to  accompany  her,  to  which  he  replied  he  might.  What 
did  Baker  want  with  Cobb?  was  any  thing  to  be  done  with  him?  When  she 
got  to  General  Baker's  headquarters,  then  what?  Why  he  separated  her 
from  her  husband.  And  how?  Why  General  Baker  called  a  gentleman  to 
show  me  to  his  private  room,  she  says.  Did  she  object?  Does  she  say  she 
did?  Was  there  a  single  inquiry  on  her  part,  as,  for  instance,  "  Why  take  me 
to  General  Baker's  ?"  "  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me  ?"  If  under  arrest, 
she  might  have  expected  to  be  taken  to  prison  ;  but  «he  was  not  under  arrest, 
and  she  knew  it.  Does  she  desire  her  husband  to  go  to  the  private  room  ? 
Does  she  inquire  what  he  is  going  to  do  with  him  while  she  is  gone  ?  Not  a 


680  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

•word,  but  voluntarily  she  walked  to  that  place.  Again,  it  is  said,  gentlemen, 
that  this  defendant  has  put  upon  the  stand  his  own  satellites — his  tools,  as  the 
gentleman  calls  them,  the  minions  of  his  power.  They  have  not  only  con 
tributed  by  their  presence  and  their  conduct  to  the  working  out  of  his  nefa 
rious  purpose,  but  they  are  here  on  this  stand  for  the  purpose  of,  by  their 
evidence,  exonerating  him  from  the  consequences  of  this  awful  case.  Of 
course,  gentlemen,  they  have  told  the  truth  on  this  stand,  or  they  have  lied. 
If  they  have  lied^  they  might  just  as  well  have  gone  a  little  further,  and  lied  a 
little  more.  Some  one  or  more  of  these  men  would  have  sworn  that  they 
were  present  with  Baker  and  this  woman  in  this  private  room,  and  given  you 
what  transpired.  Indeed,  if  Baker  had  intended  any  outrage  on  that  woman 
there  of  any  kind,  he  would  have  had  a  witness  present,  who  would  have 
sworn  that  there  was  no  outrage.  And  as  to  Smith,  who  was  left  by  Baker 
in  the  room  with  her,  she  does  not  contradict  a  single  word  of  his  testimony. 
She  does  not  begin  to  complain  to  him,  and  say,  "  I  am  here  under  arrest. 
What  do  you  suppose  is  to  be  done  with  me?  Shall  I  be  sent  to  the  Old 
Capitol  ?  Baker  has  taken  from  me  my  money."  Is  there  a  word  of  that  ? 
Does  she  suppose  that  she  is  in  prison  ?  Does  she  ask  Smith  if  she  might  go  ? 
Not  one  word  of  it.  Smith,  when  put  on  the  stand,  was  asked  if  he  was 
placed  there  to  guard  her.  "No."  "Should  you  have  let  her  gone,  if  she 
wanted  to?"  "I  suppose  I  should."  "Why?"  " Because  I  had  no  orders 
to  detain  her."  Does  Smith  lie?  Surely  he  would  not  have  told  such  a 
staring  lie  a«  that.  If  he  was  going  to  lie  at  all,  he  would  have  sworn  that  he 
was  present  in  that  room  all  the  time,  and  that  nothing  such  as  she  has 
related  occurred.  Does  she  contradict  Smith  ?  No ;  she  is  not  called  to  the 
stand  to  rebut  anybody.  And  I  am  reminded  just  here  of  what  has  been  said 
by  gentlemen  in  regard  to  Cobb.  They  say  that  now  Cobb  is  well ;  and  if  his 
wife  did  not  tell  the  truth,  why  not  produce  him  to  contradict  her.  I  reply 
by  asking  those  gentlemen,  if  he  would  sustain  his  wife,  why  not  produce  him 
to  sustain  her.  Besides,  the  Court  distinctly  proposed  to  these  gentlemen  to 
postpone  this  case  until  such  time  as  it  was  thought  probable  Cobb  could 
have  come  in  and  certified.  But  oh,  no  !  They  knew  whether  they  wanted 
him  or  not,  and  it  was  for  them  to  elect  whether  they  would  go  to  trial,  or 
not,  in  his  absence.  No,  it  is  evident  they  did  not  want  him.  We  did  not 
want  him,  because  it  would  have  been  only  adding  wickedness  to  folly,  vice 
to  something  that  shall  be  nameless. 

And  when  she  comes  down  and  takes  leave  of  Baker,  she  does  so  so  gra 
ciously  that  it  provokes  the  ire  of  Cobb  at  once.  But,  says  she,  "  He  had  a 
right  to  get  mad  when  he  saw  me  treating  General  Baker  so  kindly  after  what 
I  had  suffered."  What  was  her  object?  Why,  she  says  she  was  determined 
to  show  General  Baker  that  she  would  be  a  lady  in  spite  of  him.  Oh,  indeed  ! 
Anxious  for  the  good  opinion  of  General  Baker,  after  he  had  so  terribly 
abused  her,  and  whom  she  was  so  desirous  of  ruining.  One  thing  further. 
She  swears  that  her  husband  was  arrested.  Was  he?  He  was,  if  she  was; 
for  precisely  the  testimony  that  proves  the  arrest  of  the  one,  proves  the  arrest 
of  both,  so  that  if  it  follows  he  was  not  arrested,  then  it  follows  very  clearly 
that  she  was  not.  To  show  that  he  was  not  arrested,  we  have  only  to  recur 


MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  081 

to  the  fact  that  he  was  allowed  to  go  about  and  do  what  he  pleased.  He 
walked  about  the  room  when  he  was  nervous,  and  went  out  and  took  a  drink 
when  he  was  dry ;  and  Spear,  the  man  who  helped  to  commit  the  outrage  on 
her,  he  invited  to  go  with  him  and  drink.  There  is  forgiveness  for  you,  gen 
tlemen.  He  would  not  forgive  the  kind  words  of  his  wife  to  General  Baker, 
but  he  would  forgive  any  outrage  that  he  had  himself  received.  It  having 
been  shown  clearly  that  he  was  under  no  restraint  whatever,  and  it  following 
that  if  he  was  not,  his  wife  was  not,  we  will  forbear  dwelling  longer  on  that 
point.  Then,  how  stands  this  case  upon  that  proof.  What  has  Baker  done? 
He  has  done  simply  nothing.  I  do  not  stop  to  inquire  whether  you  would 
have  done  what  he  did,  or  not.  That  is  not  the  question.  The  question  is, 
whether,  doing  what  he  did,  he  has  committed  an  infraction  of  the  law.  Let 
us  see  for  a  moment  why  he  acted  as  he  did.  He  had  been  informed  upon 
authority,  that  he  had  a  right  to  rely  upon,  by  his  employees,  that  this  woman 
was  procuring  pardons,  and  that  others  were,  in  a  curious  and  marvelous 
way.  Gentlemen  say,  why  did  he  not  go  and  admonish  the  President  ?  Why, 
he  did  not  then  know  what  they  were  doing.  He  had  not  the  means  of 
knowing  until  he  himself  could,  through  gentlemen  on  whom  he  could  rely, 
learn  from  them  what  was  done.  And  so  here  was  this  Lieutenant  II.  H. 
Hines,  who,  passing  here  under  t£»e  name  of  Captain  Howell,  known  as  Cap 
tain  Howell,  and  by  no  other  name,  save  to  two  or  three,  known  to  Baker's 
assistants  as  Captain  Howell,  introduced  as  such,  proclaimed  as  such,  intro 
duced  to  her  as  such.  It  is  said  to  you,  and  I  am  not  going  to  discuss  to  you 
the  character  of  this  pardon  brokerage  business,  for  oh !  if  I  am  to  stand  up 
here,  in  the  brightness  of  this  beautiful  winter's  sunshine,  in  the  middle  of  the 
day,  to  argue  that  the  high  prerogative  of  a  pardon  is  to  be  turned  into  the 
noise  of  public  sale  and  prostitution,  if  I  have  to  argue  such  a  thing  as  that  to 
the  jury,  I  propose  to  place  my  hand  over  my  mouth  and  be  silent.  I  do  not 
undertake  to  say  that  people  may  not  be  assisted  in  this  as  in  any  other 
matter.  I  only  say,  that  when  it  comes  to  be  a  trade,  to  be  trafficked  in  for 
the  profits  that  come  out  of  it,  that  it  clearly  cannot  be  countenanced  by  a 
jury  of  American  citizens,  at  the  American  capital.  Nor  am  I  to  enter  into 
any  very  extended  details  of  this  transaction,  and  I  take  the  transaction  as 
detailed  by  her.  Mr.  Howell  has  given  you  his  version  of  it.  "What  does  she 
say?  Why,  that  he  was  introduced  to  her,  that  he  told  her  he  was  here  under 
an  assumed  name,  because  Baker  and  his  hounds  were  after  him.  She  was 
not  imposed  upon  about  the  matter  of  being  here  under  an  assumed  name. 
WThether  she  imposed  upon  the  President  or  not  is  quite  another  matter.  She 
had  that  information,  that  he  was  here  under  an  assumed  name,  and  she 
undertook  by  that  contract  to  procure  that  pardon  in  less  than  twenty-four 
hours;  nay,  less  than  that,  for  she  only  began  after  the  business  hours,  nine 
o'clock,  and  closed  before  six,  the  time  it  was  to  be  delivered.  Why,  gentle 
men,  have  you  had  any  cognizance,  had  any  thing  to  do  writh  the  cruel  delays 
that  attend  the  prosecution  of  business  in  the  public  departments,  and  espe 
cially  at  the  White  House  ?  It  is  not  any  fault  on  the  part  of  the  Executive, 
for  he  discharges  more  of  the  individual  business  of  the  citizen  than  does  any 
other  bureau,  of  any  other  Government  in  the  world.  He  undertakes  the 


682  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

overwhelming  burden  of  doing  the  business  of  everybody  that  approaches 
him,  and  necessarily  there  have  to  be  channels  that  he  recognizes,  known  and 
established  channels;  not  that  he  is  not  at  liberty  to  depart  from  it,  sitting  up 
there  as  he  does  the  highest  citizen  in  the  Republic,  doing  the  duty  of  the 
citizens.  He  cannot  know  who  approaches  him,  he  is  not  particularly  to  care. 
He  governs  all — the  good,  the  bad,  and  the  indifferent.  He  does  not  set  any 
spies  on  those  who  approach  him,  nor  does  he  ask  thnt  anybody  else  should,  and 
nobody  else  attempts  to  do  any  such  thing.  Why,  gentlemen,  you  know  that 
when  a  petition  for  a  pardon  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  President,  he  refers 
it  to  the  Attorney-General  for  a  report,  if  for  a  civil  offense,  and  to  the  Judge- 
Advocate-General,  if  for  a  military  offense.  When  the  report  is  placed  in  his 
hands,  he  acts  upon  it.  But  what  does  the  young  lady  sa/y?  This  light, 
dancing  bubble,  that  floats  on  the  mephitic  vapors  of  this  strange  capital — and 
there  is  not  another  city  whose  atmosphere  would  keep  such  a  person  afloat 
twenty-four  hours — only  at  one  glance  of  her  eye  the  walls  of  the  White 
House  vanished,  and  she  at  once  confronts  the  President.  She  went,  she 
says,  to  Mr.  Pleasants,  and  to  the  Attorney-General,  but  they  could  not  do 
any  thing  for  her.  She  went  to  the  President,  and  he  sent  her  to  Judge 
Holt.  What  has  she  ?  A  petition  under  an  assumed  name,  as  she  knows,  for 
she  says  Howell  told  her  he  was  under  an  assumed  name.  It  is  just  one  of 
the  boldest  cases  that  could  have  been  contrived,  and  the  best  for  the  test  to 
which  General  Baker  proposed  to  put  this  business.  She  went  to  the  Judge- 
Advocate.  The  Judge-Advocate  told  her  there  was  no  such  case.  She  says 
she  returned  to  the  President,  and  herself  told  him  there  was  no  such  case. 
Did  she  tell  the  President  he  was  here  under  an  assumed  name  ?  Not  at  all. 
She  swears  she  knew  it.  The  President  told  her  to  come  back  within  two  or 
three  days.  She  went  back  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  named,  and  he  told 
her  that  he  could  not  grant  the  pardon,  as  the  party  was  over  in  Canada.  She 
told  him  he  was  here,  and  then,  after  having  told  him  he  was  here,  told  about 
the  petitioner  having  saved  the  life  of  one  of  our  generals.  He  said,  "Well, 
if  that  is  so,  I  will  pardon  him,"  and  sat  down,  and  did  so.  But,  gentlemen, 
is  there  one  word  of  truth  in  this  story  that  that  woman  tells?  Why,  of 
course  she  could  get  seventy-five'pardons  in  a  day.  All  she  had  to  do  was  to 
ask  for  them,  tell  any  story.  Is  the  grave  exercising  of  the  pardon  power,  of 
which  the  President  is  simply  the  trustee,  thus  abused  !  Why,  gentlemen,  if 
she  tells  the  truth,  this  is  a  thing  to  make  the  very  Capitol  blush,  from  the 
face  of  the  bronze  statue  of  Liberty  upon  its  dome  to  its  foundation-stones — 
to  make  the  very  paving-stones  in  the  gutter,  where  flows  unutterable  filth, 
turn  themselves  in  their  slimy  beds  in  very  shame.  No,  gentlemen,  there  isn't 
a  word  of  truth  in  it.  I  do  not  know  how  she  got  it.  I  know  she  did  not 
get  it  so.  Oh,  I  know  that  the  man  that  has  traced  his  honored  steps  to  that 
great  height,  while  he  does  not  and  cannot  know  who  approaches  him,  and 
judges  alone  of  the  merits  of  the  application,  never  saw  that. 

The  very  transaction  itself  proves  that  it  was  the  duty  of  somebody  to 
direct  the  attention  of  the  Executive  to  it.  lie  did  do  it.  What  did  Baker 
do  ?  After  he  had  received  from  this  woman  the  money  bearing  the  marks 
by  which  he  could  identify  it,  after  he  had  received  from  the  hands  of  her 


/      MR.  RIDDLE'S  ARGUMENT.  683 

husband  the  pardon — and  the  very  mode  under  which  that  was  secured 
showed  that  nobody  was  under  duress — then  he  waits  on  the  President. 
"What  transpired  in  the  presence  of  the  President  the  prosecution  might  have 
proved.  If  we  then  made  admissions  against  ourselves,  they  could  prove  it. 
"What  transpired  between  the  President  and  ourselves  we  cannot  prove  affirm 
atively.  The  learned  gentleman  who  stood  at  the  head  of  this  prosecution 
said  he  would  have  the  President  summoned.  I  believe  they  did  not,  how 
ever,  send  the  process  for  him.  Whether  they  learned  by  personal  investiga 
tion  what  the  result  would  be,  if  they  should  take  his  statement,  does  not 
appear.  Of  course,  nobody  would  ask,  in  any  exigency  of  the  administration 
of  justice,  of  the  great  Executive,  in  whose  hands  are  willed  the  mighty 
destinies  of  almost  comparatively  the  whole  human  race,  for  peace  or  war,  to 
come  and  participate  in  the  squabbles  of  a  criminal  court ;  but  his  statement 
might  have  been  taken.  Did  they  go  to  learn  what  his  statement  would  be? 
Oh,  inquires  Judge  Hughes,  *'  "When  Baker  went  and  made  his  report,  did  he 
receive  the  declaration :  'Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant'?"  I  do  not 
know  that  he  did.  If  I  do,  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  state  it.  I  know  that  he 
was  not  condemned.  The  man  who  sits  up  at  the  White  House  is  not  a  man 
to  be  trifled  with.  If  there  had  been  that  in  the  conduct  of  General  Baker 
which  did  not  meet  with  the  President's  approbation,  the  motion  of  his  little 
finger  would  have  stripped,  disgraced,  and  dishonored  General  Baker.  No 
matter  what  his  services  were,  no  matter  what  subordinate  head  of  a  Depart 
ment  might  ask  for  his  services,  that  head,  too,  might  roll  in  the  basket. 
General  Baker  made  his  report.  He  offered  a  sworn  copy  of  that  report.  He 
could  not  offer  it  as  affirmative  proof.  It  was  offered  to  the  gentlemen  so 
that  they  might  examine,  and  use  it,  or  not,  as  they  pleased.  What  more 
could  we  do?  What  more  should  we  have  done  ?  We  called  the  attention  of 
the  President  to  this  matter  respectfully.  There  we  left  it,  and  that  was  the 
end  of  the  pardoning  business  as  carried  on  in  that  way,  right  or  wrong,  good 
or  bad. 

Now,  then,  gentlemen,  here  I  leave  this  case.  By  the  proof  there  was  no 
arrest.  There  can  be  none  found  affirmatively.  If  there  was,  it  was  but  the 
slightest  conceivable  technicality  in  the  world,  into  which  enters  the  intention 
of  parties.  A  man  cannot  commit  a  crime  without  intending  to  do  it.  What 
conceivable  purpose  could  General  Baker  have  had,  save  the  good  of  the 
service?  Did  he  rush  into  print  to  glorify  himself?  Has  he  ever  gone  into 
print  for  any  purpose.  Who  has  been  suborned  to  glorify  General  Baker  in 
the  prints?  He  has  discharged  his  duties,  made  his  official  reports,  waiting 
until  the  mountain  of  public  odium,  that  would  have  completed  overwhelmed 
and  long  ago  driven  from  business  and  public  employment  a  less  determined 
character  than  himself,  should  be  removed — waiting  for  the  lapse  of  these  evil 
times,  and  looking  to  some  other  day,  possibly  to  some  other  generation,  for 
the  vindication  of  his  character  and  his  transactions.  Did  he  do  wrong  in 
suppressing  this  business  of  pardon  brokerage?  Did  he  not,  on  the  contrary, 
do  a  good  thing?  If  he  did  a  right  act,  you  cannot  find  him  guilty;  and  the 
proof  is  he  did  not  commit  a  crime. 


684  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

During  the  progress  of  this  trial,  the  counsel  for  Mrs. 
Cobb  were  almost  hourly  in  consultation  with  the  President. 
They  were  back  and  forth,  between  the  court  room  and  the 
Executive  mansion,  three  or  four  times  a  da3r,  consulting 
with  the  President.  It  was  generally  understood  by  the 
counsel  and  the  public,  that  the  prosecution  was  begun,  in 
the  first  place,  at  the  President' s  request,  and  that  he  was 
assisting  all  he  could,  by  his  influence,  in  pushing  it  for 
ward.  He  was  aware  that  the  testimony  would  be  so  dama 
ging  against  himself,  that  unless  he  took  some  measures  to 
convict  me,  the  whole  thing  would  reflect  upon  himself. 
During  this  trial,  which  occupied  a  number  of  days,  great 
pains  were  taken  to  impress  the  public  with  the  gravity  of 
my  offense.  Flaming  dispatches  were  sent  broadcast  through 
the  country,  of  which  the  following  are  samples  :— 

DETECTIVE  BAKER'S  CASE. — We  learn  that  the  case  of  Detective  Baker 
was  yesterday  closed  in  the  District  Court  of  this  city.  He  was  found  guilty, 
as  charged  in  the  indictment.  We  now  wait  impatiently  the  next  scene  in 
this  drama,  and  trust  that  Baker  will  have  full  justice  meted  out  to  him.  He 
has  insulted  the  President  by  his  course  in  the  arrest  of  Mrs.  Cobb,  and  we 
trust  that  Judge  Fisher,  in  passing  sentence,  will  take  into  consideration  the 
enormity  of  his  crimes. 

Again : 

THE  GREAT  DETECTIVE  BAKER'S  CASE — How  THE  MIGHTY  HAVE  FALLEN. — 
The  case  of  Baker  is  concluded,  and  we  only  wait  the  sentence,  which  we 
trust  will  be  adequate  to  his  crimes. 

Again,  from  the  "  National  Intelligencer"  of  Washing 
ton  : — 

THE    CHARGES    AGAINST    DETECTIVE   BAKER. 

The  following  we  extract  from  the  Washington  correspondence  of  the 
New  York  "Herald"— 

"Mrs.  and  Mr.  Cobb,  the  plaintiffs  in  the  cases  against  General  L.  C. 
Baker,  have,  for  some  unaccountable  reason,  altered  their  tone  considerably 
within  the  few  days  last  past.  According  to  reports  of  their  conversation, 
they  are  not  so  bloodthirsty  by  half  against  Baker  as  when  they  swore  out 
indictments  against  him  for  robbery  and  false  imprisonment.  Many  well- 
informed  persons  hazard  the  opinion  that  they  will  not  appear  against  him 
when  those  charges  are  brought  to  trial.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  are  old  acquaint 
ances  of  Baker,  who  threatens  to  produce  in  court  the  accumulated  history 
of  their  several  years  in  Washington." 

We  invite  the  District  Attorney,  who  is  reputed  in  this  community  to  be  a 


NEWSPAPER   COMMENTS.  685 

man  of  resolution,  to  take  a  hand  in  this  husiness.  "Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  "  and 
their  "old  acquaintance,  Baker,"  the  Grand  Jury,  the  District  Attorney,  and 
the  Judges  of  the  Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia  are  all  involved  in  the 
matter.  It  does  not,  in  our  opinion,  and,  as  we  believe,  the  opinion  of  all, 
rest  with  "Mr.  and  Mrs.  C."  whether  they  will  "appear  against"  their  old 
friend,  whose  revelations  or  persuasions,  in  prospect  or  in  hand,  so  strongly 
influence  them.  Nor  does  it  rest  simply  in  the  discretion  of  the  District 
Attorney  whether  he  will  invoke  the  proper  compulsory  process  for  securing 
the  attendance  of  witnesses.  There  are  laws  which  provide  fo?  these  cases, 
and  it  is  confidently  expected,  if  not  sternly  demanded,  by  public  opinion 
here  and  elsewhere,  that  a  prosecution  of  such  consequence  should  not  be 
suffered  to  fall  by  the  suspected  procurement  of  the  accused  through  the 
timidity  or  dishonesty  of  prosecuting  witnesses.  If  this  detective  is  guiltless 
of  statutory  crime,  there  is  no  doubt  he  will  eagerly  court  a  trial.  If  the 
witnesses  are  ashamed  of  themselves,  that  should  not  frustrate  a  legal  prose 
cution. 

In  contrast  with  the  above,  the  following  appeared  in  the 
Philadelphia  "  Inquirer"  : — 

COLONEL   BAKER'S    CASE. 

The  case  of  Lafayette  C.  Baker,  formerly  Chief  of  the  Government  Detec 
tives,  which  has,  in  various  phases,  been  before  the  public  for  some  time,  and 
which  has  been  a  frequent  subject  of  reference  in  news  from  Washington, 
may  at  length  be  considered  ended,  as  far  as  the  prosecution  brought  by  Mrs. 
Lucy  Cobb  is  concerned.  The  latter  was  arrested,  by  Colonel  Baker,  upon 
the  charge  of  being  a  pardon  broker.  She  alleged  that  she  had  been  kept  in 
custody  until  she  paid  Mr.  Baker  two  hundred  dollars,  when  she  was  released. 
On  the  late  trial,  there  were  two  counts  against  the  defendant ;  first,  that  he 
had  imprisoned  her,  and  extorted  two  hundred  dollars  ;  and,  second,  that  he 
had  subjected  her  to  false  imprisonment.  The  jury  acquitted  Mr.  Baker  on 
the  first  count  of  the  indictment,  but  found  him  guilty  upon  the  second.  The 
effect  of  that  conviction  upon  the  mind  of  the  Court  is  expressed  by  the  pre 
siding  judge  in  his  remarks,  when  sentence  was  passed,  in  which  he  said  that 
the  offense  was  technical,  involving  no  turpitude  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Baker; 
committed  in  excess  of  zeal,  and  punishable  only  by  a  nominal  fine.  Mr. 
Baker  deserves  congratulation  upon  his  substantial  triumph.  It  is  so  easy  to 
embarrass,  annoy,  and  prosecute  faithful  officers  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty 
to  the  people,  that  the  failure  of  any  effort  in  that  direction  may  be  considered 
as  a  matter  worthy  of  congratulation  to  the  public,  whose  servant  the 
officer  is. 

I  conclude  this  chapter  Tby  giving  the  charge  of  Judge 
Fisher,  and  his  sentence  :— 

GENTLEMEN — The  protection  of  personal  liberty  is  a  matter  over  which  the 
common  law — a  part  of  the  heritage  descended  to  us  from  our  mother  country 


686  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

— from  an  early  period  in  English  history,  has  ever  exercised  the  most  vigilant 
nnd  zealous  care.  The  unlawful  restraint  of  that  personal  liberty  has,  in  our 
system  of  jurisprudence,  for  generations  past,  not  onljr  formed  a  subject  of 
civil  suits,  but  has  been  regarded  as  a  criminal  offense,  and  as  such  indictable 
at  common  law.  It  is  in  this  criminal  view  of  it  that  you  are  now  called  upon 
to  act  in  this  case  before  you.  The  defendant,  Lafayette  C.  Baker,  stands 
indicted  for  the  offense  of  having  unlawfully  restrained  the  personal  liberty  of 
Mrs.  Lucy  L.  Cobb,  the  prosecuting  witness,  in  this  District,  on  or  about  the 
8th  day  of  November  last,  and  so  to  have  continued  this  restraint  of  her  liberty 
until  he  had  extorted  from  her  the  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars.  This  is  the 
charge  contained  in  the  first  count  of  the  indictment,  and  the  second  and  last 
count  is  but  a  repetition  of  the  first,  with  the  extortion  omitted.  It  is  the 
ordinary  common  law  form  of  indictment  for  false  imprisonment. 

This  offense  of  false  imprisonment  may  properly  be  defined  to  be  any 
intentional  and  unlawful  restraint  of  a  person's  liberty.  It  may  be  the  arrest 
and  restraint  of  a  person  under  color  of  law  by  means  of  an  illegal  or  insuffi 
cient  warrant  or  process,  as  when  a  person  appears  before  another,  pretending 
to  be  an  officer,  and  pretending  to  act  under  authority  of  a  legal  warrant, 
when  he  has  really  no  such  warrant  or  authority ;  or  it  may  be  by  means  of  a 
legal  process  at  an  illegal  time,  as  upon  a  Sunday,  when  a  civil  writ  cannot  be 
lawfully  executed ;  or  as  in  the  case  of  the  arrest  of  a  member  of  Congress  on 
such  a  writ  while  attending  upon,  going  to,  or  returning  from  his  Congres 
sional  duties;  or  it  may  be  altogether  without  color  of  law,  that  is  to  say, 
without  any  pretense,  on  the  part  of  the  person  making  it,  that  he  is  an  execu 
tive  officer,  or  that  he  is  acting  in  obedience  to  a  legal  warrant. 

Again,  this  offense  may  be  effected  with  physical  force  or  violence ;  or  it 
may  be  done  without  touching  the  imprisoned  party's  person,  simply  by  men 
acing  words  or  gestures,  producing  in  the  mind  of  that  party  a  reasonable  and 
well-grounded  fear  that,  if  the  imprisonment  or  constraint  be  not  submitted  to 
without  physical  force,  personal  injury  must  inevitably  be  the  result,  and 
compelling  the  imprisoned  party  by  means  of  this  well-grounded  fear  to  go 
where  he  does  not  wish  to  go,  or  to  refrain  from  going  where  he  has  a  right 
to  go. 

Extortion,  in  its  more  extended  sense,  signifies  any  kind  of  oppression 
under  pretense  or  color  of  right,  when  such  right  really  does  not  exist.  But, 
in  the  more  restricted  and  technical  sense  in  which  you  have  to  deal  with  it 
in  this  case,  it  simply  means  the  unlawful  taking  by  an  officer,  by  color  of  his 
office,  or  under  a  pretended  right  as  such  officer,  of  any  money  or  thing  of 
value  that  is  not  really  due  to  him,  or  more  than  is  due,  or  before  it  is  due. 
This  offense  of  extortion  differs  from  that  of  robbery  and  of  trespass  in  this, 
that  the  former — extortion — is  committed  by  an  officer  under  pretense  that  he> 
has  lawful  authority,  as  such  officer,  for  the  doing  of  the  act,  when  he  really 
does  not  possess  such  lawful  authority ;  while  trespass  and  robbery  grow  out 
of  acts  done  by  individuals  not  acting  in  an  official  capacity,  though  they  may 
pretend  to  be  officers  of  the  law. 

You  will  infer  from  these  observations  that  the  defendant  in  this  case,  in 
order  to  have  rendered  himself  obnoxious  to  the  charge  of  false  imprisonment, 


JUDGE  FISHER'S  CHARGE.  687 

must  have  been  proved  to  your  satisfaction,  by  the  evidence  in  the  case,  to 
have  restrained  the  prosecuting  witness,  Mrs.  Cobb,  of  her  liberty,  by  present 
ing  himself  to  her  in  the  character  of  an  officer  charged  with  the  duty  of 
making  arrests,  and  under  the  pretense  that  he  had  a  legal  and  sufficient  war 
rant  for  her  apprehension,  when  in  truth  and  in  fact  he  had  no  such  official 
character  or  authority;  thereby  inducing  her  to  go  with  him,  under  a  well- 
grounded  belief  that  she  was  obliged  by  law  to  do  so ;  or  that,  without  any 
official  pretension,  he,  by  physical  force,  or  by  words,  or  gestures,  or  both, 
so  aroused  her  just  and  reasonable  fear  for  her  personal  safety,  as  to  compel 
her  compliance  with  his  orders  to  go  where  she  did  not  desire  to  go.  or  to 
refrain  from  going  where  she  wanted  to  go  and  had  a  right  to  go.  This  com 
pulsion  to  go  where  she  was  not  obliged  by  law  to  go,  or  the  hindering  or 
preventing  her  from  going  where  she  had  a  right  to  go,  you  are  to  understand 
may  have  been  effected  either  by  actual  force  applied  to  the  person  of  the 
witness,  or  by  words  or  actions  sufficient  to  put  her,  or  any  other  person  of 
ordinary  reason  and  nerve,  in  fear  of  impending  injury.  If  you  shall  be  satis 
fied  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt,  from  all  the  evidence  before  you,  that  the 
defendant  in  this  case,  under  pretense  that  he  had  as  an  officer  a  lawful  war 
rant  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  or  from  some  one  of  the  Cabinet 
ministers,  or  from  any  officer  of  the  Government  clothed  with  proper  author 
ity  to  grant  such  a  warrant,  did  go  to  the  room  of  Mrs.  Lucy  L.  Cobb,  and 
there  gave  her  good  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  an  officer  of  the  Govern 
ment,  authorized  to  make  arrests,  and  that  he  had  in  his  hands  good  and 
sufficient  authority  in  law  to  take  her  to  his  headquarters,  and  to  believe  that 
in  accompanying  him  thither  she  was  acting  in  obedience  to  the  mandates  of 
the  law,  when  really  he  had  no  such  authority,  then  he  has  been  guilty  of 
false  imprisonment. 

If,  in  addition  to  this,  you  further  believe  that,  under  such  pretended 
authority,  he  compelled  her,  by  force  or  through  fear,  to  pay  him  money  which 
he  was  not  entitled  to  take  from  her,  or  did  not  rightfully  belong  to  him,  then 
he  was  guilty  both  of  the  false  imprisonment  and  extortion,  and  you  will  find 
him  guilty  as  indicted.  Or,  if  you  are  satisfied,  from  the  evidence,  that 
although  she,  of  her  own  free  volition,  without  compulsion,  or  physical  force, 
or  fear  of  personal  injury,  accompanied  the  defendant,  to  his  headquarters,  and 
that  he  there  prevented  her  from  leaving  these  headquarters,  by  means  of 
pretended  authority  in  his  hands  as  an  officer  of  the  Government,  and  that  he 
continued  that  imprisonment  under  such  pretended  authority  until  he  succeeded 
in  obtaining  from  her  a  sum  of  money  which  was  not  due  to  him,  then  he 
would  also  be  -guilty  of  false  imprisonment  and  extortion,  as  charged  in  the 
first  count  of  the  indictment,  and  you  will  find  him  guilty  as  indicted. 

If,  however,  you  are  not  satisfied  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt  that  he 
arrested  and  restrained  her  of  her  liberty  under  pretense  that  he  was  a  public 
officer,  armed  with  authority ;  but  that  he  did  arrest  and  restrain  her  of  her 
liberty  merely  as  an  individual,  without  having  made  any  such  pretense  of 
lawful  warrant  therefor,  then  he  is  guilty  of  false  imprisonment,  and  not  of 
extortion,  although  he  may  have  obtained  the  money  without  being  entitled 
to  it,  since  the  taking  of  the  money  in  that  case  would  amount,  not  to  extor- 


688  UNITED  STATES  SECRET  SERVICE. 

tion,  but  to  trespass  or  robbery,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  claim  of 
right  and  felonious  intention ;  and,  in  that  event,  you  would  find  him  guilty, 
under  the  second  count,  of  false  imprisonment  only.  • 

But,  gentlemen,  before  you  can  properly  convict  him  at  all,  in  either  form 
charged  in  the  indictment,  you  must  be  assured,  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt, 
from  the  evidence  in  the  cause,  either  that  he  presented  himself  to  the  prose 
cuting  witness  in  the  character  of  an  officer  whose  duty  it  was  to  arrest  and 
imprison  in  proper  and  lawful  cases,  and  that  in  that  character  he  set  up  to 
her,  in  this  particular  case,  the  pretense  that  he  was  acting  under  lawful 
authority,  emanating  from  some  public  officer  having  the  right  to  confer  it, 
and  thereby  caused  her  to  act  under  the  well-grounded  belief  that  in  placing 
herself  under  his  custody  she  was  acting  in  obedience  to  the  law  ;  or,  if  you 
do  not  thus  believe,  then  you  must  be  satisfied,  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt, 
that,  without  any  pretext  of  legal  authority,  he  used  physical  force  to  arrest 
and  imprison  her,  or  by  words,  or  gestures,  or  both,  placed  her  in  such  fear 
of  personal  injury,  as  to  constrain  her  to  go  where  she  did  not  wish  to  go,  or 
to  refrain  from  going  where  she  had  a  right  to  go. 

But  you  are  not  to  take  for  granted,  gentlemen,  that  the  defendant  was 
such  an  officer,  pretending  to  be  armed  with  such  authority  as  that  I  havo 
mentioned,  without  evidence  of  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Cobb,  taking  him  for  such 
officer  without  any  pretense  on  his  part,  was  ready  to  consider  herself  under 
arrest  and  imprisoned  the  moment  he  announced  himself  as  General  Baker 
of  the  War  Department,  and  that,  therefore,  inasmuch  as  she  supposed  he  had 
come  to  arrest  and  imprison  her,  she  must  necessarily  commit  herself  to  his 
custody  and  do  his  bidding,  whether  he  professed  to  hold  lawful  authority 
for  that  purpose  or  not.  You  must  have  satisfactory  evidence  before  you 
that  General  Baker's  actions  and  conduct  were  such  as  to  satisfy  a  reasonable 
and  sensible  person  either  that  he  had  lawful  and  sufficient  warrant  to  arrest 
and  imprison  her,  or  that  he  by  violence  or  by  intimidation  compelled  her  to 
a  submission  to  do  as  he  commanded. 

Perhaps  it  may  simplify  the  law  of  the  case  if  I  say  to  you  that  there  are 
three  questions  asked  of  you,  either  one  of  which,  if  answered  in  the  affirma 
tive  by  you,  will  convict  the  defendant  of  false  imprisonment,  unless  the  arrest 
was  justified  by  lawful  order. 

The  first  is,  Did  he,  either  at  the  Avenue  House  or  at  his  headquarters, 
intentionally  give  Mrs.  Cobb  to  understand  that,  as  General  Baker  of  the 
Detective  Bureau,  it  was  his  duty,  in  obedience  to  lawful  order  or  warrant, 
to  arrest  her  or  detain  her  in  custody  ? 

Second.  If  not,  then  did  he,  without  any  color  or  pretense  of  such  author 
ity,  use  personal  violence,  which  restrained  her  liberty  ? 

Third.  If  he  did  riot  use  pretense  of  lawful  authority  or  personal  violence, 
then  did  he  use  such  language  and  gestures  as  ought  reasonably  to  have 
induced  her  to  believe  that  if  she  did  not  yield  herself  his  prisoner,  such  vio 
lence  would  be  applied? 

But  if  you  are  not  fully  satisfied,  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt,  that  he  used 
one  or  other  of  the  agencies  which  I  enumerated,  you  cannot  convict  him  of 
false  imprisonment,  and  you  should  accordingly  render  a  verdict  of  acquittal. 


JUDGE  FISHER'S   CHARGE.  , 

The  evidence  in  the  case,  gentlemen,  is  somewhat  conflicting.  It  might 
be  expected  that  it  would  be.  The  prosecuting  witness,  Mrs.  Cobb,  the  only 
witness  produced  by  the  Government  to  prove  the  arrest,  tells  you  that  she 
was  unlawfully  restrained  of  her  liberty,  both  at  her  room  in  the  Avenue 
House  and  at  Baker's  headquarters,  and  that  Baker  declared  at  her  room  that 
on  his  own  authority  merely  he  arrested  both  herself  and  husband.  Mr. 
Spear,  Mr.  Jones,  Mr.  Smith,  and  Captain  Hines,  are  equally  positive  in  their 
testimony  that  no  arrest  or  imprisonment  took  place.  The  prosecuting  wit 
ness  acknowledges  and  exhibits  to  you  great  bitterness  of  feeling  against  Gen 
eral  Baker,  while  the  witnesses  in  his  behalf  are  persons  in  his  employ.  They 
may  on  both  sides,  whilst  not  intending  to  mislead  you,  be  so  influenced  by 
their  prejudices  and  feelings  as  to  give  an  account  of  the  transaction  which 
may  not  be  the  true  one.  You  will  reconcile  these  contradictory  statements, 
if  you  can,  with  the  theory  of  guilt  or  innocence  ;  but  if  you  are  left  by  them 
unable  to  determine  in  your  minds  that  he  is  guilty  beyond  a  reasonable 
doubt,  you  will  give  him  the  benefit  of  that  doubt. 

You  have  doubtless  wondered,  gentlemen,  that  a  case  of  misdemeanor  like 
this,  where  there  was  not  over  a  few  hours  restraint  of  liberty,  if  any  restraint 
at  all,  should  for  six  or  seven  days  have  drawn  here  so  large  a  crowd  of  spec 
tators,  and  why  such  an  array  of  counsel  should  have  been  retained  to  assist 
the  district  attorney  in  the  prosecution  of  this  case.  It  may  be  because  of 
the  jealousy  with  which  the  American  people  are  disposed  to  watch  every, 
even  the  slightest,  encroachment  upon  personal  liberty,  or  it  may  be  that  the 
explanation  is  to  be  found  in  the  remarks  of  the  counsel  who  first  addressed 
you  in  behalf  of  the  prosecution,  when  he  told  you  that  you  were  the  repre 
sentatives  of  the  people,  and  that  as  such  you  should  set  a  precedent,  by  your 
verdict  in  this  case,  to  be  followed  in  other  similar  cases  hereafter. 

Let  me  say  to  you,  gentlemen,  that  you  are  in  the  jury-box  only  as  the 
representatives  of  that  stern,  sublime,  and  holy  attribute  of  the  Almighty — 
His  eternal  justice.  You  may,  as  He  does,  temper  that  justice  with  mercy, 
but  the  justice  must  ever  be  maintained  in  its  integrity. 

You  have  also  been  reminded  by  the  counsel  for'the  prosecution,  that  the 
right  of  deciding  all  questions  of  law,  as  well  as  of  fact,  is  ultimately  with  the 
jury.  It  may  be  so,  gentlemen,  but  if  in  the  exercise  of  that  right  a  jury 
shall,  without  reason,  entirely  disregard  the  instructions  of  the  Court,  and 
decide  questions  of  law  for  themselves,  they  will  be  just  as  culpable  as 
though  they  should  decide  questions  of  fact  without  regard  to  the  testimony 
of  witnesses.  It  is  as  much  the  office  of  the  judge,  under  his  oath  of  office, 
to  testify  honestly  as  to  the  law  of  the  case,  as  it  is  the  duty  of  the  witness, 
under  his  oath,  to  testify  honestly  as  to  the  matters  of  fact  pertaining  to  it ; 
and  the  jury  are  just  as  much  bound  to  take  his  testimony  as  to  what  the 
law  is,  that  they  may  apply  it  to  the  case,  as  they  are  to  credit  the  testimony 
of  a  witness  who  stands  before  them  unimpeached  as  to  the  facts  involved  in 
it.  I  dismiss  the  subject  with  this  further  observation,  that  on  one  or  two 
occasions,  in  a  practice  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  I  have  heard  the 
counsel  for  the  accused,  in  cases  of  great  pressure,  remind  the  jury  that  the 

44 


690  UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 

law  as  well  as  the  fact  was  to  be  judged  by  them;  but  I  have  never  before 
heard  such  a  reminder  suggested  by  the  prosecution. 

You  will  take  the  case,  gentlemen,  and  determine  it  as  best  you  can, 
according  to  the  facts  testified  before  you,  under  the  light  of  the  instructions 
which  I  have  endeavored  to  give  you.  You  are  not  to  look  to  any  considera 
tion  of  party  or  public  clamor.  You  are  to  rise  above  such  influences,  and 
spurn  them  with  contempt.  You  are  to  hold  the  scales  of  justice  with  an 
even,  steady  nerve,  and  you  will  let  not  one  atom  of  any  tiling  but  the  law 
and  the  evidence  disturb  their  perfect  equipoise.  Convict  if  you  are  certain 
of  guilt ;  acquit  if  you  have  a  doubt. 

The  jury  took  the  case,  and  retired  at  ten  minutes  before  eleven  o'clock, 
and  after  an  absence  of  one  hour  and  twenty  minutes,  they  returned,  and 
returned  a  verdict  of  guilty  of  false  imprisonment,  but  not  guilty  of  extortion, 

THE   CASE   OF  DETECTIVE  BAKER. 

To-day,  F.  P.  Stanton,  of  the  counsel  of  Lafayette  Baker,  stated  in  the 
criminal  court  that  Baker  was  present  to  receive  sentence  in  the  case  of  the 
false  imprisonment  of  Mrs.  Cobb,  he  having  been  convicted  in  January  last. 
Mr.  Stanton  remarked  that  if  Mrs.  Cobb  had  any  title  to  the  money,  the  sum 
of  two  hundred  dollars,  of  which  it  is  alleged  Baker  robbed  her,  he  having 
taken  the  money  away  from  her  at  the  time  of  her  arrest,  and  which  he 
had  previously  marked  as  a  decoy,  she  had  her  remedy  at  law,  but  his 
counsel  did  not  concede  that  she  had  any  title  to  it. 

Judge  Fisher,  in  passing  sentence,  addressed  Baker  as  follows : — 
uYou  were  indicted  by  the  grand  inquest  for  the  County  of  Washington, 
in  November  last,  upon  a  charge  of  false  imprisonment.  The  indictment  found 
against  you  contained  two  counts:  the  first  count  for  the  false  imprisonment 
of  Mrs.  Lucy  L.  Cobb,  and  detaining  her  under  arrest  for  some  five  hours,  and 
until  she  had  paid  you  the  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  for  her  enlargement ;  and 
the  second  count  for  the  simple  false  imprisonment.  To  this  indictment  you 
pleaded  not  guilty,  and  put  yourself  upon  a  jury  of  your  country,  who,  upon 
a  fair  and  impartial  trial,  decided  by  their  verdict  that  you  were  guilty  as 
charged  in  the  second  count  of  the  indictment,  and  not  guilty  as  charged  in 
the  first  count.  The  effect  of  this  conviction  is  substantially,  as  I  understand 
it,  that  you  were  technically  guilty  of  that  offense  which  is  termed  false  im 
prisonment,  deducted  of  the  circumstances  of  aggravation  with  which  the  first 
count  in  the  indictment  sought  to  invest  it.  It  appeared  in  the  evidence,  to 
my  satisfaction,  certainly,  and,  I  doubt  not,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  jury  who 
convicted  you,  that  the  act  with  which  you  were  charged,  and  of  which  you 
were  convicted,  was  the  result  of  an  honest,  though  it  may  have  been  an  ill- 
advised  endeavor,  in  the  discharge  of  your  duty  as  a  Government  detective, 
to  discover  by  whom  and  by  what  means  certain  fraudulent  and  corrupt  prac 
tices  were  carried  on  against  the  Government  of  the  United  States  in  obtain 
ing  pardons  from  the  Executive.  Whether  you  were  successful  in  that  en 
deavor  I  know  not,  nor  is  it  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  this  case,  that  I 
should ;  nor  do  I  desire,  in  any  way  whatever,  to  intimate  any,  the  slightest, 


APPOINTMENT   OF  A  PARDON   AGENT.  691 

suspicion  that  the  party  arrested  was  one  of  those  who  were  engaged  in  the 
bad  business  of  obtaining  pardons  by  fraudulent  or  criminal  means,  or  by  any 
indirection  whatever;  but  after  fully  and  maturely,  and  I  hope  impartially, 
considering  all  the  circumstances  of  your  case,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  you  may  have  been  guilty  technically  of  the  offense  of  false  imprison 
ment,  there  are  not  apparent  in  it  any  circumstances  of  moral  turpitude  or  of 
malice,  or  of  such  ill-treatment  of  the  party  complaining  as  would  warrant 
me  in  visiting  upon  you  a  heavy  punishment.  The  case  presents  itself  to  me 
in  the  aspect  of  one  where  an  officer  of  the  Government,  in  a  zealous  effort  to 
discharge  his  duty,  may  have  been  led  by  his  zeal  to  go  a  hair's-breadth  too 
far,  and  done  an  act  which,  though  it  cannot  be  justified  in  law,  yet  which  ^ 
in  a  moral  point  of  view,  has  much  to  mitigate  the  punishment.  The  sentence 
of  the  Court,  therefore,  is,  that  you  pay  to  the  United  States  the  sum  of  one 
dollar  and  the  costs  of  the  prosecution." 

Baker  immediately  paid  the  fine  and  costs,  amounting  to  about  thirty-six 
dollars. 

District  Attorney  Carrington  entered  a  nolle  prosequi  in  the  other  indict 
ments  against  Baker  for  the  false  imprisonment  of  Joseph  R.  Cobb,  and  the 
three  indictments  against  Spear  for  false  imprisonment  and  robbing  Joseph  R. 
and  Lucy  L.  Cobb. 

The  impositions  and  frauds  practiced  upon  applicants  for 
pardon  at  the  capital  had  become  so  notorious,  that  the 
President,  under  the  advice  of  some  of  the  Provisional  Gov 
ernors  of  the  Southern  States,  decided  to  appoint  an  agent, 
who  should  reside  permanently  at  Washington,  whose  duty 
it  should  be  to  receive  all  the  applications,  to  place  them  on 
file  in  the  Attorney- General's  office,  receive  pardons  from 
the  Attorney -General,  and  forward  them  to  the  respective 
applicants.  It  was  claimed  by  the  President,  and  by  the 
Provisional  Governors,  that  the  Southern  people  were  sub 
jected,  not  only  to  great  expense  in  coming  to  and  going 
home  from  Washington,  and  their  hotel  bills  while  in  the 
city,  but  that  on  their  arrival  they  were  beset  by  male  and 
female  pardon  brokers,  and,  in  order  to  secure  their  pardons, 
were  obliged  to  submit  to  any  tax  that  the  pardon  brokers 
might  impose,  as  above  stated.  To  obviate  this  difficulty, 
the  President  appointed,  as  an  agent  for  this  purpose,  a  man 
reported  to  have  been  a  rebel  colonel.  It  was  advertised 
throughout  the  South  that  such  an  agent  had  been  appoint 
ed,  and  consequently  those  desiring  pardons  were  requested 
to  forward  their  applications  to  said  agent.  In  pursuance 
of  this  notice,  applications  came  forward  in  great  numbers. 


692 


UNITED   STATES   SECRET   SERVICE. 


They  were  taken  to  the  Attorney-General' s  office  ;  pardons 
were  issued  and  returned  by  the  Attorney- General  to  the 
agent,  and  by  the  agent  taken  to  Adams  &  Co.'s  Express 
office.  Instead  of  doing  the  business  gratuitously,  and,  as 
at  first  alleged,  to  break  up  this  fraud  and  imposition  prac 
tised  by  pardon  brokers  in  Washington,  the  rebel  agents 
sent  the  pardons  through  the  Express  Company,  with  in 
structions  to  collect,  on  delivery,  one  hundred  dollars.  The 
following  is  a  list,  copied  from  the  books  of  Adams  &  Co., 
of  a  few  of  the  names  of  these  applicants.  Those  books 
show  that  over  thirteen  thousand  pardons  were  procured  by 
this  agent,  and  forwarded  through  the  Express. 

Pardon. 

Nov.  10 T.  Pollard Montgomery,  Ala 

"     10 D.  C.  Anderson Mobile,  " 

"     10 C.  Hopkins "  " 

'•     10. ..  .Eli  Shorter Eufala,  " 

10 E.  J.  Kelhemer Selma,  " 

10 George  Hughley West  Point,  Ga 

10.... T.  F.  Nolan "  " 

10 W.  C.  Darden "  " 

11 M.  L.  Walker "  " 

15 Amos  Hughley "  " 

15 W.  C.  Ray Montgomery,  A 

15   . .  ,L.  W.  Lawler Selma, 

15. . .  .H.  C.  Sempler Montgomery, 

15 James  T.  Holtyclan " 

15 John  W.  Malone Athens, 

15. ..  .Colonel  S.  Owen Montgomery, 

16. ..  .Lewis  Owen " 

1C E.  W.  Pettis Selma, 

16. ..  .D.  C.  Anderson Mobile, 

16 J.  C.  Anderson " 

16. ..  .  J.  F.  Holtyclan Montgomery,    . 

17 Dr.  Blount " 

20. . .  .E.  Tardy Mobile, 

20.... M.  H.  Bloodgood " 

21 II.  P.  Watson Montgomery, 

"     22 M.  T.  Walker West  Point,  Ga 

"     22 George  Hillyer Atlanta, 

"     24   ..  .L.  W.  Lawler Selma, 

"     24 M.  T.  Walker West  Point, 

The  history  of  Executive  pardons,  from  the  spring  of 
1865  to  the  present  date,  would  be  a  record  unparalleled  in 
national  annals  for  its  disregard  of  any  fixed  principles  of 


a  ...        1 

$100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

...    .     1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

Ja   .         1 

100 

'        .     1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

1 

100 

2 

100 

100 

1 

100 

2 

100 

2 

100 

1 

100 

100 

100 

100 

100 

CONCLUDING-  REMARKS.  693 

justice.  Female  influence,  old  prejudices  and  sympathies, 
and  political  affinities,  seem  to  liaye  been  the  reasons  for 
clemency  in  a  majority  of  cases. 

In  the  narration  of  my  official  experience,  of  course, 
much  was  left  out  of  the  "book,  whose  interest  was  equal  to 
any  thing  included  in  it,  because  the  time  has  not  yet  come 
for  its  publication.  But  one  thing  is  certain — when  a  full 
and  accurate  history  is  written,  the  Republican  party,  with 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  its  head,  in  its  general  character  and 
measures  will  be  vindicated,  whatever  individual  ambition 
and  corruption  might  have  done  in  the  name  of  Liberty  and 
the  Union.  It  will  appear  that  the  ruling  spirit  of  the  rebel 
lion  was  only  subdued  by  force  of  arms,  and  that  the  golden 
opportunity  to  complete  the  work,  in  a  righteous  peace,  was 
sacrificed  by  the  very  first  acts  of  the  Johnson  policy  ;  and 
that  more  was  accomplished  to  undo  the  achievements  of  a 
great  conflict,  and  revive  the  hopes  of  the  conquered,  during 
the  first  six  months  of  "Andy  Johnson's"  administration, 
than  ever  before  in  the  wake  of  any  victory,  so  vast  and 
complete,  in  the  annals  of  the  world.  But  there  is  a  "  silver 
lining  to  the  cloud ' '  now,  as  when  it  was  charged  with  the 
bolts  of  war.  The  same  good  and  wrong  occupying  Provi 
dence  which  threatened  the  despot,  and  threatened  plottings 
of  any  conspiracy  before  such  times  began,  and  has  brought, 
in  unexpected  ways,  secret  crimes  against  humanity  and  the 
State  to  light,  to  judgment,  and  to  punishment,  since  this 
work  has  been  in  press,  has  moved  the  people,  through  the 
State  elections  in  nearly  half  of  the  Union,  to  pronounce  a 
verdict  against  compromise  with  treason,  whose  tone  of 
thunder  reverberates  over  the  land,  and  whose  echoes  will 
linger  in  the  White  House  until  its  present  occupant  ceases 
to  dishonor  it.  And  no  one  more  fervently  than  the  writer 
of  these  necessarily  imperfect  annals  can  hope,  that  never 
more,  in  the  future  of  this  already  costly  but  glorious  Re 
public,  may  occur  the  occasion  for  the  service  of  a  National 
Detective  Police,  to  divine  the  lawless  plotters  and  specula 
tors  at  the  expense  of  its  safety  and  honor,  and  to  protect  the 
loyal  citizens  who  love  and  are  ready  to  die  for  its  unity  and 
perpetuity. 


APPENDIX. 

FURTHER  INVESTIGATIONS  IN  THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 


As  it  will  doubtless  be  of  interest  to  my  readers,  I  give 
some  additional  testimony  before  the  Congressional  Com 
mittee,  in  relation  to  the  frauds  and  other  malpractices  in 
the  Treasury  Department. 

By  Mr.  Garfield : 

Question.  You  have  been  summoned  to  appear  before  this  committee  with 
all  the  papers,  documents,  and  depositions  you  have  respecting  the  printing 
or  publication  of  the  public  money,  or  the  persons  engaged  therein.  You  will 
proceed  to  give  us  what  information  you  have  in  relation  to  affairs  in  the 
Treasury  Department,  as  regards  the  printing  of  the  fractional  currency,  and  as 
to  the  character  of  any  person  engaged  therein. 

Answer.  I  suppose  the  committee  will  expect  me  to  make  a  statement  in 
reference  to  the  manner  in  which  I  came  to  go  into  the  Department,  in  the  first 
place,  to  make  the  investigation.  I  was  sent  for,  on  or  about  the  20th  of  De 
cember  last,  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  in  answer  to  that  summons 
I  was  informed  that  there  was  some  suspicion  that  there  was  something  wrong 
in  the  department.  I  inquired  in  reference  to  whom  the  persons  were  upon 
whom  suspicion  rested ;  and  I  was  told  they  were  Mr.  Stuart  Gwynn,  Mr.  ff 
A.  Henderson,  and  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark.  I  think  I  was  directed  by  Mr.  Chase  to 
go  to  Mr.  Jordan,  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury,  for  the  particulars  as  to  what  I 
was  expected  to  do  in  the  Department.  I  went  to  Mr.  Jordan,  and  told  him  it 
was  impossible  for  me  to  make  any  investigations  in  the  Department,  as  my 
time  was  taken  up,  night  and  day,  in  investigations  in  the  quartermasters' 
department,  and,  besides,  I  was  a  commissioned  officer  of  the  War  Depart 
ment,  and  was  not  at  liberty  to  undertake  any  investigation  in  the  Treasury 
Department.  I  left  the  Department,  but  on  the  following  day  I  received  an 
order,  signed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in  substance  as  follows : — 

By  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  you  are  ordered  to  report  to  the 
Treasury  Department,  for  the  purpose  of  making  such  investigations  as  may  bo 
deemed  necessary. 


696  APPENDIX. 

I  think  that  is  the  substance  of  the  order.  The  first  arrest  made  was  that 
of  Charles  Cornwell,  who  belonged  to  the  Redemption  department.  Cornwell 
was  detected  in  stealing  money  from  the  burning  or  Redemption  department. 
On  the  following  day  he  was  arrested,  and,  by  Mr.  Johnson's  order,  was  com 
mitted  to  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  and  thirty-one  or  thirty -two  thousand  dollars 
were  taken  from  him,  which  he  admitted  was  stolen  from  the  department. 
Most  of  it  was  in  five-twenty  bonds,  and  some  of  it  was  in  Treasury  notes. 
Within  two  or  three  days  after  this  arrest,  I  was  sent  for  by  Mr.  Jordan.  I 
met  Mr.  Jordan,  Mr.  Mansell  B.  Field,  Mr.  L.  E.  Chittenden,  and  Mr.  McCul- 
loch,  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury,  and  I  think  Mr.  B.  F.  Spinner  was  pres 
ent.  The  substance  of  the  inquiry  at  this  time  was  in  reference  to  Dr.  Gwynn 
and  his  operations  in  the  Treasury  Department.  I  reported  to  these  gentle 
men  that  I  had  made  some  inquiries  and  investigations  in  regard  to  Dr.  Gwynn, 
and  from  those  investigations  had  become  satisfied  that  he  was  engaged  in  an 
operation  in  the  Treasury  Department  involving  the  outlay  of  a  great  deal  of 
money  and  the  consumption  of  a  great  deal  of  time  unnecessarily,  and  that  his 
presses,  plans,  and  machinery  would  never  work.  This  information,  I  will 
state,  I  obtained  from  such  men  as  Mr.  Neil,  superintendent  of  plate  printing 
under  Mr.  Clark,  and  Mr.  Corbin,  a  man  represented  to  me  as  being  a  man  of 
scientific  ability  in  that  particular  line  of  printing  and  engraving.  At  the 
interview  referred  to  with  those  gentlemen,  Jordan,  Chittenden,  and  others,  I 
stated  the  result  of  the  partial  investigations  I  had  made.  The  question  arose 
then  as  to  what  should  be  the  next  step  taken  in  the  matter.  I  recommended 
the  immediate  arrest  of  Dr.  Gwynn ;  Mr.  Chittenden,  I  think,  favored  the 
recommendation;  I  think  Mr.  Field  did  also;  I  think  Mr.  Jordan  had  very 
little  to  say  about  it  on  that  occasion.  My  recommendation,  however,  was 
not  acted  on  at  that  interview,  and  the  interview  was  broken  up  and  I  went 
away. 

On  the  following  day  I  was  sent  for  by  Mr.  Jordan;  I  think  this  was  the 
4th  or  5th  of  January  last,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect.  I  entered  more  into 
detail  with  Mr.  Jordan  in  reference  to  these  matters,  and  made  some  explana 
tions  and  statements  referring  him  particularly  to  those  presses  that  had  been 
bought  by  Dr.  Gwynn,  and  asked  him  to  go  with  me  to  look  at  them ;  he  did 
not,  however,  go  with  me  on  that  occasion.  On  the  following  day  I  was  sent 
for  again.  I  recommended  that  either  Mr.  Field  or  Mr.  Jordan  should  go 
through  the  building  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  examination  of  what  was 
being  done  in  Mr.  Clark's  department,  and  more  particularly  in  reference  to 
the  manufacture  of  the  membrane  paper,  which  was  represented  to  me  as 
being  made  exclusively  in  the  Treasury  Department ;  we  obtained  a  permit 
from  Mr.  Chase,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  went  through  Mr.  Clark's 
department ;  and  on  inquiry  of  Mr.  Clark  as  to  where  the  paper  was  manu 
factured,  he  told  us  he  did  not  think  it  would  be  possible  for  us  to  get  access 
to  the  room  where  it  was  manufactured,  that  Dr.  Gwynn  had  thrown  aroun^, 
the  manufacture  of  this  paper  all  sorts  of  restrictions  to  prevent  its  being  coun 
terfeited,  and  in  order  to  prevent  any  of  it  from  getting  out  of  the  building, 
but  that  he  would  go  with  us  and  show  us  where  the  room  was,  at  the  same 
time  remarking  that  he  did  not  think  we  should  be  able  to  get  in  there;  wo 
went  to  the  room  and  tried  one  or  two  doors,  but  found  them  locked  ;  we 
filially  went  around  through  the  heating  or  furnace  room  and  found  a  door 


APPENDIX.  697 

which  stood  wide  open  ;  we  went  into  the  room,  which  was  eighty  to  one 
hundred  feet  long ;  there  were  six  or  seven  girls  in  the  room,  some  of  them 
at  work  scrubbing  the  floor,  and  some  of  them  picking  up  paper ;  I  found  two 
or  three  doors  leading  out  of  this  room  into  the  hall,  where  there  were  some 
workmen  engaged  in  laying  the  pavement  in  the  open  corridor.  I  saw  work 
men  and  laborers  passing  from  this  room  into  the  hall ;  Mr.  Field  called  my 
attention  to  it,  and  remarked  that  it  was  singular  that  paper  should  be  manu 
factured  in  that  way,  with  so  little  restriction  about  it.  I  then  suggested  to 
Mr.  Field  that  he  should  ask  the  young  man  in  charge,  Mr.  Hudson,  who  was 
there  as  Dr.  Gwynn's  agent,  clerk,  or  superintendent,  what  means  or  mode  he 
had  of  knowing  how  much  paper  he  had  on  hand,  how  much  he  manufactured, 
how  much  he  sent  to  the  printing  room,  and  what  means'  he  had  of  prevent 
ing  people  from  stealing  it ;  he  did  so,  and  the  reply  was,  u  None,  whatever, 
except  we  count  the  sheets  at  night."  We  had  some  further  conversation, 
which  I  do  not  recollect  now.  At  my  suggestion,  Mr.  Field  sat  down  at  the 
desk,  ordered  the  room  cleared  of  every  one  in  it,  ordered  it  closed,  and  took 
possession  of  the  paper,  machinery,  and  every  thing  in  it,  and  Mr.  Field  took 
the  key;  the  young  man,  however,  who  had  charge  of  the  room,  wanted  Mr. 
Field  to  give  him  a  receipt  for  what  was  in  the  room,  which  Mr.  Field  de 
clined  to  do,  but  he  gave  him  a  copy  of  the  order,  and  took  possession  of  the 
room.  I  think  this  occurred  the  day  or  the  day  before  Dr.  Gwynn's  arrest ; 
it  was  decided,  however,  that  Dr.  Gwynn  should  be  arrested.  I  went  up  into 
Dr.  Gwynn's  room,  which  is  in  the  third  story,  to  bring  him  down  into  Mr. 
Jordan's  room,  where  Mr.  Chittenden  and  Mr.  Field  were  sitting.  When  I 
brought  him  down  and  stopped  at  the  room  I  found  they  had  gone,  and  I  took 
Dr.  Gwynn  to  my  office.  I  immediately  returned  to  Mr.  Jordan,  took  one  of 
my  officers  with  me,  told  Mr.  Jordan  that  Dr.  Gwynn  was  at  my  office,  and 
asked  him  to  send  a  man  with  me  to  Dr.  Gwynn's  room  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  possession  of  all  the  letters  and  papers  which  he  had  in  his  room.  He 
put  on  his  hat  and  said  he  would  go  with  me  himself;  we  went  up  and  locked 
the  door  on  the  inside ;  Sergeant  Lee,  of  my  office,  was  with  us ;  we  gathered 
up  the  letters,  papers,  specimens  of  printing,  and  whatever  we  could  find,  and 
at  Jordan's  direction  they  were  carried  to  my  office.  In  going  down  stairs,  I 
told  Jordan  I  would  look  over  the  papers  as  soon  as  I  could,  and  make  a 
report.  In  the  mean  time,  Dr.  Gwynn  was  placed  in  charge  of  an  officer 
that  night,  and  the  next  morning  I  reported  to  Jordan  that  I  had  found  suffi 
cient  against  Dr.  Gwynn  to  convict  him ;  he  then  gave  me  an  order  directed 
to  the  superintendent  of  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  in  the  following  words : — 

You  will  receive  and  retain  in  close  custody,  until  further  orders,  Dr. 
Stuart  Gwynn.  By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury : 

EDWIN  JORDAN,  Solicitor. 

I  do  not  know  that  I  can  better  inform  the  committee  of  what  transpired 
after  this  time  than  by  reading  a  report  which  I  made  to  Mr.  Jordan,  dated 
April  1,  1864. 

The  witness  here  read  a  copy  of  the  report  referred  to,  and  which  is 
marked,  among  the  papers  of  the  committee,  "  Exhibit  A." 

By  Mr.  Wilson : 

Question.  At  what  time  was  that  report  delivered  to  the  Solicitor  of  the 
Treasury? 


698  APPENDIX. 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  delivered  on  the  4th  or  5th  of  last  month — April. 
I  am  not  certain  as  to  the  exact  date,  but  my  hooks  will  show. 

Q.  At  what  time  was  the  arrest  of  Dr.  Gwynn  mad*? 

A.  On  the  6th  of  January  last. 

Q.  What  was  the  occasion  of  the  delay  in  delivering  the  report  to  the 
Solicitor  of  the  Treasury? 

A.  It  was  a  report  requiring  some  time  to  make  out.  I  will  state  to  the 
committee  that  I  had  supposed,  when  I  went  into  the  Treasury  Department 
to  make  the  investigation,  I  was  to  be  aided  by  the  heads  of  the  bureaus.  I 
found,  however,  when  I  got  in  there  to  make  it,  that  there  was  no  one  in 
clined  to  assist  me  at  all. 

Q.  The  first  suggestions  to  you  in  relation  to  the  operations  of  Gwynn,  I 
understood  you  to  say,  came  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  came  from  the  Secretary,  directly,  or 
from  Mr.  Jordan.  My  interviews  generally  were  with  Mr.  Jordan,  and,  in 
fact,  I  did  all  my  business  with  Mr.  Jordan.  In  making  out  this  report,  I 
had  occasion  to  call  on  Mr.  Corbin,  whose  name  I  have  mentioned,  and  im 
mediately  after  he  furnished  me  with  those  statistics,  referred  to  in  the  report, 
he  was  dismissed  by  order  of  the  Secretary. 

Q.  How  did  you  become  possessed  of  the  fact  that  he  was  dismissed  ? 

A.  I  saw  the  order  dismissing  him. 

By  Mr.  Garfield : 

Q.  From  all  the  data  in  your  possession,  what  amount  of  fractional  cur 
rency  do  you  suppose  they  could  possibly  have  worked  off  during  all  this 
time  in  all  their  operations? 

A.  That  is  a  subject  to  which  I  have  given  no  attention. 

By  Mr.  Wilson : 

Q.  How  many  roller  presses  had  they  in  operation  at  the  time  you  made 
the  examination  ? 

A.  I  think  they  had  about  one  hundred. 

By  Mr.  Brooks : 

Q.  Who  was  this  Mr.  Gorbin  ? 

A.  He  was  an  employee  of  Mr.  Clark. 

Q.  What  was  his  business? 

A.  He  was  there  as  an  experimenter.  He  is  a  Prussian,  an  engraver  by 
trade,  and  a  chemist. 

Q.  In  your  report,  you  spoke,  at  the  close,  of  accompanying  documents. 
What  did  that  refer  to  ? 

A.  The  letters  and  correspondence  which  passed  between  Dr.  Gwynn  and 
Clark  and  others. 

Q.  Where  are  they? 

A.  With  the  original  report.  The  Secretary  or  Mr.  Jordan  has  that.  All 
the  letters  referred  to  in  that  report  can  be  had  by  applying  to  Mr.  Jordan. 

By  Mr.  Wilson  : 

Q.  You  stated  that  you  advised  Dr.  Gwynn's  immediate  arrest? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


APPENDIX.  699 

Q.  Have  yon  stated,  in  your  report  to  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury,  all  the 
facts  upon  which  you  advised  the  arrest  of  Gwynn  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  have.  Before  those  interviews  of  which  I  spoke,  with 
Jordan,  Ohittenden,  and  others,  we  had  got  possession  of  certain  bills  which 
had  been  rendered  by  Gwynn  to  the  Department,  and  on  which  Gwynn  had 
obtained  money.  On  inquiry  of  those  persons  whom  the  bills  represented, 
we  found  that  they  had  not  received  the  money.  Mr.  Jordan  directed  that 
copies  of  the  invoice  book  should  be  made  out.  They  were  brought  down  to 
him,  and  it  was  decided  upon  them  and  other  papers  that  Gwynn  had 
received  thirty -five  thousand  dollars  for  certain  bills  which  he  had  not  paid. 
That  was  the  charge  on  which  I  recommended  that  Dr.  Gwynn  should  bo 
arrested. 

Q.  Are  you  prepared  to  state  that  those  parties  who  should  have  received 
that  money,  according  to  your  view  of  the  case,  had  charged  these  accounts 
to  the  Government,  and  not  to  Mr.  Gwynn  ? 

A.  I  can  only  say  what  the  parties  stated  to  me ;  and  one  stated  under 
oath  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in  my  presence,  that  he  had  made  the 
charges  on  his  books  to  the  Treasury  Department. 

Q.  When  was  that  statement  made  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  made  the  day  after  Gwynn  was  arrested. 

Q.  At  the  time  you  advised  the  arrest,  did  you  know  that  any  of  the 
accounts  upon  which  Gwynn  had  received  money  from  the  Department  were 
charged,  by  the  parties  of  whom  Gwynn  received  materials  and  machinery, 
to  the  Government  of  the  United  States? 

A.  We  knew  it  this  far.  Mr.  Jordan  and  Mr.  Chittenden  had  asked  Gen 
eral  Spinner  and  other  heads  of  departments  to  bring  to  Mr.  Jordan's  office 
their  books,  in  order  to  ascertain  what  bills  had  been  paid.  From  those  books 
it  was  ascertained  that  certain  moneys  had  been  paid  Gwynn ;  and  it  was 
from  the  same  books  ascertained,  or  from  the  statement  of  parties  to  whom 
the  money  was  to  be  paid,  that  they  had  not  received  the  money.  I  recollect 
that  the  matter  was  talked  over  by  all  of  us  together,  two  or  three  mornings. 
Mr.  Chittenden,  particularly,  took  a  great  interest  in  it,  and  said  he  was  satis 
fied  money  had  been  paid  to  Gwynn  which  he  had  not  paid  over  to  the  par 
ties  at  all.  For  example,  Gwynn  had  represented  to  certain  parties  in  the 
Department  that  he  had  paid  Woodruff  &  Beach,  a  manufacturing  company  at 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  for  presses.  We  knew  he  had  not,  for  I  had  sent 
down,  in  the  mean  time,  and  ascertained  that  they  had  not  received  the 
money.  I  had  requested  Woodruff  to  come  to  Washington,  and  he  was  then 
in  the  city.  When  these  bills  were  brought  in,  Mr.  Chittenden  got  the  war 
rant,  which  passed  through  the  Treasury  Department,  for  some  forty-three 
thousand  dollars,  which  had  been  paid  to  Gwynn.  General  Spinner,  Mr. 
Field,  or  some  one  of  the  heads  of  bureaus  present,  said  that  he  recollected 
that  Gwynn,  when  he  made  the  requisition  for  the  sum  of  forty-two  or  forty- 
three  thousand  dollars,  stated  that  a  portion  of  it  was  to  go  to  the  Woodruff 
&  Beach  Manufacturing  Company.  I  told  them  I  had  sent  to  Hartford,  and 
had  ascertained  that  none  of  the  money  had  gone  to  that  manufacturing 
company,  and  that  Mr.  Woodruff  himself  was  in  this  city.  After  that,  Mr. 
Woodruff  went  before  the  Secretary,  and  made  a  sworn  statement  of  the 
fact. 


700  APPENDIX. 

67  Mr.  Garfield: 

Q.  What  knowledge  have  you,  if  any,  in  relation  to  Mr.  Clark's  operations 
in  the  Treasury  Department,  in  connection  with  the  feirf&le  employees  there  ? 

A.  I  have  a  number  of  affidavits  here  in  reference  to  this  matter,  and  I 
desire  to  state  how  I  procured  them.  In  the  first  place,  I  had  heard  various 
rumors  about  Olark  in  connection  with  certain  women  in  his  employ.  Mr. 
Schmidt,  a  German,  a  confidential  agent  of  Mr.  Chase,  and  who  has  recently 
gone  to  California,  came  to  me  and  gave  me  the  names  of  two  of  these  women, 
and  told  me  where  they  resided,  and  told  me  he  thought  those  women  were 
being  improperly  used  by  Mr.  Clark.  I  immediately  took  measures  to  ascer 
tain  where  their  rooms  were,  and  then  took  measures  to  get  possession  of 
certain  correspondence  and  of  a  certain  diary  kept  by  one  of  those  girls.  I 
got  the  original  diary,  and  copied  the  whole  of  it.  I  got  possession  of  letters 
and  notes  from  Mr.  Clark,  which  I  have  here ;  also  letters  from  Mr.  Hender 
son  to  these  girls.  After  I  had  ascertained  all  these  facts,  I  sent  for  one  of 
these  girls.  I  did  not  tell  her  what  I  wanted  of  her.  I  began  by  asking  her 
some  questions  about  her  connection  with  the  Treasury  Department.  I  asked 
her  how  long  she  had  been  there,  and  she  told  me.  I  asked  her  where  she 
was  on  a  certain  night ;  asked  her  if  she  did  not  go  to  the  Central  Hotel,  and 
sleep  with  Clark  that  night.  She  said  she  did.  After  I  had  put  all  the 
questions  to  her  I  desired,  I  asked  her  if  she  had  any  objections  to  making  a 
statement.  She  said  she  had  not.  I  then  wrote  this  statement  which  I  hold 
in  my  hand,  and  read  it  to  her  very  carefully,  three  or  four  times,  and  then 
handed  it  to  her,  and  allowed  her  to  read  it  herself.  I  then  sent  for  a  notary, 
and  had  him  read  it  to  her,  and  had  her  read  it  to  the  notary. 

Q.  Was  she  an  employee  in  the  Department  ? 

A.  She  was  an  employee  in  the  numbering  room  of  the  Treasury  Depart 
ment. 

Q.  At  this  time  ? 

A.  I  suppose  she  is  there,  for  I  saw  her  there  to-day,  sitting  in  the 
window  eating  her  dinner.  The  room  of  this  girl,  Ella  Jackson,  is  at  276 
Pennsylvania  Avenue.  In  the  same  building  there  is  residing  a  Miss  Ada 
Thompson,  who  has  no  connection  with  the  Department,  and,  so  far  as  I  can 
ascertain,  is  a  very  respectable  woman.  I  have  heard  nothing  against  her. 
She  occupied  a  room  adjoining  Ella  Jackson  for  a  long  time.  It  was  through 
her  that  I  first  obtained  access  to  the  papers  to  which  I  have  referred.  My 
detective  first  obtained  access  to  the  room  to  get  possession  of  those  papers. 
I  do  not  know  that  it  is  necessary  to  enter  into  the  minutiae  of  the  operations 
of  my  detectives.  I  will  read  the  statement  of  Miss  Ada  Thompson  and  the 
statement  of  Miss  Ella  Jackson. 

The  witness  here  read  the  papers  referred  to,  and  which  are  marked, 
among  the  papers  of  the  committee,  respectively,  Exhibits  B  and  C. 

By  Mr.  Wilson : 

Q.  Were  these  statements  placed  before  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  ? 

A.  They  were.  Mr.  Jordan  told  me  he  had  taken  the  statements  to  Mr. 
Chase,  and  that  Mr.  Chase  had  requested  him  to  send  for  those  girls  and  the 
persons  making  these  affidavits,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  whether  they  would 
make  the  same  statements  before  him  (Mr.  Jordan)  that  they  had  before  me. 


APPENDIX.  701 

Mr.  Jordan  sent  for  the  girls,  and  he  gave  me  the  result  of  his  interview  with 
them.  It  was  this.  He  told  them  he  wanted  them  to  understand  that  they 
were  there  in  his  room  under  no  restraint  whatever,  and  that  they  were  at 
liberty  to  take  back  the  whole  of  the  statements  they  had  made  to  me,  if  they 
thought  proper.  He  asked  them  if  they  had  sworn  to  those  statements. 
They  said  they  had.  He  then  read  the  statements  over  to  them  carefully, 
and  in  one  or  two  instances  they  made  some  immaterial  corrections  as  to  dates. 
Mr.  Jordan's  language  to  me  was:  "  All  the  statements  were  sustained."  He 
also  stated  to  me  that  the  Secretary  required  him  to  make  out  a  report;  that 
he  did  make  out  a  report,  in  which  he  stated  that  he  had  carefully  examined 
all  the  persons  who  had  made  affidavits,  and  that  he  found  that  they  corrobo 
rated  the  statements  of  those  girls,  with  some  immaterial  corrections. 

Q.  At  whose  instance  did  you  commence  the  investigation  as  to  these 
females  ? 

A.  At  the  instance  of  Mr.  Jordan  and  Mr.  Ohittenden. 

Q.  You  have  spoken  of  three  statements.     Are  those  all  you  have  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  have  here  some  seven  or  eight  statements. 

Q.  How  many  of  those  girls  still  remain  employed  in  the  Treasury 
Department? 

A.  All  of  them  but  one,  and  she  left  of  her  own  accord.  The  question 
came  up,  one  day,  as  to  the  propriety  of  discharging  the  girls,  and  Mr.  Jordan 
and  Mr.  Chittenden  both  insisted  that  they  should  not  be  discharged  until  Mr. 
Clark  was.  Hence  the  girls  have  been  kept  there  until  the  present  time. 

By  Mr.  Dawson :  , 

Q.  Have  you  had  any  conversation  with  Clark  about  these  affidavits  ? 

A.  I  have  had  none. 

Q.  Have  they  been  communicated  to  him  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  Mr.  Chase  requested  Mr.  Jordan  to  send  for  Mr.  Clark  and 
read  the  affidavits  to  him.  Clark  came  down  into  Jordan's  room,  and  Jordan 
showed  him  the  affidavit  of  Ella  Jackson  first.  He  looked  at  it  and  threw  it 
across  the  table,  saying,  "Yes,  sir  ;  I  know  all  about  this.  I  deny  yonr  right, 
or  the  right  of  Mr.  Chase,  to  question  my  private  character." 

Q.  When  was  that? 

A.  Quite  recently — within  the  last  two  weeks. 

By  Mr.  Garfield : 

Q.  State  to  the  committee  briefly  what  other  matters  you  have  here  in 
the  way  of  affidavits,  and  what  are  the  facts  substantially. 

A.  I  have  an  affidavit  of  Miss  Germon,  who  corroborates  every  statement 
made  by  Miss  Ada  Thompson  and  Miss  Jackson.  There  is  also  the  statement 
of  Laura  Duvall,  who  is  now  in  the  Department.  Here  is  a  statement  of  Mr. 
Spurgeon,  a  job  printer,  now  working  for  Polkinhorn,  of  this  city.  He  cor 
roborates  all  the  other  statements.  There  are  also  statements  of  Mano  Lulley 
and  Anthony  Lulley.  Mano  Lulley  resides  at  No.  406  K  Street. 

May  14th,  I  forwarded  the  following  statement :— 


702  APPENDIX. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  14, 1864. 

General  GARFIELD,   Chairman  of  Treasury  Department  Investigating  Ocm- 
mittee : — 

SIE— I  am  to-day  informed  that  Miss  Ella  Jackson,  one  of  the  women  who 
made  certain  sworn  statements  concerning  S.  M.  Clark,  has  removed  to  No. 
425  Eleventh  Street,  this  city. 

I  would  respectfully  recommend  that  the  committee  send  for  Mr.  G.  A. 
Henderson,  who  will,  no  doubt,  give  some  important  facts  concerning  Clark's 
assignations  with  various  female  employees  of  his  bureau,  but  'more  particu 
larly  in  relation  to  the  evening  spent  at  the  Central  Hotel  with  Miss  Jackson 
and  Miss  Germon. 

I  am  reliably  informed  that  S.  M.  Clark  has  to-day  circulated  among  the 
female  employees  of  his  bureau  a  certificate,  which  he  (Clark)  has  required 
these  females  to  sign,  setting  forth  that  he  (Clark)  had  invariably  deported 
himself  with  propriety  toward  these  female  employees. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Special  Agent  War  Department. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  19, 1864, 

Hon.  Mr.  GARFIELD,  Chairman  of  Treasury  Investigating  Committee  : — 

SIR — Herewith  please  find  a  statement  submitted  to  me  by  the  father  of 
the  young  lady  referred  to.  Mr.  Weeden  (the  father)  is  a  very  respectable 
and  reliable  mechanic,  and  now  employed  in  the  Navy  Yard  at  Washington. 

If  you  deem  it  proper  to  send  for  him  (which  I  trust  you  will),  he  will 
place  you  ir  possession  of  all  the  facts  connected  with  the  matter.  There  is 
no  question  as  to  the  truth  of  that  portion  of  the  statement  referring  to  the 
mulatto  woman,  Catharine  Dodson.  There  are  other  similar  cases  in  which 
she  has  figured  in  precisely  the  same  manner. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  L.  C.  BAKER, 

Colonel,  and  Agent  War  Department. 

WASHINGTON,  May  20, 1864. 
Hon.  P.  H.  WATSON,  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  :— 

SIR — You  are  doubtless  aware  of  the  startling  developments  recently  made 
in  the  Treasury  Department,  through  my  instrumentality.  A  Congressional 
committee  of  nine,  from  the  Senate  and  House,  have  for  some  days  been  in 
session,  making  investigations. 

The  proof  is  so  overwhelming  and  positive  in  its  character,  that  even  Mr. 
Chase's  personal  friends  are  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  his  (Mr.  Chase's)  char 
acter  and  reputation. 

A  republican  member  of  the  committee  referred  to  called  on  me  late  last 
evening,  and  asked  me  where  a  subpoena  would  reach  you.  That  he  desired 
to  show  by  you  what  my  character,  position,  and  standing  had  been  for  two 
years  p.i^t  in  tin.'  War  Department;  whether  I  was  worthy  of  trust  or  not, 
&c.  1  informed  Inin  that  I  did  not  know  your  whereabouts,  but*  would  ascer- 


APPENDIX.  703 

tain  and  let  him  know.     This  morning  I  called  on  Mr.  Whiting,  who  kindly 
furnished  me  with  the  desired  information. 

After  your  many  acts  of  kindness  and  consideration  toward  me,  I  regret 
the  necessity  that  compels  the  committee  to  send  for  you  on  my  account.  ^ 

If  you  deem  it  consistent  and  proper  to  send  me  a  statement,  in  writing 
(which  I  can  place  before  the  committee  at  the  proper  time),  as  to  my  status, 
character,  and  reputation  in  the  War  Department,  I  would  consider  myself 
under  various  obligations. 

The  First  District  Columbia  Cavalry  have  done  nobly  in  the  recent  battles 
under  General  Butler  (see  official  report  of  General  Kautz) ;  the  repeating 
rifles  do  the  work  cleverly,  showing  the  wisdom  of  the  Assistant  Secretary  of 
War  in  directing  the  purchase  of  this  most  effective  weapon. 

I  am   sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  L-  °-  BAKER, 

Colonel  and  Agent  War  Department. 


ACTUAL  BURIAL-PLACE   OF  BOOTH. 

In  compliance  with  a  promise  made  in  the  Prospectus  of  this  work,  as  well 
as  to  gratify  public  curiosity,  and,  if  possible,  forever  put  at  rest  the  many 
absurd  and  foolish  rumors  in  circulation  concerning  the  final  disposition  ot 
the  remains  of  the  assassin,  J.  Wilkes  Booth,  I  submit  the  following  facts  :— 
In  order  to  establish  the  identity  of  the  body  of  the  assassin  beyond  all 
question,  the  Secretary  of  War  directed  me  to  summon  a  number  of  witnesses 
residing  in  the  city  of  Washington,  who  had  previously  known  the  murderer. 
Some  two  years  previous  to  the  assassination  of  the  President,  Booth  had  had 
a  tumor  or  carbuncle  cut  from  his  neck  by  a  surgeon.  On  inquiry,  I  ascer 
tained  that  Dr.  May,  a  well-known  and  very  skillful  surgeon,  of  twenty-five 
years'  practice  in  Washington,  had  performed  the  operation. 

Accordingly  I  called  on  Dr.  May,  who,  before  seeing  the  body,  minutely 
described  the  exact  locality  of  the  tumor,  the  nature  and  date  of  the  opera 
tion,  &c,  After  being  sworn,  he  pointed  to  the  scar  on  the  neck,  which  was 
then  plainly  visible.  Five  other  witnesses  were  examined,  all  of  whom  had 
known  the  assassin  intimately  for  years.  The  various  newspaper  accounts, 
referring  to  the  mutilation  of  Booth's  body,  are  equally  absurd.  General 
Barnes,  Surgeon-General  U.  S.  A.,  was  on  board  the  gun-boat  where  the 
post-mortem  examination  was  held,  with  his  assistants.  General  Barnes  cut 
from  Booth's  neck  about  two  inches  of  the  spinal  column  through  j^hich  the 
ball  had  passed ;  this  piece  of  bone,  which  is  now  on  exhibition  inThe  Gov 
ernment  Medical  Museum,  in  Washington,  is  the  only  relic  of  the  assassin's 
body  above  ground,  and  this  is  the  only  mutilation  of  the  remains  that  ever 
occurred.  Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  the  examination,  the  Secretary 
of  War  gave  orders  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  body,  which  had  become  very 
offensive,  owing  to  the  condition  in  which  it  had  remained  after  death  ;  the 
leg,  broken  in  jumping  from  the  box  to  the  stage,  was  much  discolored  and 


704  APPENDIX. 

swollen,  the  blood  from  the  wound  having  saturated  his  under-clothing. 
With  the  assistance  of  Lieut.  L.  B.  Baker,  I  took  the  body  from  the  gun-boat 
direct  to  the  old  Penitentiary,  adjoining  the  Arsenal  grounds.  The  building 
had  not  been  used  as  a  prison  for  some  years  previously.  The  Ordnance 
Department  had  iilled  the  ground-floor  cells  with  fixed  ammunition — one  of 
the  largest  of  these  cells  was  selected  as  the  burial-place  of  Booth — the  ammu 
nition  was  removed,  a  large  flat  stone  lifted  from  its  place,  and  a  rude  grave 
dug ;  the  body  was  dropped  in,  the  grave  filled  up,  the  stone  replaced,  and 
there  rests  to  this  hour  all  that  remained  of  John  Wilkes  Booth. 


W-AJSTTEID. 


No  business  pays  so  well  as  an  agency  for  popular  Histories  and 
Biographies,  for  they  are  the  class  of  books  that  every  intelligent 
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No  series  published  will  compare  with  them  in  real  value,  interest 
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We  are  the  most  extensive  publishers  in  the  United  States, 
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Our  books  do  not  pass  through  the  hands  of  General  Agents,  (as 
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which  is  acquired  only  by  traveling  and  observation — a  knowledge 
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AGENCIES,  will  please  send  for  circulars  and  see  our  terms, 
and  compare  them,  and  the  character  of  our  works,  with  those  of 
other  publishers. 

Address,  JONES  BROTHERS  &  CO. 

At  either  of  the  following  places,  whichever  is  nearest  to  you: 

507"  Minor  Street,  Philadelphia,  3Pa. 

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Oor.  Third,  and.  T»erry  Bta.,  T>»veni>ort,  Iowa. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
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Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


DEC  18  1947 

JAN  20  1948 

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REC'D 

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